Levo Gen 3 Levo gen 3 Rear brake hose routing

toublanc

Member
May 18, 2021
39
30
Poland
Hey,

I’m about to replace brakes in my Levo gen 3 (I prefer Shimano over SRAM). Any advice guys? Anything I should pay attention to with this internal routing?

I’d appreciate feedback from all of you who already went through this exercise.

Thanks, a.
 

ruppia

Active member
Dec 14, 2020
249
180
Italy
Hi, I usually use this to go through the new pipes first, you screw it on the old pipe and the new one, then you pull and the new one slips easily

Same here, absolutely a must :)
 

toublanc

Member
May 18, 2021
39
30
Poland
I have used cheap SuperB internal cable routing tool (It cost me close to $23).

Thanks to this I was able to cut SRAM hose close to the lever, so there will be no issues with fixing the Code for reuse/resell.

All went really smoothl, thanks all for sharing your experience and ideas for getting this task done ?

6616368D-ED54-4DA5-AD09-3EEA2CB84AF3.jpeg


49937651-8E8A-469D-BCD4-156FBFE0FDD4.jpeg
 

damo926

Member
Feb 18, 2022
10
8
So Cal
I'm keeping my Code RS's but switching sides as I run my front brake on the right, moto style. I want the back brake on the left to use the right side cable entrance port for proper routing.

Question for those who have done this...in the carbon G3 frames is there an internal cable housing, and if so does it run all the way up to the entrance port by the headset ? (hoping not)
 

ruppia

Active member
Dec 14, 2020
249
180
Italy
I'm keeping my Code RS's but switching sides as I run my front brake on the right, moto style. I want the back brake on the left to use the right side cable entrance port for proper routing.

Question for those who have done this...in the carbon G3 frames is there an internal cable housing, and if so does it run all the way up to the entrance port by the headset ? (hoping not)
If i remember yes, it's guided till the headset, but i think you can swap as well brakes
 

damo926

Member
Feb 18, 2022
10
8
So Cal
Confirmed what ruppia suggested, I realized it was easy enough to remove the TCU and see into the frame. Indeed there are cable routing sheaths all the way to the gussets by the headset, and it appears they are glued to the entrance port and would be very difficult to change. My only choice may be to keep my left side rear brake routed through the left side cable port.

20220222_180333.jpg
20220222_180345.jpg
 

eTrax

Member
Oct 17, 2019
44
24
USA - West Coast
The guide tube seems small in diameter compared to most, no go with Hayes Dominion.

I am guessing the Magura hose will go thru ok as the bike comes spec'd with it, surprising as it also seems as thick as the Hayes.
 

damo926

Member
Feb 18, 2022
10
8
So Cal
I replaced the Codes with TRP DHR Evo which are thinner 5mm hoses and slid through with zero effort, easiest brake swap I've ever done. I thought all other brakes are 5.5mm like the Codes that came off, so should work, but I've never fitted Hayes.
 

2WheelsNot4

E*POWAH Master
Oct 17, 2021
889
686
Scotland
How is the transition area between the front triangle and the swing arm ?. It usually is a bit tight and needs to go through two sections/holes in close proximity.
I mean in relation to the widget thing you screw the old and new hoses together with. It looks a bit fat to go through easily.
 

damo926

Member
Feb 18, 2022
10
8
So Cal
The sheath runs uninterrupted all the way through from the headset to the back of the rear triangle, no transition to deal with
 

eTrax

Member
Oct 17, 2019
44
24
USA - West Coast
The Hayes is measuring ~5.40mm

It pushes thru the derailleur tube no problem and can barley go an .5 inch on the brake side. Possibly the monkey who assembled the frame has the 2 tubes crossed. Not sure if they are different ID but sure seems to be.

This is a frame only build so its never had brakes on it yet.
 

eTrax

Member
Oct 17, 2019
44
24
USA - West Coast
Just to follow-up, the 2 routing tubes are same size.
Hayes K2 Hydraulic hose will not fit into the Gen3 Levo frame tube unless you remove the tube, then reinstall (no thanks)
The work around was a Jagwire Hydraulic Hose kit with Jagwire Quick-fit adaptors specific to Hayes.

Then after wasting more coin on the Jagwire kit I decided to go MT7.
 

Mattyboy

Member
Oct 22, 2022
9
8
Andover
Has anyone managed ro route the back brake through the drive side of the frame, if so what did you do with the wire from control to the TCU (keep it drive side or go none drive side)?
 

damo926

Member
Feb 18, 2022
10
8
So Cal
Based on the info above, still don’t think it’s possible without cutting the built in cable routing. I personally didn’t find it worth the risk of permanently screwing it up or warranty issues. This isn’t the first bike I’ve had to run with rear brake through drive side, and although it looks a little funky with a sharper cable curve I’ve never had an issue with it.
 

Mattyboy

Member
Oct 22, 2022
9
8
Andover
Thanks for your response, after reading it I contacted Specialized rider support to see if it would cause any sort of warranty issue.. They confirmed that it wouldn’t be an issue with the warranty as all i would be doing is changing the internal nylon routing tube. I also asked if having the dropper, rear brake and the wire from the control to the TCU all going into the same side of the frame would be an issue and they said it would be fine..
I did it today and I am so much happier with how it now looks.
The nylon Internal cable routing tube is glued to the ICR base, all I did to free that connection was held the tube with pliers and twisted the ICR base and out it came. On the drive side I swapped the dropper to the bottom hole on the ICR base then cut about an inch iff the rear brake ICR nylon tube and connected the rear brake ICR tube to the top (this stopped the two ICR tubes twisting around each other ond placing excessive pressure on the ICR base.
The rear brake needed bleeding and the dropper internal cable needed re-connecting.
The hardest part was getting cables and ICR tubes in and out of the hole for the TCU.
I appreciate that not everyone will see the point in this as the factory routing works fine, if you are a bit broken like me it definitely was worth it.
I will take some pictures of the cable’s tomorrow.
 
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pontoon

New Member
Apr 24, 2023
61
20
USA
I’m trying to get the nylon tube out of the ICR base right now. Has anyone got a trick to help me out? The tube won’t come out so far. Im yanking pretty hard with pliers and am starting to damage the nylon tube
 

pontoon

New Member
Apr 24, 2023
61
20
USA
Well I gave up on trying to remove the cable guide tube.

Also, in the process, the outer tube is now deformed. So the brake hose is tight inside the outer tube, and it’s creaking every time I move the bars.

Is there a fix for the creaky cable guide and hose?
 
Last edited:

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