Frame Drilling Advice

[Ivan]

I'm thinking of routing some wires and possibly my batteries into my frame, and routing wires through the boom and the frame. Do you think it is safe to drill in the location shown below?

Also, can I seek advice on technique from you frequent Di2 drillers. I have a Dremel but no "workshop" to clamp my bike/frame etc. I have never drilled into a frame before. I most frequently use my Dremel for it's cutting discs (eg. cutting my handlebars). Is it okay to drill the hole with my Dremel just by hand? Should I start with the smallest bit? Or even with the engraving bit to mark a little hole so the drill bit later doesn't skip around?

 

[ratz]

To hack or not to hack.

To hack or not to hack. I'm a hack so you might want to wait for Steve or Buddy to chime in.

Amateurs like us should use Boelube

Then you need a drill bit depth stop to make sure you don't drill clean through the back side; this one is good and cheap

Dipp your drill bit into it; and then drill; Aluminum is usually drilled at 900-1500rpm; hence the no dremel recommendation too easy to go too fast.

Drill bits themselves there are a variety of opinions but I like the titanium ones with the Pilot Point

You have to really fasten the frame to something. I've been using a Workmate for years mostly because it collapses to nothing and for miscllaneous clamping Wood Handscrew Clamps

Is that a good spot to drill? only Doug and John probably really know.

((Amazon and ebay links used since they tend to live long))

 

[ratz]

A thought

Ivan,

My Silvo 2.1 frame has two rear brake exit holes. Any way you could just use that 2nd hole if you have that on your 2.0 frame?

 

[Robert Holler]

I would echo ratz and look

I would echo ratz and look for another route before drilling. What would the wire routed via the hole in the bottom be for?

Robert

 

[Ivan]

Ratz - Nope, my Silvio 2.0

Ratz - Nope, my Silvio 2.0 frame has only one brake exit hole.

Robert - it would be for power to my under-seat traffic cam that would run in a looping fashion every time time I ride. Ideally it would be connected to a battery pack that would also run my very bright front lights.

Thanks for your thoughts and advice.

 

[super slim]

Ivan can you  replace one of

Ivan can you replace one of your 0.5W tail lights with a 10W Daylight only Dinotte tail light and 4 cell battery, mounted in front of the two water bottles, and add a y splitter, 8.4 V to 5.0V buck converter, and cable down to the camera via the frame down to the brake, then the mudguard, using stick on cable clips or good black insulation tape over the cable and mudguard.

With the 4 cell battery you get 12 hours with 0.5 sec on/off flashing, with 2011 model having 8 leds, 4 being spot and 4 wide angle, while the 2009 model has 8 wide angle leds. These lights blow away the Basta Superbrite 0.5 w tail light.

The 2011 light could be seen 1 km away in daylight, while on a country road on a Canadian bike tour.

http://store.dinottelighting.com/daytime-red-taillight---daytime-only-taillight--seat-post-seat-stay-chain-stay-or-rack-mount-p188.aspx

 

[Ivan]

Thanks for the suggestion on

Thanks for the suggestion on the Dinotte. I know they are really good but I have never seen one in person.

My main tail light is a Cygolite Hotshot 2W which is really good. I have second one on the way so I can have 2 behind me, one on each cage. This will act as a spare and gives wider visible view as the Hotshots are fairly narrow beams. I am quite sure the Dinotte is brighter, but the thing I really like about the Hotshot is the battery life.

 

[super slim]

IvanI like the Dinotte

Ivan
I like the Dinotte daylight Tail light as due to its high ,visibility during the day, my near misses from our VERY inattentive Adelaide drivers has reduced dramatically!

Looking at your video, Singapore drivers are a LOT more attentive, AND courteous to riders.
Are there a lot of riders in Singapore?
Are there any bike lanes on the main roads, as I did not notice any in the video?

When are you going to post a video of your long ride home?

 

[BBL]

A Wire Channeling Idea

Ivan ......
If I were going to drill a hole in the location that you showed, I would use a twist (standard) drill. I would lay the bike on it's side and drill the hole by hand. I would use a center punch to put a small dimple in the paint or aluminum so that the drill would not walk before the bit could engage. I would drill a smaller pilot hole first, then go to the finished size. If you decide to do this, be very careful when the bit breaks through, because they tend to grab and may pull or twist the drill in an unforeseen direction.

Another method that you may want to try is to use velcro to create a channel between your seat and frame. Cut a male and female velcro patch (maybe an inch long or so). Attach male and female together, sticky side to sticky side. Attach these on either side between where you want to create a channel for your wire, between your frame and seat. I measured some velcro that I had in my shop. Two halves attached and compressed measured about 0.100". If you remove the existing velcro on the frame and seat back (maybe 1/2") you should end up with a 0.200" channel. I am thinking that this may be sufficient to allow your wire to pass through the 1/2" wide channel that you have created. To dress up the wire you could use black electrical tape to hold the wire against the frame. I have used black electrical tape on my Silvio and I think it will be difficult to see against the black Silvio background. I have never done the velcro channel thing before. I am trailblazing here, so if you try it, I would be interested in learning if it works or not. At least this method is reversible if it fails. I think maybe the best place to place the channel is where the natural discontinuity between the frame and seat is greatest (maybe at the radius where the seat pan attaches to the seat back. You will have to experiment.

Buddy

 

[Ivan]

SuperSlim: I think we all

SuperSlim: I think we all tend to complain about our own country's drivers! Tons of complaints and posting videos of bad drivers and bad cyclists in Singapore! I do find people give me a lot more room in HOW I RIDE my Silvio as compared to my previous bikes. This is cos I ride more the centre as I am going faster. My bright lights help a lot - same as your experience. With these lights and usually riding a third into the lane, I would say more than half the cars give me the lane. This is unusual for Singapore. I think it's the bright lights, riding centre and curious bike! All of which are rare here.

No we don't have on road bike lanes. All our cycle paths are currently for leisure and not for commuting. Big discussions ongoing now and lots of online chatter about this. The future is for bikes to be more a part of commuting. A bike-share test platform will roll out soon too!

I can't post another video until some more stuff for my camera arrived as I drowned my battery in heavy rain! Luckily it's a <$10 lesson!

Buddy, that velcro as a channel is a super idea. I have black tape as well on a few parts of Silvio for protection that is hardly visible. There is a larger space between frame and seat where the upper-lower parts of the seat join. Thanks!