Michael Green wrote:>> This afternoon I was replacing a gear outer cable and I noticed>> significant paint damage on the head tube. What methods of preventing>> this should I consider? Ta.>

I use to stick a small piece of electrical tape on the area of contact.>If you use the same color of the frame and cut it nicely you don't even>see it.

This afternoon I was replacing a gear outer cable and I noticed> significant paint damage on the head tube. What methods of preventing> this should I consider? Ta.

This afternoon I was replacing a gear outer cable and I noticed>significant­ paint damage on the head tube. What methods of preventing>this should I consider? Ta.

See: http://sheldonbrown­.com/cables.html#cri­sscross>

Sheldon "X Marks The Spot" Brown

Francesco Devittori <frenkatfrenkdtcm> wrote:>

Another is this stuff right here: http://snipurl.com/­e3da>

"Bike Saver Protective Tape." Six bucks buys you enough to do your>bikes *and* mail me some ­

My girlfriend just bought a new bike at The Bike Rack in St. Charles.>I was talking to Hal (the owner) about putting some protective plastic>on the head tube and he said he hasn't been able to get that ski>oriented product for years. Since I still have some left over I didn't>pursue it, but you might try a ski shop and see if the stuff is still>available.>

Motor cycle shops carry adhesive backed clear plastic flim. It's a>little on the thick side but works fine if heated with a hair dryer>during application to help it conform.

What's wrong with heavy-duty clear packing tape? The stuff's very> tough, VERY clear (you can read the fine print on the cardboard roll> through an inch or two of the stuff), and let's face it - we should> all live long enough to use 50 cents worth of it on our bike(s).>

Mark Hickey> Habanero Cycles> http://www.habcycle­s.com> Home of the $695 ti frame

Mark Hickey Wrote:> > Steve Shapiro <Steve.Shapiro.1nso­ta@no-mx.forums.cycl­ingforums.com>> > wrote:> >

That's a great idea. I'll try it on the underside of my down tube> where my crossed shifter cables rub lightly. The tape will work when> it is applied to simple curves. I think it will wrinkle on compound> curves, but I'll try it. I like the thicker film on my fancy head> lugs. It actually went on, stayed on, and with a little heat,> conformed to the compound curves without any fuss.>

The reason I needed protection is that my back brake cable rubs the> left side of the head tube because it's actuated by the left hand, Ergo> lever. So the cable run is a little cramped. (That statement it is not> meant to start anything about brakeing and handedness.)>

Steve Shapiro