alms

I'm almost done with the drivetrain upgrade on my old road bike, and went for an under-tape cable routing. The shimano bar-end shifters came with flexible plastic guides that are supposed to be installed on the lower side of the handlebar. So I promptly put them on but I'm not entirely sure I like the final result.

I'd like to hear back from people with a similar set-up: did you install the guides or not and what were your experiences?

Puget Pounder

I don't use them.

desertdork

When I first did mine, I did the "traditional" routing with the housing exiting the tape before the bend. In that case, I did use the guides.

Since then, I've been using the *aero* routing w/o the guides. I imagine using them would cause an undesirable bump at their termination.

Doohickie 

Didn't even know they existed. Didn't use them. I've done two bikes with routing under the tape the whole way. By the way, if you haven't actually run the cable yet, you may find that you need a tandem shift cable for length when routing under the bar tape, especially if it is a tall frame. For me, the standard cable was about 6" too short.

alms

And I'm assuming you didn't notice any shifting performance difference?

My main gripe is that the guide must bend toward the inside of the handlebar for the shifter cable to clear the brake lever. It's not exactly a beautiful sight.

Yeah, the one included is not long enough to clear the final loop of housing. Luckily an LBS sells one that's 2,27 m, that should do.

BTW did you ppl use the final loop that came with the shifter? it looks a bit short to me.

Asi

Or run the cables inside the handlebars. I have a setup like this (3tt +br-7402 have the cables run inside the handlebars - late 80's)

Doohickie 

Do you mean the loop at the derailleur? About 12" is the right length.

HillRider

This has been done but requires drilling entrance holes near the shifters and, worse, exit holes near the stem. It may have been safe with steel or older thick wall aluminum bars but I wouldn't even consider it with current light weight aluminum bars or, heaven forbid, carbon bars.

Kimmo 

Are we talking about aero extensions or drop bars? IMO holes in the extensions = meh

desertdork

None. Shifts great. 5k miles, haven't had to touch a thing.

Standard Issue

I reccomend the traditional exit before the bend routing. It makes for less cable/housing length and more efficient shifting. The housings shouldn't get in the way of your hands if routed this way so the only other reason to route it under the tape the whole way is just for aesthetics, which i think takes a back seat to function.

Doohickie 

Yeah, they got in the way of my headlight in my case, so they're under the tape now.

HillRider

You haven't been dealing with bikes very long have you? Function often (even usually) takes a back seat to aesthetics.

Kimmo 

To my mind, aesthetics kinda follow function to a large extent in a certain way...

Obviously a bunch of functional Fredly accessories isn't very aesthetic; I think the key overlap is in the functional refinement of the pure form.

So to me, a lovely old pantographed drillium classic can't hold an aesthetic candle to modern carbon aero weapon sporting all the latest tricks.

The old bike might look fancy, but unlike the new, its aesthetic appeal isn't almost entirely defined by the raison d'etre of the bicycle: function.

In other words, decals and paint aside, the slippery carbon number's looks are appealing for similar reasons to those why a shark or cat is visually appealing, rather than say, Victorian architecture.

HillRider

+1. Drillium and, particularly pantographing, were actually counter-functional. They weakened and damaged parts in the interest of appearance. Some of the modern, over-the-top paint schemes and odd designs (like Pinerallo's wierd wavey fork blades) are not functional but, at least, do no harm.

fietsbob

Plastic caterpillars were included with Shimano's Aero Brake levers in the 80s,
when the bars had no grooves pressed in them yet.

Also included was a double ended housing ferrule,
so replacing bent housing only from the ferrule outward,
rather than re-taping the whole thing.

That piece is even more handy..

Camilo

Is this based on your experience, or theoretical? The reason I ask is that I used my bar end shifters both ways and noticed absolutely no degradation in function when I ran the cables under the bar tape. The shifting was perfect both ways. If/when I do bar ends again (which I probably will), I plan to install the cables under the tape again.

To me, it looked better, yes, but actually, I didn't like those huge curved housing sticking out front - they caught on things more frequently when I would move the bike around, especially in and out of the back of my car(s). So, form, function and aesthetics were in perfect harmony.

fietsbob

Are you setting up a tri-timetrial bike,
and putting the bar end shifters on the front end of the Aero Bars?