Crossing over gear cables?

scale20
scale20 Posts: 1,300
edited October 2012 in MTB workshop & tech
Called into a bike shop over the weekend to look at a Cannondale 29er and on looking under the down tube they had crossed over the bare inner gear cables. In all my time I have never come accross this, they said it gives slicker shifting, dont see how. Plus, surely it cant do the bare cable any good if they touch where they cross?

Am I missing something here or are they talking cr@p?
Niner Air 9 Rigid
Whyte 129S 29er.

Comments

  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    New one on me.
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  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    It gives a less tight route around the headtube.
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  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    Very common and in many cases good practice as it can give better routing around the headtube.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
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  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    You learn something new every day. Even if you know everything.
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  • scale20
    scale20 Posts: 1,300
    Hmm, never seen it before, thought someone had dropped one building it up!

    How does it affect the cables then? They touched where they crossed, over time wouldnt they wear down, possibly fray from all the rubbing and vibrating off eachother?
    Niner Air 9 Rigid
    Whyte 129S 29er.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    Makes no difference to them. They wear-out fast on the ferules. Like I said vey very common.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • bikaholic
    bikaholic Posts: 350
    edited October 2012
    As stated, criss-cross cable routing is nothing new or unusual (been doing it this way since the nineties) - it's the most desirable way of routing cables where the cables form smoother loops around the head tube.

    Also, if you do it right, you won't need to use frame protectors or patches.

    Most Specialized frames come with a stepped BB cable guide just so that criss-cross cable routing would be possible without them touching at the exposed sections.
  • allthegearnoidea
    allthegearnoidea Posts: 4,077
    a Lot of lapierre's have the same, a lot of people look at it the same was as OP, and to most it does look wrong, but is how they are, and have been as above for a long while,
    Timmo.
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  • jndb72
    jndb72 Posts: 629
    They were routed this way on my Specialized
    2011 Canyon Nerve AM 5.0
    2009 Specialized Rockhopper Disc

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