Di2 internal wiring, stopping the rattling

[Calnago]

Today I rode with a friend who just installed Ultegra Di2 11spd. The wiring is internal and goes through the downtube. Trouble is, it's rattling like crazy inside and very annoying. How do you guys who run electric deal with this? Zip ties internally? Perhaps the wires are too long and too slack inside? Don't really want to take all the slack out for fear of putting stress on the junction points. Just curious. Thx.

[upside]

All the internal wires should have zip ties or Shimano has the ones that just clip on. That pretty much eliminates the noise and pretty easy to fix.

[Geoff]

Just put zip ties on the cables, leaving the 'tails' long. They curl up and press the cable against the tube. The tension from the 'tail' keeps the cable in-place and (largely) rattle-free.

[dha]

Yeah zip ties for sure. Did my own install with them and had no rattles, well none from the di2 cables!

[Calnago]

Thanks all, yes... I assumed the zip tie thing and leaving the tails long etc as Geoff explained. That's what I suggested but it seemed there might still be some movement and the occasional rattle. But that's better than how it currently is. Then I assume you need two or three throughout the tube. I'll pass it on and see how it goes.


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[Omiar]

I have no zip ties and it doesn't rattle at all.

[goodboyr]

Sometimes I've found the internal junction ( its the little black rectangular box that connects 4 cables) is the noise maker. On some installs I've had to wrap it in foam.

[maxxevv]

If its the internal junction box, a small blob of Bluetack will solve the problem.

[xnavalav8r]

I have internal di2 on three bikes... never heard a rattle from any of them.

[11.4]

After several frames with no problems, I had one where I seemed to wear the cable on one internal frame hole. I finally got a 9 foot roll of 3/16" heat shrinkable tubing from Home Depot and ran each cable through it, and then had a short piece of 1/2" diameter tubing that I slipped over all the internal cables plus the internal junction box. I shrank the wider piece over the junction box so it held everything reasonably firmly, and shrank the ends of the smaller tubing not so it sealed but so it would help keep any moisture out. The tubing was really helpful in making everything neat and protecting the bits of extra wiring inside the frame. It certainly added enough mass to the wire so it hasn't bounced around and made any noise. I'd also had the internal junction box make some noise on one install, and this preventive measure helped with everything. Total weight added was around 15 grams.

[Delorre]

Facing the same problem here. Used 3 or 4 shimano zipp ties on the cable going in the down tube, but it rattles more than I would like. Amplifying the feeling of a harsh ride. I was thinking of wrapping the cable and the junction box in some bubble plastic. 'Problem' is that I don't have the tools to remove the Shimano BB86 from the frame. So 2 visites to LBS, and one creative moment in between. Or would the LBS do something like that? With my other bike, running Campy UT, It takes 1 minute the remove the crank and to get inside the frame if needed, but here

[mai]

a park bbt-90.3 will do the trick, probably for just a little bit more than what your LBS will charge you

[11.4]

Thread from the dead.

I've seen a few noisy bikes that were blamed on Di2 but were actually other issues, like the bottom bracket or pedals. Sound travels into the frame tubes, so don't necessarily blame it on Di2. I did have one case where the internal junction box was bouncing a bit, but simply looping the extra wire length around the box tends to keep it from moving. Oh, and use the Ritchey or similar holder for the seat post battery. I did see someone who had a battery wrapped in thin foam that slipped out of the seatpost and was bouncing in the seat tube.