I just received 2 new EA50 bars from Jenson.



One has the nice deep cable grooves front and back, just like it's supposed to.

The other one has just a line, not even 1/2mm deep, where the grooves are supposed to be.

It pisses me off to go through the hassle of communicating with them (the last time took 8 days to get an answer) packaging up and returning and waiting, not to mention what additional expense they might try to stick me with.

Sooooo . . . how useful (necessary) are the cable grooves? All my previous bars have had them, so I have no way of comparing.

I'll be using road brake levers and bar end shifters on these bars.

Any chance that with proper friction tape I don't even need the grooves? Will the cables stay put without them? Or should I bite the bullet and visit hassle city again.

Lemme tell you youngster... back in my day all handlebars were round, shifters were friction, and freewheels had 5 cogs... and we liked it! So suck it up! 8-)

Cable grooves aren't necessary- they just allow the bump formed by the cable housing to be a little less prominent. Just cut the housing to the correct length (which is sometimes a tricky process- go longer than you think you need) and tape the housing in place with clear packing tape before you put the regular handlebar tape on top. Try out the positioning before taping, too- you should be able to put the housing where your knuckles give a little space next to the bar. It actually gives you more options in terms of bar shape than the grooved bars.

nitto still makes their popular noodle and rando bars with no cable grooves.

Well my day is ruined now.

Even though grooves aren't necessary, that fact that your one set of bars was manufactured wrong (with the grooves missing) would be cause enough for me to return them.

ClarkinHawaii, Once you have the levers positioned where you want them tape the cables in position. Use a couple of strips of old handlebar tape cut lengthwise and place on both sides of the cable and tape those in place. After the handlebar is wrapped the cable won't be as noticeable.

Brad

I've never had a bike that had a groove for the cable. And everything Jeff Wills said.

Yeas ago before grooved bars were common, Shimano included a pair of plastic cable covers (called "caterpillars" for their appearance) with every set of STI levers. These were placed over the brake cables and smoothed the passage of the bar tape over them. I never used them and didn't miss them.

I'd contact Jenson just to see what is going on but, since you are using barend shifters, there will only be one set of cables to cover so it should be no problem.

Thanks, Guys . . .

And Jeff, you brought up a good point. My concern was with the cables slipping against the tape. But when I think about it, the reason why they are slipping is because the manufactured grooves require tortured bends that the cable housing resents. If I just tape then where they naturally want to fall, with some padding like Brad said, there will be no slipping because they will already be in their most natural position . . . DUH!

And it spares me from hassle, which I don't handle well

Return shipping always the option, and explain you had your heart broken by getting un grooved bars.

or get over it , fiber reinforced packing tape the housing down ,
perhaps add a double ended ferrule at the end of the center tape

a little friction tape around the top curve will reduce the gapping of the finish tape you lay over it.

Well, I'd come and tape your bars this weekend, but I got to get ready for an event I'm going to next week. It's in the middle of northern Nevada. (Yes, I'd rather go to the wastes of northern Nevada than Hawaii. I never claimed to be sane.)

I can understand that . . .

Why do you assume that the ones without the grooves are "wrong"? I'm thinking that the round ones are almost surely stronger.

But the other ones are... do I need to say it?.... groovy.

If you remember the '60's, you weren't really there.

I reckon electrical tape is the go for holding cables under the bar tape; easiest to remove.

Hey, that's a great idea! Cable housing no longer held hostage by the bar tape!

I've only just re-taped, too : /

I don't understand this--a double-ended ferrule meaning an in-line adjuster? otherwise what purpose?

\One of these:


The next time you swap bars, or change brake/shifter cable length or whatever... you don't have to unwrap all over again.

Basically, you're adding a break point for the outer housing at the point where the wrapped cable comes out of the tape... or anywhere really, but away from bends is best.

HUH--I didn't know these existed--great idea--thanks