Originally Posted by
Lilcphoto
I would like to start a new thread but I'll go ahead and ask here:
Today I had a few questions answered while I was at the LBS about my first Canti setup... but all of my questions were not answered.
Basically... I am in need of cable hangers
for the front I have the option of a
Stem mount:
...Or I could go with a
fork mounted cable hanger:
Although a concern I had about fork mounted was the use of a fender as well as a front mounted rack.
...As for the rear setup I have the options of either a
seatpost clamp with integrated hanger:
...or something like the
Surly hanger...:
... Basically, this is my first cantilever setup and I never realized the amount of options one has for cable holders and the like. I will most likely go with a fork mounted cable guide (that performance one looks flush mount so adding a fender and rack look plausible) and for the rear I'll most likely go with a hanger (mostly to keep the cost down... It would be nice to find a funky monkey)...but I would love to hear about other peoples setups and what interesting things people have come across when setting up their canti bikes.
Fork mount cable hangers tend to be a little stiffer than stem-mount, but depending on frame/fork geometry and the size of your straddle cable you might have clearance issues. Basically you need a good amount of axle-to-crown length on the fork in order to run a fork-mount hanger. In practice, I've never noticed a difference between the Tektro stem-mount hanger and a fork mount. I'll also say that the integrated binder bolt on the stem-mount makes stem changes/adjustments a breeze, for whatever that's worth.
For the rear, I like the Surly cable hanger. It's dead simple to install and adjust, and looks cool too. However, it does force you to run a little more brake cable housing than Sheldon recommends (just look at the QBP image). Of course, you also have the option of digging through the parts bins at your local co-op and taking your pick of any number of options from the last 45 years or so... they all work just as well.