Bicycle Mechanics - Length of shifter housing?

Just finished recabling and wrapping the handlebars on my road bike. I used Dura Ace cables and did not trim the shifter housing. After looking at the finished job I'm thinking of shortening the housing on the shifters. Is there an optimal length? I'm considering Sheldon's idea of crossing the cables, any ideas?

The housing should be as short as possible with out binding or the housing stretching/bending. You can add a little more if you plan on raising/lowering or lengthening/shortening your stem.

The rear noodle should be left as long as it comes in the kit.

I always check to be sure the bars can turn fully left and right without binding the housing. I use the shortest housing that will pass this test. I use the same test for the rear brake housing too.

Thanks guys, I'm off to work and I'll rethink my project tonight. It's too cold to work in the garage so I've moved my stand, tools and bike into the computer room.:thumb:

I always check to be sure the bars can turn fully left and right without binding the housing. I use the shortest housing that will pass this test. I use the same test for the rear brake housing too.

I've actually come across situations where it is a safety issue to cut housing to the appropriate length as you specified. Some guy had come in with a bike with bars cut so narrow (as is the standard hipster fixed gear crowd thing to do now) that cutting it per regular resulted in the cable snagging on the guys tapfire shifters.

How ****ing stupid is that.

Thanks guys, I'm off to work and I'll rethink my project tonight. It's too cold to work in the garage so I've moved my stand, tools and bike into the computer room.:thumb:

Just snap a picture of said housing in question and we can easily tell the status on appropriate length.

Good, I was just about to start a new thread. I can just tack my question onto this one.
Is front brake OK or should I go over the bar?
http://gallery.me.com/joshua.hughes/100124/photo1235244998489/web.jpg?ver=12352449980001

cantis aren't mounted yet, just stuck them on the post until i get around to them.

Is front brake OK or should I go over the bar?

Over the bar on that one.

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk312/mud711/Cables.jpg
This is the setup without shortening the housings. I'm thinking about using Sheldon Brown's suggestion and running the cables to the opposite side of the head tube then crossing the cables under the down tube.

This is my second attempt, shortened and routed the cables to the opposite sides of the down tubes, crossing under the down tube.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk312/mud711/Cables2.jpg

This is my second attempt, shortened and routed the cables to the opposite sides of the down tubes, crossing under the down tube.
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk312/mud711/Cables2.jpg

You had it right the first. Don't make them crossover.