Bicycle Mechanics - Brake Levers and Top Tube

Hey- This could be a real stupid question, but..

When I was sizing cables for my MTB, I noticed that I was supposed to turn the handlebars as far as they would go in one direction to get a correct housing size. The book made a point of saying this should be just under 180 degrees. My problem is that my bars dont turn that far. At just over 140 degrees, the brake levers hit the top tube. My question is: Is this just something that is characteristic of the bike because of the top tube/riser bar? I double-checked the recommended 45 degree brake lever angle and it is correct. They are XTR levers on a 1" riser bar, not sure of the rise or length of the stem, but it is long. The bike has a sloping top tube. Do you think there is something wrong in my setup causing this or am I just clueless and this happens to lots of bikes? I checked a few other old MTB's around the house and they don't have this problem.

THANKS for the help!!

A case where the book may not address every situation.Maybe you don't want the levers hitting the toptub?Everything does not have to be done byt the book.

I just wanted to see if the levers hitting the top tube could be a set-up issue/I incorrrectly installed something. Apparently, its been like this for a while, so its probably fine. Thanks for the reply.

One last question-
This is my first time running cables(usually have the shop do it). My problem is with the front shifter cable. Imagine looking at your stem from the front of your bike. The cable from the front shifter runs from the right side shifter(looking from front) over to the left side of the top tube where it hits a stop for the housing. After measuring the housing out "by the book(Barnett's)", I find that when I am riding the bike and turn the handlebars to the right, this cable snags on the lower of the two bolts in the stem which hold the handlbars in place. When the handlebars are turned back to straighten the bike out, the housing roughly pulls back off the bolt, but gets very taught for a second. The handlebars are not being turned very far to the right-it is well within the amount that they would be turned during normal riding.

This was not a problem with the original cables and housing, which came on the bike from the factory. I was told that these housings were too long, but now my feeling is that this cable is too short?? Anyone had this problem?? Thanks for the advice.

-Moab

So why 'go by the book' rather than using the housing length as original.Does Barnett know every detail of your bike? That's where so many prople get twisted of on Barnett.A bike is just as much common sense as it is 'by the book'.