Are there alternatives to this item for having some control over non-aero brake cables betwixt the brake levers and the front brake and/or top tube?


I've used these but they only hold the cables at a fixed distance aprt which is OK but they do tend to slide down the housing a bit. And the finish is rather plain plastic although I see there are a few color options. Looking around the internet (and it's challenging to find the correct search words to get the wired results) I see this at Amazon but, wow, it's shiny, and unsure what diameter cable housings it fits: CHROME

Look for a Roto cable tidy. Vintage appropriate.

I'm a little confused. My question is why? I've been riding a long time and never used ties between my brake cables. Seems to me the tie would pull the rear brake cable housing inboard to create still more of the inevitable rub on the headtube.

I use those plastic doodads, but a short piece of leather thong works as well. I keep around old bits of leather bar tape to slice up.

The French have everything. TA Specialties had just what you are looking for. Here are cable connection clamps that should have a hooked spring that goes between the clamps. Mine was stretched and probably thrown out.

If you are one to use string or twine to finish the ends of cotton bar tape, that string looping the cables looks good on the same build.

I like these. Also by Spécialités T.A.:

I usually run the cables without any "auxiliary" management if you will. The cables run gracefully as God intended, with the rear cable crossing and passing behind the front brake cable (just above the stem extension).

There are exceptions however, such as with centerpull brakes or the "backward" early Dia-Compe and Shimano (non-Dura-Ace) sidepull calipers.
On these setups, the cables do not usually cross (except in rare cases where the front brake cable perhaps passes to the right of the stem extension).

With stem shifters, I may tuck the rear brake cable behind the right shifter cable, against the upper headset, in those cases when it is routed along the right side of the top tube (Peugeot, Raleigh and Schwinn often did this).

I've even used a tiny loop of bead chain on a couple of builds.

Often some cable management trick is used to keep a cable housing from clinking noisily against the handlebar or even against the other brake cable!

There's always the vintage Reg cable clips. Plenty on fleaBay

A short section of pipe cleaner. Available in any color you want. Free if you know a toddler or pipe smoker.

The itty bitty cable ties do it for me. I like to run the cables short and. They are not going to meet up in any parallel fashion like the looping cables on my UO-8 in 1974 where I did use a cable clip.

Y'all are fancy. I use zip ties (always carry spares in the tire fixings saddle bag), small Velcro straps or sometimes twist ties to route cables to suit myself.

Of the three, zip ties are probably the least ugly. Change them every couple of years, depending on exposure to sun and UV, as the plastic ties get brittle after awhile.

I find that if the outers are cut to the correct length those bits are unnecessary; they don't move when the brakes are applied, only when the bars are turned; and the inners run the smoothest.
If the outers are NOT the correct length they will flop about when the brakes are applied and the friction between the inner and outer is higher.

So it looks like there are various ways to address the problem -- if indeed it is a problem (I suspect I tend to leave my cable loops a bit long).

Thanks - I see one on eBay. $49.50********** Wow. Velobase says that's a copy of a TA item #34, which I did NOT find.

... and there it is. And you know that looks like a little square of aluminum that could be wrapped around a dowel, one might be able to replicate if desired (except the logo)

Sounds like an option, or at least for those with knot-tying skills (thus I do not finish off bar tape with twine).

Now THOSE I seem to recall from BITD. Presuming you can find one, and presuming your stem has an exposed and not recessed quill bolt.

Cool, and I see plenty of color choices, even Celeste. Now to decide if I match the paint color, or the color of contrasting cables and accessories. And one place in UK has them for a few dollars, but $30.99 in shipping?

I find Twine works pretty well, I ‘sealed’ this one with beeswax lip balm, I have another I shellacked .

Let 'em flap in the breeze! It actually increases speed - it's a resonance thing, like tuning a muffler.

Plus, it makes highly critical modern riders slightly nauseous, so there's that advantage.

There's always the tried and true zip tie.

Doesn't that reduce mobility? I always make my cables as short as possible, while still being able to pass the "wheel flop" test to both sides. Tying any of the cables together would seem to reduce their ability to move freely as the handlebars are turned.

Items like these are my reason to like those smaller local Sunday swap meets and be prepared to travel a few hours to get to them.

These came from Belgium. A 200 mile round trip. But look a the price tags. I don't think I spent more than $40 on the lot. And I had a nice day.

A little bit of brass rod or solid wire works for me:

That sent me straight to my bikes to see if there's any chance of cable-to-headtube contact. So far... no. But it bears thinking about.

So far, the best option I see. Looks like it not only should hold them together -- but parallel.

Since you're already toying with hanging doodads on your cables, there's always rubber cable housing frame protectors that you can add to the mix!

I disagree.
The cables are going to different places.
You are better off cutting the housings and arranging the cable frame-clamps so they don't move or rub.