Integrated / invisible cables, the new trend for road bikes?
 

A couple of years ago hidden cables seemed like only a concept for the uber expensive super bikes, but I feel like I'm seeing it really start to trickle down now. Is this the new road trend? Sure is a clean look.

I think it's been the trend for a while. All three of my bikes from 2016 and prior have internal cable routing.

I think that he's talking about the cockpit, specifically. Outside of handful of top-end aero road bikes, they're pretty rare, but the routing on the new Emonda, for instance, might herald things to come (I hope, at least).

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5ea3d781ce.jpg

Here’s mine. Now, etap makes it a lot easier to make everything clean but it does seem that more and more bikes are going fully internal cabled. Sadly, if you want a mechanical drivetrain, changing cables is going to be a pain.


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...22c92bbac.jpeg

Mechanical drivetrain, man that brings back some memories!

It's been a thing since the 70's at least. Actual stranded cables for brakes and shifters can't do the required bends so well. With hydraulic and electronic shifting becoming so common, it's more easy to do with few if any negatives for performance.

I'm still iffy on whether I want to have to deal with them internal to my handlebars. Seems that would be a little limiting of handlebar, stem and fork choices if I ever wanted to change one of them.

Looks 1000000x cleaner if you ask my opinion. How can someone not like a Venge cockpit?
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...22d0c8fe6d.jpg


It started on Aero bikes & is becoming more and more popular on race/climb bikes. I saw it on the Scott Addict RC 2020 & on the Trek Emonda and it's so nice. It seems to be complicated to develop the proper technology though; Giant has had a lot of issues in the past with his. Every LBS I talked to told me they hated servicing Propel for that reason.

A what?? :innocent:

I would still say it's not a "new" trend, having been underway for a few years at least (when did BMC do theirs?). It's now snowballing towards being normal though, just like internal routing.

I believe that will become the new norm. My bike has only the ends of the brake cables poking out.

Looks super clean to me.


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1cacb0937f.jpg

I've been seeing internally routed cables on department store bikes as well, so it must be a trend on its way out… :innocent:

I do like the clean look of integrated/hidden cables but for me I still prefer the traditional exposed cable set up.
The bike is that much easier to wrench on, swap parts around, and make it rattle free.

I agree they look clean and better overall. I am still hesitant from a serviceability standpoint and noticed that each brand has their own means of hiding the cables. That means proprietary parts that may not be available in 10 years.

I know its just the camera angle, but the difference between the left and right bar tape is gonna give me nightmares tonight.

I have a 2016-ish Propel. Around the time the cheaper model like I have still had OEM round handlebars and exposed cables before disappearing to the top of the top tube. I put in a modern aero handlebar and stem that can accept somewhat hidden mech cables and it looks better but not as good as the OEM integrated cables are that are coming out now. You just can't really use aftermarket stuff and compete with full custom OEM integration.

I think in my DIY integration the most glaring difference is that where the stem meets the top tube cables going down, I don't have the little aero rubber spacers that hide those cables from the stem area. But whatever. I like it.

If hidden cabling is trickling down, and much better suited to electronic drivetrains, I think you first need to see electronic drivetrains trickle down; ie. in Shimano, it starts at Ultegra -- a groupset that by itself goes for about $1600

That's not really a given. That it'd be easier to install electronic groups doesn't necessarily mean that it's less suited to mechanical.

Someone earlier mentioned issues with stranded cabling not being suited to the apparent sharper bends required for hiding?

Someone did, but that's not really a given. There are lots of examples to the contrary.

It would not surprise me at all to see electronic shifting rolled out as an option for the 105 groupset soon.

Also, integrated cockpits aside, is there any carbon frame bike currently being sold with external cable routing?

Definitely, and much easier to do with electric shifters and hydro brakes. Mechanical cables don't like kinks...

Frames should really come with standardized permanent wiring and hydro lines as part of the frame and fork. Just embed in the resin with ports for stem, derailleurs, brakes. With steering stacks going aero (a winning look imo) there's plenty of room to run wires up from the headtube to the stem, then through the stem to the bars and to the shifters.

That’s when I’ll put it on my roadie.

I don't think that electronic 105 is going to happen. Think about all of the confusion it would cause. I mean, is the mechanical Ultegra user supposed to sneer at the electronic 105 user or is it the other way around? :foo:

It's probably just me but I'm a bit confused as to what's being discussed or what it means to people, ie. "Integrated / invisible cables.."

We had another Emonda post above, but a quick look at Trek's site, here's an Emonda. Cables aren't invisible.. but in certain areas of the bike they seem to be inside the tubes:
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...26d123941.jpeg

Here's a Specialized carbon bike.. tarmac I think
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2f614e858.jpeg

Here's another big brand carbon bike Synapse Cannondale.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...84e28e5326.jpg

What happens if/when those internal wires or brake hoses need to be replaced though?
I think all electronic shifting will soon be wireless anyway, so really it's just the hydro brake hoses left to deal with. Maybe we will have electronic braking... lol.

That's not a new Emonda - the 2021 model was just introduced yesterday and there are 2020 and 2021 models on the site. The 2021 SL/SLR have the wiring ports tucked under the stem at the front top of the HT stack.