Drilled cables routing on bars...bad idea?

[Iain C]

I'm rebuilding my old Claud Butler (see separate thread) and the new Charge bar tape arrives soon.

The current bars have Shimano 105 Aero levers (just brakes, gears are on the downtube) but as they had the old foam "Grab On" grips the cables have been routed inside the bars, with the appropriate holes drilled at the cable exit points and just behind the levers themselves.

Is this OK? Is it safe? Or do the bars need chucking away, and cables should be run under the tape on new bars?

Thanks!

 

[john]

Never heard of this being done before. Personally I'd bin the bars for what a new set cost and what the implications of bar failure are. Be interested to hear from others if this was ever a common practice...

 

[tintin40]

I'd pass too. get new bars. But just one detail, was this drilling done by the maker? Or an 'ex' owner? But if not sure then for the price of a bad injury buy a new bar.

 

[hamster]

Definitely dangerous...modern bars have grooves for the cables as experience showed that drilling was inadvisable - and bars these days are even thinner.

 

[terryhfs]

The very act of drilling causes surface imperfections to be created which are the starting points for crack propagation. So any drilled hole must be polished to within an inch of its life afterwards if the life of the component isn't to be affected.

I've used aero levers on bars without the groove before. Just insulating tape the brake cables in a position where your hand doesn't naturally fall and then stick something like Phat Wrap on the bars and you'll never know they're there.

 

[Iain C]

Nice one, thanks.

In the bin they go then!

 

[Old Ned]

Drilling bars for concealed brake cables was a common 'trick' in the 80's before grooved bars came on the market. I know, I did it myself. I've never had one fail on me (thankfully!) but I've known ones that were home drilled fail on other people, generally without to much harm - but there's always a first time!

If it's a bike that will be used in anger and not show then fit a new pair just in case! Better to be safe than sorry.

PS - some manufacturers actually sold bars ready drilled, I don't know how they stood up to usage.

 

[DAVE O]

I had my bars drilled in the 80's for dia-compe aero levers - cinelli bars. The bar snapped clean off near the centre sleave whilst pulling on them going up hill on a time trial :shock: :shock:
Made the ride home interesting
As you've said - bin em not worth the risk.

 

[pistol13]

I use some old sr championship bars with this mod and never had any problems and actually it gives a very clean look. Like others have said, a popular mod in the 80's.