Bicycle Cable Housing Fastener

cults3d

This reusable fastener was designed by me in Sketchup specifically to secure a bicycle's brake and shift cables to the frame's cable housing fittings. Most people use small zip-ties when securing their bicycle's brake and shift cables to the frame. However, I recently discovered that Shimano makes specific cable housing clips which can be used instead of a zip tie. My friend who works as a mechanic told me about these clips but quickly took one back from me when I asked if I could have it. He claimed that these clips are difficult to find and more expensive than they need to be for what they are, a small piece of plastic. This led me to think that printing my own would be the perfect solution. The cable housing design on most bicycles is likely uniform because the brake and shift cables are standardized in diameter. For specific details, this fastener fits the four cable housings on my 2010 Cannondale rz One Twenty mountain bike. I really love this bike by the way. To achieve a snug fit for the fastener, extremely close tolerances were required so that the cable cannot vibrate between the housing and the fastener. This would cause chafing of the cable and can be annoying to hear cables slapping around on your bicycle. Because of the tight tolerances needed, it took me 38 attempts to achieve the final design which I'm happy with. Normally, a small part like this takes around 7-10 prints before I'm satisfied. The importance of the fastener snapping into place securely and without any gap between the cable and fastener made it necessary for many revisions. I also appreciate these five features about the fastener: 1) It's reusable unlike the zip-tie approach which has to be cut off. 2) The fastener snaps onto the cable allowing you to detach the cable from the housing while keeping the clip attached to the cable, so you won't lose it. 3) It looks more polished and professional compared to a zip-tie which is functional but not super attractive. 4) You get bragging rights around your friends on the trail. 5) It complements the engineering of my bike which I consider an engineering marvel. What better way to accompany its engineering successes?