What bike to replace my dead hybrid commuter?

[Salty seadog]

I thought we didn't use cable casing with longitudinal strands due to problems like this and bursting when used for brakes?

This is my understanding too. The longitudinal stranded led allow for compression and more deflection which can affect braking. See what they come back with after your query.

 

[Illaveago]

Stayed up late last night after the family had retired just so I could get this bike finished but have hit a frustrating snag on the final job!

Gear cables have now been swapped over to pass around the head tube and then the wires cross under the down tube. This gives a much better cable line coming out from under the bar tape and bending less sharply at the headtube.

Checked the BB cups were in tight.
It is a good job you found out the problem with the cables before you needed to use them.
Fitted Cateye wireless computer and bottle cage.

Removed the rack as it was pressing on the mudguard and causing tyre rub. Will have to wait for the new Tortec ones to arrive to fix this.

Final job was to play with brake set-up and cable routing. Brakes had not been done right, they had wound in the cable length to get the right biting point rather than backing off everything and then setting pad clearance with the adjusters. This limits the arm travel at the caliper and potentially causes the arm to bottom out. Also, the rear caliper was nowhere near centred but these are the easiest calipers I have ever set up. because it is mechanical the pads can only move equally on each side. With new pads just back off the adjusters, loosen the mounting bolts then squeeze the brake before tightening the mounting bolts, perfect alignment.

It was here that I found the big problem. The front brake cable was binding in the outer and not allowing the brake to release. I ended up unwrapping the bar tape on that side as far as the brake lever so I could remove the casing and found this....

View attachment 432604

CRC have been emailed but I have realised that as the casing strands have pushed through the stop in the lever body they may have gouged out the hole so the problem will happen again? Further investigation required and I fear I will need to strip the rear brake cable out to check for the same problem there. I thought we didn't use cable casing with longitudinal strands due to problems like this and bursting when used for brakes? Not impressed with the compresionless stuff as this is the 1st time I have encountered it and it has failed before even being used!

 

[Illaveago]

It is a good job you discovered the problem with the brake cables before you needed to use them.

 

[Salar]

@I like Skol

That looks like shifter cable housing to me.

Traditional brake cable housing is as you know is coiled spring like.

Shifter cable housing have parallel strands as your picture.

 

[I like Skol]

It is a good job you discovered the problem with the brake cables before you needed to use them.

This is why I thoroughly check my new bikes over before they ever turn a wheel. I have a serious lack of trust and this is the kind of thing that justifies it.

@I like Skol

That looks like shifter cable housing to me.

Traditional brake cable housing is as you know is coiled spring like.

Shifter cable housing have parallel strands as your picture.

Jagwire KEB-SL for brakes - https://jagwire.com/products/housing/pro-compressionless-brake-housing

I reckon it should be installed with the alloy end caps to prevent this and it hasn't been done in this case. Off to find user instructions for it now to see if I am right.

 

[Salar]

Guess I'm just old fashioned.

 

[I like Skol]

Right, I'm going in! about to unwrap the left/Rr bar tape to access the cable housing to see what state that is in. I will probably be posting some pictures shortly. Shouldn't have to do this on a quality new bike!!!!

 

[ianrauk]

Indeed. Thats very poor.

 

[I like Skol]

As I feared, rear brake is also failing in the same manner!

Rear cable end at lever.

This next shot is tricky to get but shows the severity of the problem. This is the front brake lever where the strands had punched right through the plastic lever casing. Looking from the front when the lever is pulled to reveal the internal space.

This is the same shot of the rear brake lever where the damage isn't so severe but you can still see the strands have started to affect the 'roundness' of the aperture that the casing is supposed to but up against.

The loss of shape around the 3-o-clock to 7-o-clock area in this image corresponds with the protrusion of the strands when the casing is in the inserted position.

My suggested solution to CRC is that they replace both damaged shifters and supply a suitable cable set, then take up the matter with Kona as a matter of urgency as I am sure this is not just going to affect my bike and is a safety critical failure due to incompatible or incorrectly installed parts .

Fed up now as I just want to ride my new bike and this will potentially set it back days, or more likely weeks

 

[jowwy]

As I feared, rear brake is also failing in the same manner!

Rear cable end at lever.
View attachment 432617

This next shot is tricky to get but shows the severity of the problem. This is the front brake lever where the strands had punched right through the plastic lever casing. Looking from the front when the lever is pulled to reveal the internal space.
View attachment 432618

This is the same shot of the rear brake lever where the damage isn't so severe but you can still see the strands have started to affect the 'roundness' of the aperture that the casing is supposed to but up against.
View attachment 432619

The loss of shape around the 3-o-clock to 7-o-clock area in this image corresponds with the protrusion of the strands when the casing is in the inserted position.

My suggested solution to CRC is that they replace both damaged shifters and supply a suitable cable set, then take up the matter with Kona as a matter of urgency as I am sure this is not just going to affect my bike and is a safety critical failure due to incompatible or incorrectly installed parts .

Fed up now as I just want to ride my new bike and this will potentially set it back days, or more likely weeks

Cant you just refit those cables with the alloy end caps fitted. That would reduce any further issues and allow the brakes to work as described??

 

[I like Skol]

Cant you just refit those cables with the alloy end caps fitted. That would reduce any further issues and allow the brakes to work as described??

I don't have the end caps, this is the OEM cables on a brand-new bike straight from the Kona factory. Besides, the lever body is compromised now and the holes where the inner cable is supposed to pass through but the cable casing stops against is enlarged, so even the end caps don't have the material to butt up against that there is supposed to be. It might work, but can you guarantee it? I think it 'might' be ok but certainly can't be sure and neither can Chain Reaction or Kona so I expect they will agree with my diagnosis and simply replace the shifters and cables to prevent any risk or liability.

 

[roadrash]

so I expect they will agree with my diagnosis and simply replace the shifters and cables to prevent any risk or liability.

and so they should, doesn't bear thinking about what could have gone wrong, things like that just should not happen

 

[DCBassman]

This is surely a potential safety recall?

 

[I like Skol]

This is surely a potential safety recall?

That is my thought too and I have repeatedly stressed to Chain Reaction that they should escalate this to Kona because of the safety implications. I may inform Kona myself if CRC don't make the right noises!

EDIT: Maybe let Jagwire know too as it is their product that is a key factor in the failure.

 

[I like Skol]

Just look at them. Perfect match and only 2 notes so it would have been rude not to order them when I was getting a few other bits delivered anyway.