Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Nokon cable install Shimano derailleurs

Part 2 of my Nokon cable install tips. This time it focuses on the derailleur setup. I just want to mention that these cables have begun to get a bad reputation on the internet for being too hard to install. NOT TRUE, spend a bit of time and you can do it. It's not as brainless as regular STI cables etc, but come on! look at these things, they're really nice looking...
The big change for Shimano users is you form a loop about 5 cm from the lever, which is VERY different then what your used to seeing with STI. As shown near the lever in this picture. Put a piece of electrical tape around the bar/nokon assembly after you form the loop. The smaller loop doesn't interfere with your hands :)
I had to take off the adjustable cable guides on the frame for the deraillers, and using a small drill bit, opened the hole up a very small amount to feed the black inner housing thru. The black inner housing runs all the way down the frame and thru the cable guide under the bottom bracket to the rear derailleur as shown.

The rear Nokon cable should have the black plastic housing fed thru the rear derailleur frame guide and the 2 should be connected together with the clear tube as shown.
What I did was run the cable from the front of the bike down thru the cable guide on the rear chain stay, then I slid the clear tube onto the section I just pulled thru the frame. Then, run the silver braided derailleur cable thru the housing. I fed the rear NOKON rear derailleur cables black plastic tubing to meet the other end and slid the clear plastic tube over both ends to seal the inner cable. Next, feed or remove the colored Nokon pices until you have the length you want on the rear derailleur NOKON cable . Remember, the end of the black inner housing should be just short of the ends (the black cable should NOT stick out of the Nokon colored cable) Remember to add a small silver piece followed by a silver end piece to each end.
Look to see where the Nokon cable would touch the frame, and slide off the colored NOKONS at that point. With a bit of spit (it will evaporate), slide the rubber protective tube onto the NOKON pieces. Then feed the NOKON pieces back onto the cable, sliding them into the rubber tube as shown. MUCH EASIER than sliding the rubber tube all theway along the completed cable

The front derailleur. Feed the black inner housing thru the guide under the bottom bracket and up toward the front derailleur. Slide the inner silver braided cable thru the housing, and let it hang. The black housing should be carefully cut (about an inch up from where it comes up from the bottom bracket cable guide to allow you to slip the gray sheath over the end of the black housing to keep water etc out as shown. (The smaller end of the grey sheath point toward the front derailleur...

You will have about an inch or 2 of exposed silver braided derailleur cable that leads up to your front derailleur. Get on your bikes and RIDE!

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