Cabling Tips for 105 Dual Shifters
christrinder
Posts: 14
Hi. I've had a couple of road bikes before but the gear cables have always come out the side of the (dual) shifters. I've just bought some new 105 shifters and it seems that both the brake and gear cables are to be routed under the bar tape - which is cool - but I've never done this before and wondered if anybody had any advice or knew of a video that showed how best to do this. Normally I would run the brake cable along the front of the bars which gives them a more aero profile and and makes them more comfortable to hold when not on the hoods... but with two cables under the tape, what is the best positioning of those cables? Many thanks!
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Some bars have a groove for the cables so that would dictate. I have mine under the bar toward the front, both cables run in parallel, but it's a matter of personal preference. There are alternative cable exits on the shifters so you could have one cable on the front edge and the other on the back edge to give a flatter profile on the tops.Hi. I've had a couple of road bikes before but the gear cables have always come out the side of the (dual) shifters. I've just bought some new 105 shifters and it seems that both the brake and gear cables are to be routed under the bar tape - which is cool - but I've never done this before and wondered if anybody had any advice or knew of a video that showed how best to do this. Normally I would run the brake cable along the front of the bars which gives them a more aero profile and and makes them more comfortable to hold when not on the hoods... but with two cables under the tape, what is the best positioning of those cables? Many thanks!
Other tips are:- cross your derailleur cables into the opposite cable stop with a big enough loop that the cables don't touch the head tube. If you're brave or of a euro persuasion you could do the same with the brake cables and you won't need any frame protectors for the head tube. If your bottom bracket cable guide is stepped (one groove higher than the other), make best use of it so crossed cables don't touch.
- remove the plastic cable guide cover from the side of the left shifter to help you route the cable properly.
- don't cut the cables until you are sure everything is working correctly as cut cables tend to fray.
- take your time wrapping the bars so you make a neat job of it. I don't tuck the tape ends into the bars, I always use the figure of 8 method round the hoods and looking down on the top of the bars, the tape wraps from a V shape ( \\\\\\---///// rather than ///////----\\\\\\\) , but again, a lot of this is just personal preference.
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Are we talking about the older 5700 10 speed stuff, or the current 5800 11 speed?
I understand 5700 had the option to route the gear cable to the front or the rear of the bars depending on which shifter exit point you use. Rear suggested in order to minimise cable drag.
5800 only describes routing to the front of the bars0 -
Yeah it was the Shimano 105 5700 (10 speed set). So you suggest having the brake cables along the front of the bars and the gear cables along the back of the bars? Thanks for your help guys. I can see me putting this one off for a while :-s0
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It's an option, but not one that I liked or used myself. I have the cables under the front, taped together in parallel. It can be a fiddly and time consuming job, but satisfying when it's all working nicely.Yeah it was the Shimano 105 5700 (10 speed set). So you suggest having the brake cables along the front of the bars and the gear cables along the back of the bars? Thanks for your help guys. I can see me putting this one off for a while :-s0 -
just fitted a pair of these, brake at front, gear at rear, bars had slight grooves for this.
yes, the gear cable threading is more awkward than the previous generation ones which were a 2 second job by comparison! (and shifted better!)0 -
If they are 5700 then I would recommend routing the gear around the back of the bar, then bringing both down underneath the bar to have them emerge from the tape underneath.
Routing the gear around the back gives a larger radius to the cable outer, which can help reduce any shifting friction.
5700 (and Ultegra/DA of the same generation) can be a little fussy as there's little free lever travel between shifts. It's hard to manually 'finesse' the shift in use, so it benefits from all the help you can give it to be as precise as possible. Make sure you get lube the outer cables, cut the ends square, make sure the cut ends are opened up properly with no burrs and pay close attention to where you do and don't need cable ferrules.0 -
If they are 5700 then I would recommend routing the gear around the back of the bar, then bringing both down underneath the bar to have them emerge from the tape underneath.
Routing the gear around the back gives a larger radius to the cable outer, which can help reduce any shifting friction.
5700 (and Ultegra/DA of the same generation) can be a little fussy as there's little free lever travel between shifts. It's hard to manually 'finesse' the shift in use, so it benefits from all the help you can give it to be as precise as possible. Make sure you get lube the outer cables, cut the ends square, make sure the cut ends are opened up properly with no burrs and pay close attention to where you do and don't need cable ferrules.
I just recabled my 5600 shifters and was very grateful for the simple cable routing. And for the first time I took some advice I'd read on here and used a Dremel to grind the cut ends of the outers completely square and flat; incredibly effective and strangely satisfying. Also pleased with the Shimano cable kit which came with all the correct types of ferrule and the odd cryptic illustration showing which go where. I'm feeling so MoneySupermarket!0 -
I just fitted 5700's this weekend.
I went brake at the front of the bars and gear to the rear. It was the most natural route for the cables I thought.
My top tip is tidy cable cutters. I started the job with an old worn pair I had and struggled by. I bought new cutters and truly wish I had them from the start!0 -
If they are 5700 then I would recommend routing the gear around the back of the bar, then bringing both down underneath the bar to have them emerge from the tape underneath.
Routing the gear around the back gives a larger radius to the cable outer, which can help reduce any shifting friction.
5700 (and Ultegra/DA of the same generation) can be a little fussy as there's little free lever travel between shifts. It's hard to manually 'finesse' the shift in use, so it benefits from all the help you can give it to be as precise as possible. Make sure you get lube the outer cables, cut the ends square, make sure the cut ends are opened up properly with no burrs and pay close attention to where you do and don't need cable ferrules.
I just recabled my 5600 shifters and was very grateful for the simple cable routing. And for the first time I took some advice I'd read on here and used a Dremel to grind the cut ends of the outers completely square and flat; incredibly effective and strangely satisfying. Also pleased with the Shimano cable kit which came with all the correct types of ferrule and the odd cryptic illustration showing which go where. I'm feeling so MoneySupermarket!
There's a lot to be said for the simplicity of the x600 range of shifters, they might not look that fashionable but they are very easy to get shifting well. The new 5800/6800 11-spd stuff is excellent too.0
