top mount brake levers - orientation of the cable route...
 

hey guys im just wondering if there is anything wrong with routing the cable like this guy on his brake levers
http://www.pedalroom.com/p/windsor-clockwork-635_3.jpg

as opposed to this way
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3124/...6bbb255964.jpg

to me, the first way makes more sense..even though it seems alittle wrong..

Either way should work. But the second way allows a shorter cable with fewer bends, and doesn't interfere with riding on the flats.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/cables.html#routing

They both should work, but it seems as if you got them switched around.

Me: I would like the second set up, just for looks and it's not tightly cabled in

yes, either way will work, but the second way only has one really wide bend in the cable, first way has 2 short/sharp bends in each cable, so probably won't feel as nice.

-Connor

Hmm i was also thinkig about the mechanics involved. With the first option. Pressing on the lever would pull on the cable head pulling the cable and pressing the brake pads together. In the second picture i imagine whats going on is when you press on the lever its just pushing the housing which in turn presses the pad together

Do i sound crazy or stupid? I guess i should just mount these things and try both ways

No, you are correct. But, there will be the same amount of friction whether the housings stationary and the cable moves, or the cables stationary and the housing moves, it comes down to which is the most direct routing of the housing with the fewest number of bends in it.

-Connor

It's not as different as you might think. Both ways pull the end of the cable away from the end of the cable housing. The only difference is which of those sides is bolted to the handlebar.

Also, the second picture above is how you route cross levers with road brake levers on the same bar.

The first way is wrong. There's no reason to route the cables that way. Too many bends, excess cable, plus it looks ugly. The second picture is correct.

From Sheldon: http://sheldonbrown.com/cables.html

"The Four Commandments of Cable Routing:

1. The handlebars must be able to turn as far as they can in both directions without being limited by a cable pulling taut. Instead, the turning limit must be set by the handlebar bumping into the top tube or by the brake arm or reflector bracket bumping into the down tube.
2. No wrong direction bends (For example: as the rear brake cable leaves the top tube and makes the bend down toward the caliper, it should make a smooth transition from parallel to the top tube to parallel to the seat stays. If the cable bends up from the top tube before bending down toward the seat stays, it is probably too long. If the cable curves out past the caliper, then bends back at an angle more vertical than the seat stays, it is certainly too long.
3. The bends that cannot be avoided should be made as wide (gradual) as possible,
4. Cable housings should be as short as they can be without violating the above rules."

The housings in the first picture are way too short, especially the front. They are making very sharp angled exits from the lever and caliper stops. The routing has the housings running through an area where your fingers are likely to be and also requires longer runs of housing. It will work, but not as well as the conventional routing due to the excess housing length and sharper bends required.