Reynolds 

As you may know, Ergos have the option of running the shifter cables at the front of the handlebar or at the back. Which one would be better?

rodri9o

You can wrap around the back of where the drop begins, or in front of where the drop begins. I all of my ergolever set-ups wrapped aroud the back...if I wrap around the front if feels weird when I grip the lever hood or have my hand over that area. I also know a few people that like to wrap it in the front....it is all personal preference.

Get some Benotto bar-wrap (it looks like 2 rolls of colored scotch tape)for $4, run your cables the way you like, wrap the benotto and go for a few rides. Then try the other way...wrap the benotto again (the stuff is re-uasble and re-usable, and re-usable.......) and do a few rides. When you find the way you like then ran, pull off the 'notto and use the bar tape you prefer.

Bob Dopolina 

+1. Good advice.

carpediemracing 

I've always run the Ergo cables split, i.e. front and back.

For "testing" I just ride a trainer with electrical tape.

I never liked the two cables in back, and I prefer non-grooved bars - the cable housing makes for a "wide" bar which I find comfy. Now you pay $$$ for them and they call them "Wings".

For the winter I use a bar I bought but never really liked, an AL "ergo" bar, single groove. I prefer non-ergo, crit bend bars, but since they are sort of hard to find, I prefer to do my long training miles on a different bar. In the spring I put my other bars back on.

You can see how the gear cable in the back makes for a wider/deeper "top" of the bar. The front cables are in the groove so don't stick out. Also note that the bar tape doesn't hold the cable housing in place - the electrical tape does.
https://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.co...ebar-tape.html
If both cables sat on top of a non-grooved bar, they'd "wing" the bar. When I wrapped the tape in these pictures I had perhaps 2 hours on the trainer with just electrical tape on the bars. This was to make sure things seemed right before I wrapped the bars. I also buy tape 5 or 10 sets at a time so if I screw something up wrapping a bar it's not a big deal - I just grab another roll.

cdr

cslone

I also generally split mine.

slide13

I run both mine in front of the bar, I just like it better that way. Seems to work fine both ways though.

jimbud

I've used both configuration and once the bar tape is on it's pretty tough to feel the difference between split or paired.

Fox Farm

I also run the shifters on the front and brakes on the back.

Reynolds 

Thanks. I asked because it's the first time I use Ergos, and without much thought taped the cables split. But this seems to cause a 'ridge' at the outer part of the bar, just beneath the shifter, and I'd prefer this zone to be smooth. I'll try paired cables, if as you say there's no difference in functioning.