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Morning,
I have a Thule 598 carrier which has an adjustable clamp to secure the bike - it attaches to the downtube and ratchets down to tighten. The cables on my bike are externally routed and run along the top of the downtube, meaning that the carrier clamps down directly over the cables.
I didn't really think anything of this, as the clamp mouth has a rubber insert and the cables seem pretty strong and resistant to deforming. However, on a recent visit to the bike shop for gear tuning, they replaced my cable outer. This surprised me as the bike is only 11 months old.
It's made me wonder whether the roof rack clamping down over the cables may have contributed to this, and therefore probably isn't such a good idea.
Any thoughts? Has anyone encountered this and come up with a solution? All I can think of at the moment is maybe a rubber to go between the cables and the clamp.
Thanks, Dan.
With my roof bars, I just put a bit of old inner tube under the cables in the area of the clamp
No issues, and generally have a few bits lying around the car in case of emergencies...
Whether it makes any difference or not - and I have no proof one way or another but has done me, and my bikes no harm over the years - I have been using a small sponge (spontex style) where the clamp on my 591 carriers now (previously other flavours of bike carrier) clamp to the down tubes. IIRC it was a suggestion made to me outside a bike shop by another STW forumite as I was collecting my new bike 16 years ago! Intrigued if I have indeed remembered that episode correctly, but i would never have thought to do it without a suggestion from somewhere!!
I think my Thule 598 had a little channel at the bottom of the V shaped clamp. I used to pinch the cables together and make sure they settled into the groove while doing up the clamp. This stopped them from wiggling side to side under motion.
Of course I started doing this after it rubbed a load of paint of my girlfriend's new Stumpjumper. Your cable arrangement may differ.
Thanks for the suggestions, sounds like some sort of bodge is needed.
No bodge needed in theory. I clamp over my rear mech cable with no issues whatsoever. The soft jaws provide compliance and conforms over the cable and clamps securely. It would be prudent to protect the frame under the cable with some help-tape or something against any abrasion or rubbing between the cable and frame from damaging the paint but I've not had any such issues. However I put on protection on any rack that is contacting the frame. I just use electrical tape...it's cheap, easy to apply, can put on several layers and does need replacing occasionally so use it as a sacrificial layer. I have invisiframed my frame but one layer of heritage is not enough for long term protection hence the addition of electrical tape.
Also post ride I clean off any mud/grit/sand off the area of contact between the rack jaws and frame to avoid any abrasives. Just a splash or two from my camelback or bottle is more than sufficient to wash off any contamination.
Thule do clamps that are either side or above and below the down tube, get the one that suits.
the thule Freeride will sort you out
A yearly cable outer change does not seem extreme....obviously dependant on use and conditions you ride in
I'd try to avoid it, especially over hydro cables.
However, if your local climate is anything like mine, I'd call 11 months a good lifetime for a cable.
The 598 has really soft jaws and as the clamp fits all the way around the bike frame, it doesn't need to be tightened very tight as the bike physically can't fall out the jaws.
I wouldn't worry about it - in fact, I don't. Mine and my sons bike both have external cables and they go on the 598 racks at least weekly.
Thanks for comments all, appreciated.