Internal routed dropper post on 057, Now with How To and Photos.

[325racer]

Anyone installed an internally routed dropper post on an 057?

I think I want to do a dropper, but want to keep it clean with internally routed cable.

Now Updated with info and photos, Scroll Down.

[MTB2223]

I don't know if it's possible, because sometimes the bottom bracket is a closed system. In my CS265SL it's an open system and I think I could run the cables through the BB. But I'm not sure if it will fit when de BB is installed.
And running it through the top tube ? I don't think it will fit.

Before buying a dropper post, try to fit a cable through you BB. When it fits, you can buy a dropper post for internal cable routing, otherwise external cable routing.

[ConcreteJ]

Here's a link to my dropper solution-- post#2328

http://forums.mtbr.com/29er-bikes/dual-suspension-chinese-carbon-29er-737952-24.html#post13733558

[325racer]

Was out for a ride today and really wanting a dropper..  After the ride I pulled the sestpost to see what I could see.

On the 057 the BB housing does have space above it. As a matter of fact, both brake and rear derailleur internal housings run above the BB housing.  This means I can run a cable housing from downtube to seattube, so internal routing is possible.

I'm going to use Santa Cruz cable guides, they look clean a d easy to install, actually I installed a Wolf Tooth lever on my father's Hightower, so already see these work well.

https://shop.santacruzbicycles.com/rubber-grommet-cable-routing-kit.html

Have no experience or friends with the 9point8 Fall line, but I like the looks of this, plus they are currently on sale and use the Wolf Tooth lever.

https://www.9point8.ca/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=213

I think I'm going to do it.

[325racer]

Tracking shows the post should be arriving today.  I already have the frame grommets, so tonight will probably be some drilling and cable routing..

I'll take photos and document the process.

[carbonazza]

Maybe you know already, but if you have this at home.
You can guide a shifter or brake cable with a magnet first.

Then push that cable in the hose on starting end.
Pulling gently the cable on the other side, as you push the hose in.

Good work! I look forward for the report.

[325racer]

Haven't gotten to the scary/good stuff yet, but here is what has happened so far.

Package arrived today, opened it up for a quick peek, new parts are so Pretty!!!

Went for one last ride without a dropper post.

Then I decided to open up and inspect everything, which included weighing things, of course!

Original Carbon 410mm post was 226grams, I had 7+ inches of post inserted in the frame, so I could have cut this and probably dropped it closer to 200grams.

Now the New post is not just the weight of the post, but also cable, lever and bracket.

The post itself weighed in at 479 grams, when advertised was 467 grams.
Lever was 27 grams, bracket was  11, for total 38, advertised was 35.1g.
Cable and connectors came in at 76grams.

So total weight is 581g, compared to advertised 550g for the 375mm with 125mm drop.  This equates to a gain of 355 grams.    EEEEEK, oh well, I can personally stand to lose 20 lbs, so I guess .78% of a pound isn't terrible.

Because this will require drilling of the frame, I decided I would fit the lever first, and test fit the cable to decide where I want to drill.  This is about where I got to this evening.   I have now decided where to drill and will do that and the remaining install tomorrow evening.

NOW for pictures.




20180726_222413.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

20180726_222833.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

20180726_222856.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

20180726_233049.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

20180726_222949.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

20180726_223045.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

20180726_224829.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

20180726_225140.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

Hole is going to go in the center of the red pin striped area.  Gives good range of motion and I think will look clean.

20180726_225318.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

This is from the Santa Cruz cable guide kit.  Shouldn't require anything fancy, I think either a round or slightly oval hole will work fine.

[325racer]

Picked up today after work and went right in for the hard/scary part, drilling the frame.

20180727_172001.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

1. Picked a location that seemed logical and had good cable routing.
2. Taped to prevent chipping.
3. Started drilling.  Started with a small pin hole size drill and worked my way up to 1/4".  Once I was at 1/4" I did one last pass at an angle that matched that of the cable grommet.

20180727_172952.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

4. Test fitted Grommet.

20180727_180455.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

5. Inspected frame and tried a few methods to get the cable routed internally.  Ultimately ran the cable from the seat tube up to the new hole in the downtube.
   With this model seat tube you end up cutting the end off the cable so direction wouldn't matter much, although I found it easy to put a slight bend in the raw end of the cable to help make the turn at the bottom of the seat tube.  Then gently pushed the cable up until I could see it through the new hole.  I then used a magnet to "guide" the end of the cable to the hole.  Once I had the end of the cable, I ran the housing down over the cable, being careful not to kink the cable at the turn from downtube to seat tube.

20180727_180522.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

20180727_181910.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

20180727_181913.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

20180727_181922.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

20180727_182204.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

20180727_182209.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

6. Attached the dropper post connection hardware.

20180727_184637.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

7. Test fit the post, pull extra housing length out the front end, measure twice and cut the housing.

8. Insert cable and connect to post connection hardware.  For this post you end up cutting the normal shifter "ball" off the end and using set screws to attach.

20180727_185727.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

9. Add air per this dropper post instructions.

10. Rough fit post to height.

20180727_190910.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

11. Connect cable to lever, trim cable and install cable end.

20180727_190913.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

12.  Lightly grease seat rails to avoid squeaking.

20180727_191110.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

13.  install seat

14. Final Fitment, Up, down and with saddle bag.   Might end up adding a Wolf Tooth Valais https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/collections/accessories/products/valais-25

20180727_192033.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

20180727_192039.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

20180727_192050.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

20180727_192159.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

20180727_192209.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

Initial ride around the street says it will be AMAZING!!!  Time to get more rowdy!!!!

[325racer]

I should have done this a LONG time ago.  It's like a new bike.  So much more fun and lively on the descents with the seat dropped.  As a secondary, it seems to have resolved some noises from the saddle.  I had a 0 setback post before and my saddle was mounted about as far back as possible, causing creaking and popping.  The new post is a 25mm setback and the saddle now mounts in the center of the rails.

Some Pics on the trail.

20180728_092325.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

20180728_092335.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

20180728_092341.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

20180728_092356.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

Life through old Oakley Persimmons lenses on an overcast morning.
20180728_092520.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

20180728_092532.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

20180728_092718.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr

And lastly a memorial for an 83 year old man that had gone missing last Sunday and was found by a hiker minutes before my ride on Thursday.
20180728_101934.jpg by Matthew Kogan, on Flickr