Internal gear cable routing

alan_sherman
alan_sherman Posts: 1,157
edited September 2016 in Road buying advice
Internal gear cable routing. Fad or the future? The bikes with it seem to have the gear cables routing really wide, which looks ugly. On top of that they have to use a fugly inline barrel adjuster to allow you to index the front mech (and to balance put one in for the the rear mech too). Even worse a number of these have the 'internal' cable popping out just infront of the bottom bracket, where the ole and cable get all the crud off the front wheel (also a stress point on the frame).


My case: Internal cables. bad idea.

Comments

  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Sram Etap. Sorted.
  • fat daddy
    fat daddy Posts: 2,605
    Internal gear cable routing. Fad or the future? .


    err my 1993 Klein has internal cabling ... so I guess seeing that its been around for at least 15 years, its not so much the future, but its been going too long to be a fad .... so perhaps its just the "past" or the "now"
  • At least MTBs have the barrel adjusters on the shifters (usually)
  • fat daddy
    fat daddy Posts: 2,605
    yes this is true .. it is a better solution
  • Secteur
    Secteur Posts: 1,971
    I think people probably do what I did;

    Have an "old" bike with cables on the outside

    See shiny fancy "new" bike with internally routed cables and think it looks so much better - why would anyone have one of those awful looking bikes with external cables - must have!

    Need to change cable the first time - nightmare - pull hair out - think why didnt I just buy a bike with external cables.

    Next bike - "must have external cables".



    I have overcome this problem by using special sleeves to rapidly route my internal cables, but even so I do think external cables are the future (as well as the past!) as nothing beats just being able to see them and identify any problems right there. Changing is easier, and being external you can be sure you havent crossed them over in the downtube!
  • StillGoing
    StillGoing Posts: 5,211
    The inline adjusters on my Merida Reacto are by the stem and black to match the outers, so barely noticeable. With non-integral cables, you're then left with the dilemma of crossing the gear cables for the neatest cabling or going straight with ugly loops at the front.
    I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,461
    I built up a Cervelo P2 with internal routing. Anyone who can't work out the using a magnet will make it a doddle (on a carbon frame) shouldn't be allowed out on the roads.

    But yes, it's very much a fad.
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • step83
    step83 Posts: 4,170
    What barrel adjusters...

    No I actually don't have any, Fad, no look at TT bikes they have gone all in cables in the stem, its all slowly edging toward wireless shifting anyway.