Another interesting contrast -- it was the very low-end road bikes, such as Free Spirits and Steyr Clubmans, which had full-length derailleur cable housings, often secured with tacky plastic clamps. Cheapo derailleurs and compressible full-length housings made for some slow, sloppy shifting.

Almost all of the mid- and higher-level bikes used open cable runs with various combinations of cable stops and guides, with just a bit of cable housing to each derailleur or out to barcons.