With respect to the metal housing paint problems,
Tom Adams wrote:
> ...beware of the steel housings rubbing paint on head tubes. My Raliegh Pro
> bears the marks of the steel bar con housings eroding the paint away.
Bill Boston responded:
> I have found that a small length of "heat shrink" tubing slid over the cable
> housing before installation does a good job of preventing this.
For a cleaner, and less obtrusive installation, I've used short segments of clear plastic tubing on the bar con and rear changer housings. Fish tank air line and med gas tubing seem to work equally well. Push the tubing, don't pull on the housing, or you may uncurl it. Give the tubing a hot water bath to ease the installation. Also, the tubing is more resilient than the shrunk-on electrical insulation.
Pete (no eroded paint) Imandt
Ramona, CA