Routing Bar end shifter cables without wrapping
 

Hi all ,

Just 2 Quick questions if anyone has advice ,

1 When routing Bar end shifter cables on drop bars , is it ok to not wrap the cable in bar tape before the bend in the bar and just let the cable sit outside the tape where it loops down to the downtube ? What is the particular benefit in wrapping some of the cable in bar tape before it exits the bar ?

2 When installing the bar end shifters can I use them in the same way as I use bar plugs and trap some of the bar tape in the bar to start wrapping ? Ive seen picture of bar end shifters where the bar tape is held in place by tape , any reason to do one over the other ?

Thanks ,

J

No, the shifters fit tightly in the bars. You just start with a tight wrap around the bottom of the bar then angle the wrap forwards/upwards, it stays in place fine.

Seems kind of unprotected and more prone to getting snagged dangling out like that. I firmly tape the cables to the bars with electrical tape for a few inches before putting the handlebar wrap on.

If you use the drops (where you get to the bar end shifters), then I would think it would be best to have the cable under control.

Some people drill the bars an inch or two from the shifters, and route the cables internally, although that brings up questions of strength.

I have never run bar ends but have taped many bars and ridden a long time. Some thoughts: Not restraining the first few inches of cable and getting it to around the front of the bars could: not support the cable housing enough and lead to kinks at the bar end, enable your knee to hit the cable (especially if you get out of the saddle and if this happens, you will both kink the housing for certain and put a hitch in your steering).

A thought I just had: "Proper" taping is from bar end to stem so that the overlap of the tape acts like shingles as you slide your hands down toward the brake levers. The tape typically lasts twice as long run that way (finishing with electrical tape at the stem). But below the brake levers, sliding isn't an issue and it matters little which way you go. So, you could tape your bars as usual, from the bar end, then with another roll, start below the brake lever and wrap over your cable housing to the shifter, finishing with electrical tape. That would also make messing with the housings between tape jobs far easier. The short piece of bar tape that doesn't have to go around the levers could be pulled of and retaped many times.

Ben

Probably more a PITA to try to get the tape under the housing at the end of the bar than to just tape over it ..

after 30 years of using them, I tape the shift housing down up to the band around the bar that holds on the brake lever..

I have to stop wrapping there anyhow and then restart above the lever, ..
the housing is routed to clear the handle bar bag as it passes from bar to frame stop.

Others just tape the housing down for the straight parts until the bar bends upward.

using high quality Die slicked cables lowers the internal friction in teflon lined housing ..

you cover the bit of tape ,you use to hold down the end of bar tape when you first wrap the tape around once..

I agree that the cable needs to be supported along at least part of the handlebar. I have seen pics where the cable is wrapped up to the point where the bars start to rise, but I typically route the cable along and up the bars until the brake hood. At the hood, I place the cable to the inside of the bar, where it has a nice short and clean route to the down tube bosses. The benefit of this is that it is a "natural" place for the cable to escape from the bar tape.

I do what 79pmooney does to wrap bar tape, for exactly the same reason. Another hint: put the beginning end of the tape next to the cable where it exits the shifter, with the tape roll pointing to the inside of the bike. I have found that going in that direction first seems to make the rest of the taping go more easily.

I have seen bikes where the cable is just dangling there and not tucked under any tape. It seems sorta unnecessarily risky to me, but I may just be overly cautious.

I have a barcons with the housing running all the way under the tape and out at the stem. I also have barcons which are under the first 8 wraps of tape and exit just before the U bend of the bars. Both shift great and I dont find the cable to be in the way on either of them. I ran the cable different due to how each bar bends.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5787/...b1b93389_k.jpghttps://farm1.staticflickr.com/329/2...1430264c_k.jpg

As for tucking tape in, no you wont be able to do that.

Since you are considering not wrapping the cables at all, can you explain why? What is the goal or concern with wrapping it all the way or a little?

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see any reason you couldn't have the cable housing secured to the outside of the wrap with tape, zip ties, whatever. It does need to be supported for at least a few inches, but I don't think the support has to be the handlebar wrap. Getting the bar end into the handlebar with wrap in the way may be harder, but I'm sure it can probably be done one way or the other.

When I'm wrapping a barcon bike, I go from handlebar top down to the drops, opposite the usually-recommended way. It makes the transition of the cable housing from under the wrap to over it much cleaner (i.e., stick a pencil through closed venetian blinds in two different directions to see why). Some think this is some kind of federal crime, but I've never had any issues with bars wrapped this way.

- Mark

At some point I'm point I'm going to get new cables and run them all the way under the tape to come out near the stem.

Routing Bar end shifter cables without wrapping
 

I'm not sure about this as I've never done it, but I believe a standard gear wire will be too short to the rear derailleur if you wrap under the whole handlebar.
Can anyone confirm if this is correct?

A tandem gear wire is a solution if this is the case, I think, but harder to find on the road?

I have a 62cm frame and I think most cables would be too short if routed up the top of the bars then back down to the downtube. I have never tried it either, though. I also prefer the looks of the two curved cables running from the bar ends (under the first two or three wraps of tape) to the downtube to th elook of all the cables forced together and poking out from the same place by the stem.

I'd say do it however it ends up being comfortable for you. On one side of my handlebar, I wrapped the cable coming out of the shifter for four or five turns, and mistakenly did five or six turns on the other side. One side ended up being comfy when using the drops, and in the other one the cable pinched my fingers. I had to unwrap that side and fix it.

The tape may not fit between the shifter and the bar... just cut the tape diagonally so you start wrapping with a "clean" end.

buying a Tandem length gear cable for the rear is no big deal ..

Before you Leave replace the cable at home where it is the most convenient to do it and/ or throw one in the bottom of your Pannier .

I Run the gear and brake cable alongs side each other
when I have it set up with Cross Top-mount Brake Levers . Cross type bike too..

Touring Bike I have pre Aero Brake levers ..

I was considering not wrapping as I wanted to save money by reusing use the cable outers from the bikes previous flat bar setup , those cable outers are a little short for running along the full bottom of the drop bar so I was curious to know if there is any special reason bar cables are routed under the bar tape in the pictures that I have seen . I trialled the old cables by rigging them up to the bar end shifters and they seemed to function fine running straight from shifter to down tube cable stop without being supported by bar tape , that said I might try and run an inch or two in there as the crimping comment above has me thinking that it is a good reason to do so .

Gotcha. At least run it a few inches under the tape. And tape the housing directly to the drops, then wrap over everything. Having the cable taped down will keep it from flopping around as much. I dont think, in my mind at least, that the cable should run immediately from the shifter down to the downtube cable stop as the bend will be too severe. Of course this is what I am picturing, so it may be different on your bike. A gentle sweeping bend is best, so running it at least a few inches would probably be best. The more then better, up to the bend in the handlebars though, since that will only further secure the housing and reduce the chance of a snag pulling anything apart.

The bike I posted above where the cables run under the tape is a 25"/63.5cm frame and a regular length shifter cable was used. I was surprised it fit.
The green bike above, where the cables release at the bend, is a 58.5cm frame and i needed a tandem cable for the rear. I was surprised it didnt fit.

Basically, I have come to realize- who knows!

Thats what I do...
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7281/...d15e3d4d_b.jpgupdated IF cockpit by Mike, on Flickr



But now I'm running a mixed system.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3667/...dcc0e44a_b.jpgSalsa Cowbell2 in the rain. by Mike, on Flickr

If you buy new Shimano bar ends in retail packaging, they come with little plastic guides for the cables to run through, presumably under the tape. The guides are 3 or 4 inches long, I generally cut them to about 2 inches. You want the cable well secured and not flopping around at the end where you will be using the shifters.

I had this problem on my tourer. It was close but I ended up using a tandem cable.

Yup. That is why I carry a tandem spare cable with me.

Back in the days of unlined cable housing the recommendation was to tape the cable housing from the shifter to the bottom of the bend in the handlebar and then have the housing and cable loop in a graceful curve to the downtube. This was to improve the shifting as at that time running the housing and the cable up to tthe stem resulted in additional curves and therefore more friction. With improved cables and lined housing that doesn't seem to be a prblem since other posters have done it to the stems with no deterioration of shifting.

BTW, some people run the left cable to the right downtube boss and from the right shifter to the left downtube boss is oreder to 1. get a more graceful curve in the housing and 2. so that the housing clears the head tube and doesn't rub the paint.

Cheers

Totally unnecessary. I just knot two cables together to get the extra length. This also works with scraps I fish out of the recycle bin outside the local bike shops.

FWIW, my bike with bar-ends came with the cable secured under the tape for maybe half a dozen turns, then the shifter cables come out at the bends and loop around to the down-tube. It's a fair bit easier than even the brifter cables that need to be taped down at 4-5 spots as they go around the top bend.

Please post a photo of your knot. It's hard to believe that you can tie together two rigid cables without the ends fraying or the knot coming undone. Your technique could be a fine solution as a roadside repair.