Kilham5
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Here is my third and hopefully final shifter cable re-route on my 2020 E-150.
The original route exiting the motor casing below bottom bracket was way too vulnerable.
The first re-route, using the same hole as the brake hose was too restricted on my frame, not happy.
The second re-route via a second notch in the rear of the near-side motor cover was okay, but the tight radii of the cable from one side of the swing arm to the other created way too much resistance on the shifter cable.
Inspired by the photo's of the 2021 routing provided by N9VNS and Nakedebiker's re-route, I took a similar route on Saturday afternoon.
Pretty easy and straightforward to be honest, shifting now super clean, and so far cannot see a downside.
Garden workshop.
Although it's a bugger when you drop small screws in the grass
The cold beer is out of shot.
Remove bottom shroud and battery. Partially remove the near side motor cover, you can manipulate it over crank without removing.
Pull the cable outer from the shifter, down the down tube, out of the nearside motor casing, then out from the initial routing through bottom of motor case.
Unless you are replacing the outer cable, don't remove the outer from the chain stay.
If you are replacing the outer, then leave the inner in place to use as a guide to draw the outer. A pain if you don't. You will get the jist.
Remove the black painted alloy plate from above the motor casing on the drive side.
Five T40 bolts. They are torqued down petty tight, they are also very very soft, so use a good tool and take care, don't round them off.
With the plate removed you can clearly see the proposed route on the pictures below.
A bit of a fiddle to route the cable back into the hole into the down tube (below and in front of the charge point)
I fed the inner cable down through the down tube to use as a guide.
Feed all the outer cable through, back up the down tube and back out to your shifter.
Leaving the slack that you require ( I trimmed about 100mm from the original length)
Once happy, run a new inner through, reset the tension on the derailleur, put it back together and go ride.
After feeding through all the slack it looks like this (below), make sure smooth and nothing fouling.
Put the near side and drive side covers back, and tighten the bolts being careful not to round off or strip a thread.
The exposed shifter cable is sat beneath the chain stay, behind the chain ring.
It is well clear of the chain ring, and I can't see a scenario where this is going to be an issue.
I am happy with the amount of slack at the pivot point, and after a 30 mile ride shows no signs of chaffing or resistance due to suspension movement.
Shift quality is as crisp as it gets.
All nice and neat, and no longer vulnerable
The only further improvement I could make, would be to drill the rear of the motor casing and route exactly as the 2021 models.
But I would not be happy drilling the frame without dropping the motor out. Might also compromise in the unlikely event of a frame warranty issue.
I will see how the cable holds up on this this routing.
It looks good enough that hopefully I won't have to bother.
Bits needed: Strictly speaking none, but I would run a new inner cable as a minimum, probably new outer as well while you are at it.
Tools needed: Set of Allen keys, set of torque bits, wrench, pliers stc. And an ebay £29 work stand helps, but not necessary.
Time: Probably took me 90 minutes being patient. Clean the bike first.
Shifting is super crisp again.
The shifter cable routes beneath the chain stay at the pivot point, well clear of the chain-ring
30 mile test yesterday, and not a sign of any chaffing at the pivot point.
I am not endorsing this mod in any way, you work on your bike at your own risk.
I like messing about with things.
If in doubt, leave well alone, or talk to your LBS.
The original route exiting the motor casing below bottom bracket was way too vulnerable.
The first re-route, using the same hole as the brake hose was too restricted on my frame, not happy.
The second re-route via a second notch in the rear of the near-side motor cover was okay, but the tight radii of the cable from one side of the swing arm to the other created way too much resistance on the shifter cable.
Inspired by the photo's of the 2021 routing provided by N9VNS and Nakedebiker's re-route, I took a similar route on Saturday afternoon.
Pretty easy and straightforward to be honest, shifting now super clean, and so far cannot see a downside.
Garden workshop.
Although it's a bugger when you drop small screws in the grass
The cold beer is out of shot.
Remove bottom shroud and battery. Partially remove the near side motor cover, you can manipulate it over crank without removing.
Pull the cable outer from the shifter, down the down tube, out of the nearside motor casing, then out from the initial routing through bottom of motor case.
Unless you are replacing the outer cable, don't remove the outer from the chain stay.
If you are replacing the outer, then leave the inner in place to use as a guide to draw the outer. A pain if you don't. You will get the jist.
Remove the black painted alloy plate from above the motor casing on the drive side.
Five T40 bolts. They are torqued down petty tight, they are also very very soft, so use a good tool and take care, don't round them off.
With the plate removed you can clearly see the proposed route on the pictures below.
A bit of a fiddle to route the cable back into the hole into the down tube (below and in front of the charge point)
I fed the inner cable down through the down tube to use as a guide.
Feed all the outer cable through, back up the down tube and back out to your shifter.
Leaving the slack that you require ( I trimmed about 100mm from the original length)
Once happy, run a new inner through, reset the tension on the derailleur, put it back together and go ride.
After feeding through all the slack it looks like this (below), make sure smooth and nothing fouling.
Put the near side and drive side covers back, and tighten the bolts being careful not to round off or strip a thread.
The exposed shifter cable is sat beneath the chain stay, behind the chain ring.
It is well clear of the chain ring, and I can't see a scenario where this is going to be an issue.
I am happy with the amount of slack at the pivot point, and after a 30 mile ride shows no signs of chaffing or resistance due to suspension movement.
Shift quality is as crisp as it gets.
All nice and neat, and no longer vulnerable
The only further improvement I could make, would be to drill the rear of the motor casing and route exactly as the 2021 models.
But I would not be happy drilling the frame without dropping the motor out. Might also compromise in the unlikely event of a frame warranty issue.
I will see how the cable holds up on this this routing.
It looks good enough that hopefully I won't have to bother.
Bits needed: Strictly speaking none, but I would run a new inner cable as a minimum, probably new outer as well while you are at it.
Tools needed: Set of Allen keys, set of torque bits, wrench, pliers stc. And an ebay £29 work stand helps, but not necessary.
Time: Probably took me 90 minutes being patient. Clean the bike first.
Shifting is super crisp again.
The shifter cable routes beneath the chain stay at the pivot point, well clear of the chain-ring
30 mile test yesterday, and not a sign of any chaffing at the pivot point.
I am not endorsing this mod in any way, you work on your bike at your own risk.
I like messing about with things.
If in doubt, leave well alone, or talk to your LBS.
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