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Mucker

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I'm wondering how people are faring with internal full length derailleur housing in their bikes.

I'm pretty frustrated with the A9C cabling setup. I was running Alligator ilink cable housing, which is basically a nokian knockoff, and went to change my cables and the cable lining had disintegrated at the head badge and now I have to recable my bike.

I'm probably going to drill out the head badge for the rear and run a full length housing. I was using a cable liner on the BB cable chuck and that seems to be intact with no noticeable damage so I will probably set up the FD as intended but with a liner on the chuck to help with friction.

Which niner model do you have?
Riding conditions? Wet, Dry, etc?
Full length rear, front, both and general set up?
How before you have to replace the housing?
How long before cable changes?
Anything you'd do differently?
 
#2 ·
Mucker said:
I'm wondering how people are faring with internal full length derailleur housing in their bikes.

I'm pretty frustrated with the A9C cabling setup. I was running Alligator ilink cable housing, which is basically a nokian knockoff, and went to change my cables and the cable lining had disintegrated at the head badge and now I have to recable my bike.

I'm probably going to drill out the head badge for the rear and run a full length housing. I was using a cable liner on the BB cable chuck and that seems to be intact with no noticeable damage so I will probably set up the FD as intended but with a liner on the chuck to help with friction.

Which niner model do you have?
Riding conditions? Wet, Dry, etc?
Full length rear, front, both and general set up?
How before you have to replace the housing?
How long before cable changes?
Anything you'd do differently?
Click to expand...
A9C: I had one and was frustrated as you were until I put the Niner/Gore cable kit in there. It wasn't easy to get in there but shifted like butter once it was in. It was possible to change cables without pulling the crank. Had it for 6 months until I stole the parts for the A9RDO that I built.

A9RDO: It has full length housing and nothing but happy with it. Wasn't trivial to put the housing in under the bottom bracket but it wasn't anything like the A9C. If you are decent mechanically you shouldn't have a problem. Love this bike. Love how it shifts.

I see the newest rev Jet9RDO has full length housing for the rear and it doesn't get routed through the BB. Thumbs up for that Niner. The front wasn't as problematic but wish it had full length housing either like the A9RDO or the through the top tube. I'd consider it perfect then.
 
#3 ·
Got lucky and nabbed a closeout v1.1 J9 RDO at no brainer price. Called Niner on Friday 4:45 pm and Ralph answered the call. Got the shifter kit in the mail by Monday PM. Props to Niner and this board for getting it right. Thanks all. I will do the full cable housing internally routed and report back, but expect no issues as compared to other external builds.
 
#4 ·
Which niner model do you have?
I have both the Air 9 RDO and Jet 9 RDO, got both just these past few months. So still pretty new to both bikes but can honestly say both are exactly the way I had hoped...pretty perfect.

Riding conditions? Wet, Dry, etc?
Mainly dry...Southern California.

Full length rear, front, both and general set up?
The A9RDO is full length for the rear of course. I hadn't looked at what the Air 9 Carbon entails but heard it's quite harder to cable than the RDO. It was a real ***** to get the cable/housing in initially. Once in, it's been fine. I moved to a 1x10 setup after a month so no FD. The RD has had zero problems so far.

As for the Jet 9 RDO V.1.1, I built it right after Niner created the new shift kit. I DESPISE full length housing (more friction yuck) so I only have cable from headbadge to BB, but full length from BB to RD. So far, with the shift kit, zero shift issues.

How before you have to replace the housing?
How long before cable changes?
I'm not sure about these of course, since it's only been a few months, but hoping I don't have to mess with this for the rest of the year.

Anything you'd do differently?
The Niner instructions were to install the fork and headset first, then install the cable/housing. That's just too difficult for the A9RDO. The downtube is not smooth and straight carbon as you would think, there are numerous things to stop the cable and housing as you push them through. Install the cable/housing first, then install the fork/headset.
 
#5 ·
I have a Jet9 RDO V1. I had originally set it up with X-9 1x10 with the bar cable thru the frame and housing at the three exterior location.

I swapped to XX1 a couple weeks ago and installed the full length housing. I never had any shifting problems before but I was concerned about the cracked cable stops people had reported. With the XX1 and full length housing I have the quickest and most percise shifting I have ever experienced off road. It compares to my Dura Ace on my Madone.
 
#6 ·
Speaking of cabling, where did that huge thread go about the new cabling kit?

And because that thread is gone, i'll ask here. For anyone else who updated the cabling, the plastic pieces that go in both sides of the chain stay, are they supposed to not sit flush? Mine stick out quite a bit and I don't want to force them in unless I'm supposed to.
 
#7 ·
I believe internal cable routing is a hassle and a solution looking for a problem. My old Jet 9 alloy with external routing shifted much snappier than my Jet 9 RDO. I

Mucker said:
I'm wondering how people are faring with internal full length derailleur housing in their bikes.

I'm pretty frustrated with the A9C cabling setup. I was running Alligator ilink cable housing, which is basically a nokian knockoff, and went to change my cables and the cable lining had disintegrated at the head badge and now I have to recable my bike.

I'm probably going to drill out the head badge for the rear and run a full length housing. I was using a cable liner on the BB cable chuck and that seems to be intact with no noticeable damage so I will probably set up the FD as intended but with a liner on the chuck to help with friction.

Which niner model do you have?
Riding conditions? Wet, Dry, etc?
Full length rear, front, both and general set up?
How before you have to replace the housing?
How long before cable changes?
Anything you'd do differently?
Click to expand...
 
#9 · (Edited)
^quote, the plastic pieces that came from the latest Niner shift kit fully insert flush on either side of the chainstay inclusive of full cable housing on my v1.1 j9rdo.

Edit: pics added of rear CS insert and shift kit 100mm tube and "corkscrew" below bb.

Image


Image
 
Discussion starter · #10 ·
Thanks for the responses. I ended up drilling out the headbadge for the rear cable/housing and ran full length housing. The only problem I had was when I pulled my guide out of the chainstay and had to run a new one. I was amazed at how much effort I was putting into making a shift of both front and rear derailleurs. I use grip shift and was accidentally over shifting the rear derailleur until I got used to the lack of friction. Now I just have to see how long this lasts.

I am not a fan of internally routing cables on any bikes either. My next project is changing the cables and housings on my road bike. It's a trek so it's a little easier, but there are still extra steps needed before completing the cabling.
 
#11 ·
moosehead said:
^quote, the plastic pieces that came from the latest Niner shift kit fully insert on either side of the chainstay inclusive of full cable housing on my v1.1 j9rdo. I'll try to post a pic later but they are flush.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I think I might be able to push them in if I try harder I just didn't want to crimp the housing or anything. They stick out a few cm before the lip of the plastic piece.
 
#13 ·
358pe68 said:
So all you need to do to get full housing for A9C is to drill bigger holes to head tube badge to feed housing through? Does this work for both rear and front der?
Click to expand...
Even for the new Jet9 or RIP RDO they still don't run full length housing on the front. Only the Air9 RDO does that and there is a housing stop built inside the frame. Wish the Jet did this too or better yet full length housing for the front through the top tube. Back to the here and now....if you drill the front I think you'll be in trouble from more than one perspective and be forced to like a 1x10.

I've heard people do drill those magnesium head badges out but they are supposed to corrode if you do that. At some point you do get so frustrated and don't care though. Have you tried putting the gore cable kit in? After I put it in my A9C it shifted great. Even if you drill the rear it might be worth it to get the gore for the front.
 
Discussion starter · #14 ·
riding29 said:
Even for the new Jet9 or RIP RDO they still don't run full length housing on the front. Only the Air9 RDO does that and there is a housing stop built inside the frame. Wish the Jet did this too or better yet full length housing for the front through the top tube. Back to the here and now....if you drill the front I think you'll be in trouble from more than one perspective and be forced to like a 1x10.

I've heard people do drill those magnesium head badges out but they are supposed to corrode if you do that. At some point you do get so frustrated and don't care though. Have you tried putting the gore cable kit in? After I put it in my A9C it shifted great. Even if you drill the rear it might be worth it to get the gore for the front.
Click to expand...
I seriously considered drilling out the head badge and running full length for the front on my A9C but it wasn't set up for that like the Air9 RDO. I ran the FD like it was supposed to be set up but use a length of cable housing liner that runs from the FD around the chuck in the bb and about 5 inches up the down tube. I use a shimano cable shield over the housing liner where it enters the frame to help keep out grime. I think the only reason I was having shift issues in the front before was because the alligator liner disintegrated at the head badge.

My head badge was already having corrosion issues in areas where a drill never touched it.
 
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