Cable guide
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A cable guide is a fitting or part of a bicycle frame which guides a piece of bare inner bowden cable around a corner. Most multi-speed bicycles have cable guides to get the derailleur cables past the bottom bracket. Older derailleur bicycles used either brazed-on or clamp-on guides just above the bottom bracket, but newer bicycles have a guide under the bottom bracket.
Cable guides below the bottom bracket can be cheaper, just a piece of moulded plastic, and, for some bikes with very small chainrings, eliminate interference between the rear derailleur cable and the bottom of the front derailleur cage. They also make for a cleaner appearance and easier to clean frame in the bottom bracket area. Poor lubrication of bottom-bracket cable guides is a common cause of auto-shifting.[1]
