Riveting cable stops

[wynne]

Just got a frame I won on ebay. Not in the 'excellent condition' it was described as and I'm quite keen to return it to the seller.

However, I am interested in your views on restoring the frame. It's an X-lite xc pro ti frame from 1997. It has the cable stops riveted to the top tube, but one of them is loose and I can hear the back of the rivet rattling inside the tube.

There's some extreme cable rub on the front of the headtube which I initially thought was a dent and a crimp on the seat tube where the front mech has been over-tightened. I think I can probably live with these as I don't think they will weaken significantly the integrity of the frame, as long as I can get the cable stop sorted.

I want to use this bike as my main xc race and expedition bike so I want it to be reliable. Any advice on getting the stop re-rivetted or getting some new ones welded on? Places to have it done? Approximate costs?

Thanks very much

Rich

 

[Andy R]

The cable stops are presumably just secured with blind ("pop") rivets?

If so, just buy (or beg, borrow or steal) a pop rivet tool and buy some rivets the same dia as the originals and re-rivet it.
Can't the loose rivet tail that's rattling about be persuaded to come out into the head tube or seat tube?

 

[wynne]

Thanks very much for the reply.

Attached is a pic of the offending cable stop. Are they pop rivets? The head is still in there but it's not securely fixed so I'm guessing I'd need to drill that out?

Thanks

Rich

 

[Corduroyboy]

Yeah, they're pop rivets. You'll struggle to get the loose bit from inside the frame unless there is a suitably sized hole at the headset end of the top tube. From a reliability point of view, I can't see these being as reliable (long-lived) as welded on ones. Problem with getting some welded on is that the stops will need to be titanium and they're likely to exorbitantly expensive, as will the welding itself. Also, you might not be able to cover the rivet holes with new titanium stops.
If you can't send the frame back, I would drill the offending rivet, as well as the other one, epoxy the stop back on and re-rivet - that way it should be more secure than before and should be reasonably long-lived. Make sure you drill very carefully, using a small bit first as a guide, then increasing the bit size until the head of the rivet drops off!

 

[wynne]

The seller has offered me a full refund or a partial refund if I want to get it fixed. He seems a really decent chap.

I'm really very torn. What are people's general experience of the longevity of securely riveted stops?

Thanks

Rich

 

[perry]

Many kit cars are held together by rivets and zip ties it'll be reet .

 

[Tad]

Many kit cars are held together by rivets and zip ties it'll be reet .

If that fails, use some orange baler twine. Just be very careful as you drill it out.

 

[wynne]

Thanks gents. A nice retro approach to health and safety - just what I like. I've decided to keep it and ask for some money back on it.

Rich

 

[WD Pro]

I wouldn't be worried one little bit about drilling out and re-riviting

The canti bosses are rivited on vectors and I havnt heard any horror stories about them - I should imagine they are more stressed with the leverage of the canti / v arm ?

WD

 

[Lid]

Fixing stuff like this is all part of the fun.
Learn somthing new and enjoy the experience.