[Roger H]

What is a good product to protect a frame from cable rub? I had one that had clear vinyl-like tape on strategic areas that worked quite well and was virtually invisible. Thanks.

 

[PaulNYC]

look for gunship tape.

 

[eflayer2]

the soft side of stick-on velcro

I have bought a strip of stick-on velcro and cut the fuzzy side into a small square and wrapped it around the cable. If you have black housing, you can hardly see it.

 

[Steve-O]

Here

http://aebike.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=30&SKU=CH2024

Any shop that has a QBP catalog can order it for you...

 

[B2]

Colorado Cyclist used to sell clear protector tape like that in rolls. I still have a few yards left I use no and again. Might worth calling to see if they still carry it.

 

[arctic hawk]

clear hockey tape

What is a good product to protect a frame from cable rub? I had one that had clear vinyl-like tape on strategic areas that worked quite well and was virtually invisible. Thanks.

How's about clear hockey tape? Cheap & the gummy backing is easily removed by lightly rubbing it.

 

[Cory]

A lifetime of protection for about 3 bucks

Everything everybody else has mentioned will work, but if you buy a roll of clear plastic tape made for sealing packages for shipping, about three dollars at any Target/Shopko/Safeway kind of store, you can cut out little circles of it and stick them on the frame of every bike you'll own for the rest of your life.

 

[Kerry Irons]

Also consider Park instant patches

An instant patch is heavier and a bit more visible than the package sealing tape, but extremely durable. Just another option.

 

[FTF]

An instant patch is heavier and a bit more visible than the package sealing tape, but extremely durable. Just another option.

Hehehehe, When I saw that I jumped up and did that to my bike. Although now I kinda wonder why I didn't think of it before, oh well. Looks like they were made for the job.

 

[russw19]

That's what I use...

How's about clear hockey tape? Cheap & the gummy backing is easily removed by lightly rubbing it.

Hockey tape... and when you are done putting it on your bike, you can go back to taping your stick with it.

Russ

 

[biknben]

Park Tire Boots...

As Kerry mentioned, I have used Park glueless patches. The are not entirely clear and will eventually wrinkle and become unsightly.

I picked up a package of Park Tire Boots recently. They are thicker and completely clear. I used just one, cut up into pieces as neccessary, to handle all the trouble spots on one bike.

 

[JimP]

Kerry,

Great idea to use the instant patches! They should work much better as frame protectors than they do as tube patches.

 

[Bill J Pappas]

I use the 'Stay Tuff' chainstay protector on my frame. It also comes with a card full of those clear adhesive discs(6-8), to apply onto the frame!

 

[C-40]

optional cable routing...

Cable rub on the head tube can be eliminated on many of todays frames by using an alternate cable routing, where the right shift cable is routed to the left cable stop and the left shift cable routed to the right cable stop. The cables housings will not come close to the head tube with this routing. The shift cables then cross under the downtube.

This routing doesn't work on all frames, depending on the location of the cable stops. A piece of clear vinyl bike protector tape may be needed to prevent cable contact with the downtube, so it can just be a tradeoff, but the clear tape is less noticeable on the downtube.

 

[PdxMark]

I've seen cable rubbing wear through paint to bare (AL) metal on a headtube. The mettal was even abraded a bit. Has anyone ever seen frame integrity harmed by cable rubbing?

 

[gkd]

Jagwire TubeTops

What is a good product to protect a frame from cable rub? I had one that had clear vinyl-like tape on strategic areas that worked quite well and was virtually invisible. Thanks.

Have your LBS get you a set (4) of Jagwire Tubetops. They are soft rubber sleeves about an inch and a half long that slip over your cable housings. Position them right where the cables might contact your frame. These are trick-looking and sure beat sticking tape or clear plastic all over your nice frame. They might cost you about 6 bucks, but well worth it..... Your LBS can find these items in the QBP catalog, in the cable section.

 

[CycloPathic]

electric tape

black vinyl electric tape practically invisible on black cable housing

 

[HouseMoney]

Buy one and you're done ...

I went to a sign shop a bought a 2' x 2' sheet of adhesive-backed clear vinyl for a few bucks. It's thicker than clear plastic shipping tape. You can cut it into whatever shape(s) you want, peel away the paper backing, and stick it on. I've been using the one sheet for 3 or 4 bikes now, and I still probably have 90% of the sheet remaining.

The Park glueless patches are nice & thick, but they're not 100% clear and they're a royal pain to remove (break out the WD40 to remove the sticky residue). I did once find red patches, which were practically unnoticeable on my red Truth which has since been sold.