Previously i had the shifter cables poking out before the bend, but since i am putting new aero brake levers on this 50 year old road bike I am feeling inclined to wrap the shifter cables too. is this totally amateur looking? will the housing rubbing on the brake staddle cable be a problem? thanks for your input.
by Zealousideal-Dot-373
10 Comments
You could maybe use some zip ties to clean it up but to me it doesn’t look terrible. Nice TRP levers also.
That looks really good!, the housing rubbing on the straddle cable wont be an issue since there’s tension on the straddle cables. the only thing Id suggest is that if you dont intend to run a bar in the front on your bars id highly suggest not running the shift housing all the way up the bars, and just letting them go straight out before the first bend (i.e. having them only under the bar tape for the first few loops of wrap).
It’ll reduce the amount of friction in the system by removing the two hard-ish bends you’d have from following the curve of the bars, and will make routine maintinece easier as you won’t have to undo as much bar tape to replace shift housing.
https://preview.redd.it/ft0jmx75xd6g1.jpeg?width=4096&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b35f095163f0c4b1f2edd07cfaeff09d939d2de7
No, you did a really good job. Make sure you can swing the handlebars from side to side and it doesn’t pull the brakes. If it passes that test, I wouldn’t change a thing.
Not bad, but….
The shift housing testing on the brake straddle cable isn’t ideal. You’re going to get so premature wear that regardless. You might consider running the shift line outside of the tape at the bent and creating a larger loop that crosses over the head tube to reduces that tight bend.
Looks really clean.
You down with MDV? Ya you know me.
With the bar end shifters, routing the cable housing fully under the tape may add enough additional friction on the cables to create shifting problems.
Take the nearly finished bike out for a test ride before you wrap the bars. If it doesn’t shift well, go back to the way it was previously, before the aero brake levers, for the shift cables.
It’s ultimately personal preference, but those levers seem mounted too high on the bars, resulting in excessive pressure where thumbs meet index fingers, and too long of a reach to brake from the drops.
Strongly suggest you take it out for a test ride before wrapping the bars.
I’ve got it setup like that on an old Lemond. Works great.