Pinnacle iroko dropper fitting help

[ishaw]

I'm looking to fit a dropper to my son's iroko build. It's designed to take an internally routed dropper but I'm struggling to figure out how to route the cable.

On the left side of the down tube, there are fittings for internally routing a cable, but I think it's for a front mech as it isn't designed to take a full outer hose.

The right side has a blanking plug, assumingly for a dropper fitting? If so, this would mean having the dropper lever on the rear shifter side, or an ugly routing?

So, looking online I can't find any pics of how to route the dropper cable, or any kits to make it work (they did sell them by the looks of it).

So what are my options?

I'm thinking that I could remove the guides on the left of the frame and drill them out (it's a 1x11 build). I'm still confused by the routing though as the front mech cable would route through the open down tube and up via a guide much like the BB ones. That would mean the official dropper routing would enter via the right down tube hole currently blanked, then within the down tube, diagonal across to the exit hole on the left side, then a 90 degree bend into the guide hole in the seat tube, which to me doesn't seem right.

Anyone know how this should work, or how I can make it work without a proper adapter kit? Or even where I can get the proper routing kit from?

Thanks

 

[Motomax]

I think you definitely want the lever on the left and the cable to enter the downtube on the right to get smooth operation. My Marin Hawk Hill is routed like that, but the cable exits on the right side of the DT above the bottom bracket, makes a smooth bend in about 5 inches, then into a hole near the bottom of the seat tube. It works very well. In your case I think you would need to drill two holes? If you can post some photos it might be helpful.

 

[coomber]

 

[coomber]

Should definitely be normal, left side. This was some years ago, can't find a better picture but I don't recall any issues with it.

 

[ishaw]

Thanks for the pics. I've always tried to minimise cable routing, but are you saying the way to route the dropper on the left side of the bar is to have a long run of outer going around the head tube into the right side of the down tube? Currently there is a blanking grommet covering the hole, I'd assume there should be a guide that plugs into this rather than the cable outer plumbing straight into the hole?

I'm not a fan of how this sounds in theory, I'd rather modify the guides which I assume are for the front mech, so I can keep the cable run from having to be looped around the head tube. Or am I missing something?

There is an exit guide on the left of the down tube, and an entry one on the bottom of the seat tube which I've assumed is for the dropper. I could cut the outer cable so it enters as a gear cable would, leaving the inner cable to run inside the down tube, exit via the guide, and run a length of outer from there, up inside the seat tube to the dropper, which needs the outer and inner to be present to fit the dropper cable clamp.

 

[Motomax]

I would think the lever on left/ entry into left side of downtube results in a very sharp bend which is not ideal. On the right side downtube entry, Marin uses a grommet with the hole molded to align with the cable. I am using the routing as Marin designed it; never had any problems. I don't see a problem with using the bare cable in the DT and the guides as ishaw suggests, if the guides are angled correctly.

 

[coomber]

Yes, left side, around the headtube and into downtube on the right. Droppers can be sensitive to tight turns. If I recall, I didn't have grommets either so bought some ragley or other ones and bodged it

 

[coomber]

Bike Frame Oval Brake / Gear Cable Internal Routing Guide Grommets | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Bike Frame Oval Brake / Gear Cable Internal Routing Guide Grommets at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[clubby]

I could cut the outer cable so it enters as a gear cable would, leaving the inner cable to run inside the down tube, exit via the guide, and run a length of outer from there, up inside the seat tube to the dropper, which needs the outer and inner to be present to fit the dropper cable clamp.

No, no, no!!!! Left hand lever to right hand port, nice and smooth. Left to left would tighten up on left hairpins and actuate the dropper.
Droppers will only work with full runs of cable. You need to be able to have enough slack cable to be able to pull the seatpost out of the tube for fitting/removing the inner. On my set up I need to take the lever off the mount and let it pull through to near the cable entry hole. When seat is at correct height this give a short but sensible length of cable in front of the head tube. My Merida ports are in roughly the same place as in those photos.

 

[ishaw]

Thanks, I've never had an issue with the dropper I have on my 29er, it runs like I'd want it to run on the pinnacle.

How sensitive are droppers? Tight turns activating them? I'd have ghost shifting based on that logic.

I don't see why a dropper will only work with a full run of outer. It does the same job as shifter cables, as long as there are the right stops in place, there's no reason it can't work.