Broken Barrel Adjuster

[Sorni]

I have an '03 Klein Q-carbon Team (road bike), 5-6 months old.

The other day I went out and started having rear shifting problems; turns out the barrel adjuster
had broken off at the threads, where it joins the downtube for internal cable routing.

Took it to the shop and they replaced it (losing the plastic cable guide inside the frame in
the process, of course -- simplest jobs are always biggest pains in saddle. Got it out after
pulling fork.).

My question is, is this a design flaw common to this particular frame/model? Seems like the adjuster
gets continual stress as wheel is turned (only fully, however), as cable housings push against it.
Or did something just bump up against bike and break it off without my knowing (or even before
purchase)? There IS a slight ding in the housing, but I thought it was just a blem in the plastic.

Bill "I'm used to shifting issues with MOUNTAIN bikes, but ROAD?!?" S.

 

[Qui Si Parla Ca]

sorni-<< I have an '03 Klein Q-carbon Team (road bike), 5-6 months old.
>><BR><BR>
<< My question is, is this a design flaw common to this particular frame/model?
>><BR><BR>

Klein has nearly always had this design, a really complicated answer to a really simple question. If
Klein is nervous about welding there, then they could easily use bolt on or riveted stops. the
inside the tube routing of brake and der is really a PIA...solves no problem, answers no question.

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

 

[David Mackintos]

"Sorni" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I have an '03 Klein Q-carbon Team (road bike), 5-6 months old.
>
> The other day I went out and started having rear shifting problems; turns out the barrel adjuster
> had broken off at the threads, where it joins the downtube for internal cable routing.
>
> My question is, is this a design flaw common to this particular frame/model? ...

Yes, I believe it's a common problem with Kleins; I've broken two in six months. The best solution
is to not replace the barrel adjuster, just have the housing (with a cap) stop in the frame. I
just adjust the cable tension at the derailleur (not easy to do while riding on a big frame), but
you can also buy in-line cable adjusters which are usually installed a couple of inches inboard of
STI levers.

Re-threading the shift cables through the downtube is also a pain, but I've found bending a small
kink in the end of the cable, and using a magnet outside the tube to guide it, works pretty well.

I'm not a big fan of the backwards dropouts, either.

-David

 

[David Mackintos]

[email protected] (Qui si parla Campagnolo) wrote in message > Klein has nearly always had this
design, a really complicated answer to a
> really simple question. If Klein is nervous about welding there, then they could easily use bolt
> on or riveted stops. the inside the tube routing of brake and der is really a PIA...solves no
> problem, answers no question.

How about the question: "How do we make a bike different from all the others and sell more?"

I have a Quantum frame, and really like the looks of the internal routing, and it does make the bike
easier to clean. Replacing cables is a pain, and initially I got a lot of water inside the DT and BB
when riding in the rain. My fix was to add a couple of short lengths of cable liner where the cables
exit the down tube, and drilling a small drain hole in the BB shell.

-David

 

[Sorni]

"David Mackintosh" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Sorni" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > I have an '03 Klein Q-carbon Team (road bike), 5-6 months old.
> >
> > The other day I went out and started having rear shifting problems;
turns
> > out the barrel adjuster had broken off at the threads, where it joins
the
> > downtube for internal cable routing.
> >
> > My question is, is this a design flaw common to this particular
frame/model?

>
> Yes, I believe it's a common problem with Kleins; I've broken two in six months. The best solution
> is to not replace the barrel adjuster, just have the housing (with a cap) stop in the frame. I
> just adjust the cable tension at the derailleur (not easy to do while riding on a big frame), but
> you can also buy in-line cable adjusters which are usually installed a couple of inches inboard of
> STI levers.

Well, if (when) this one breaks, that's what I'll do (forego the adjuster altogether). Thanks.

> Re-threading the shift cables through the downtube is also a pain, but I've found bending a small
> kink in the end of the cable, and using a magnet outside the tube to guide it, works pretty well.

LBS dude used a plastic sheething (cable liner?), but picked one too short so it fell off inside
frame. I'll keep the magnet idea in mind!

> I'm not a big fan of the backwards dropouts, either.

Hmmm... haven't given me any problems, but thanks for drawing my attention to 'em!

Bill "still, road bike so trouble-free compared to mtb's" S.