Cable routing for bar end shifters
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Cable routing for bar end shifters
I thought that the right way to route the cables for bar end shifters was to run them up the bars so that they come out underneath the brake levers. That's the way I was taught to do them when I worked in a shop and that's how I set up my 70s Fuji Finest. Then I saw a pic of how Mariano Basso had his bar end shifters set up. Whoa, he had his mechanic set them up so that they ran all the way underneath the tape and came out near the handlebars. It just happens that I picked up a 1971 Witcomb with all campy stuff including campy bar end shifters. The cable housing on that bike is set up just like Mariano did it. Who the heck am I to argue with Mariano Basso . . .
70s Fuji Finest
1971 Witcomb as found in the "wild"
Basso's bike
70s Fuji Finest
1971 Witcomb as found in the "wild"
Basso's bike
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I know back in the day most people dumped them out below the brake levers like your first photo. I prefer the cables hidden more, and exiting near the stem.
Nowadays there's some better cable and housing options that have less friction, so the second option functions better now(as opposed to back in the day).
But, to each his own..
BTW, very nice bikes.
Nowadays there's some better cable and housing options that have less friction, so the second option functions better now(as opposed to back in the day).
But, to each his own..
BTW, very nice bikes.
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I know back in the day most people dumped them out below the brake levers like your first photo. I prefer the cables hidden more, and exiting near the stem.
Nowadays there's some better cable and housing options that have less friction, so the second option functions better now(as opposed to back in the day).
But, to each his own..
BTW, very nice bikes.
Nowadays there's some better cable and housing options that have less friction, so the second option functions better now(as opposed to back in the day).
But, to each his own..
BTW, very nice bikes.
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My Mondia has Campy bar ends and the cables exit near the stem and loop across each other slightly to avoid a sharper bend . I have a photo from 1973 of my bike and that’s how it came back then.
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Another vote for exiting at the stem. Much cleaner look, especially if you’re running aero brake levers too.
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an extra twist on the idea of routing the cables all the way up to the center of the bars... instead of the right shifter cable going to the right cable stop on the down tube, route it over to the cable stop on the left side of the down tube. Similarly, route the left shifter cable to the cable stop on the right side of the downtube. To get the cables to the correct derailleur, the cables will cross from left to right, and visa versa, under the down tube.
The reason to do this is to avoid having the cable housing rubbing on the head tube.
Haven't tried this myself... I use the traditional method of having the cables exit the bar tape at the bottom of the bar's curve....
Steve in Peoria
The reason to do this is to avoid having the cable housing rubbing on the head tube.
Haven't tried this myself... I use the traditional method of having the cables exit the bar tape at the bottom of the bar's curve....
Steve in Peoria
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I've done it with the cables going out at the drop bend, I've done it with 'criss cross' cables so you have nicer arcs and I've done it under the wraps.
With modern cable and housing, there's really no reason to NOT do it all under the wraps- the friction difference is negligible. Unless you like the looks of the "traditional" ways.
Then again, if you're using a front rack and a rack bag- you really want it to go under the wraps since the cables will interfere with the bag.
Under the wraps (with aero levers)
IMG_0220 by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr
The arcs of the cables with the 'criss cross' cables- it's so much easier to get right- and it looks more pleasing to me.
CrissCrossCables by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr
CrissCrossFront by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr
To do that ^ you need to have the cables crossed at some other point- it's easiest under the downtube. Of course, this can be problematic if your cables don't go under the BB.
UnderDownTube by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr
I wish I would have taken some better, non-cluttered pix when I had the bike set up that way.
With modern cable and housing, there's really no reason to NOT do it all under the wraps- the friction difference is negligible. Unless you like the looks of the "traditional" ways.
Then again, if you're using a front rack and a rack bag- you really want it to go under the wraps since the cables will interfere with the bag.
Under the wraps (with aero levers)
IMG_0220 by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr
The arcs of the cables with the 'criss cross' cables- it's so much easier to get right- and it looks more pleasing to me.
CrissCrossCables by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr
CrissCrossFront by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr
To do that ^ you need to have the cables crossed at some other point- it's easiest under the downtube. Of course, this can be problematic if your cables don't go under the BB.
UnderDownTube by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr
I wish I would have taken some better, non-cluttered pix when I had the bike set up that way.
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I thought that the right way to route the cables for bar end shifters was to run them up the bars so that they come out underneath the brake levers. That's the way I was taught to do them when I worked in a shop and that's how I set up my 70s Fuji Finest. Then I saw a pic of how Mariano Basso had his bar end shifters set up. Whoa, he had his mechanic set them up so that they ran all the way underneath the tape and came out near the handlebars. It just happens that I picked up a 1971 Witcomb with all campy stuff including campy bar end shifters. The cable housing on that bike is set up just like Mariano did it. Who the heck am I to argue with Mariano Basso . . .
Basso's bike
Basso's bike
This will work even better with modern housing.
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-----
mounting tip -
when you have everything mounted and adjusted the way you think you want it give the machine a test ride prior to bar wrapping
some riders discover that their knees can hit the ends of the shift levers when pedaling out of the saddle
if you find this symptom one solution is to trim the trail on the bar
-----
mounting tip -
when you have everything mounted and adjusted the way you think you want it give the machine a test ride prior to bar wrapping
some riders discover that their knees can hit the ends of the shift levers when pedaling out of the saddle
if you find this symptom one solution is to trim the trail on the bar
-----
#11
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I've had by barcon shifter cables routed the 'traditional' way since the '70s. Never had a problem with the cable getting in the way of my fingers while riding in the drops. I DID try to route them exiting at the stem (with the original coiled stainless housing) and there was too much friction. Maybe if I used new slick stainless inner cables and Teflon-lined housing that wouldn't be an issue...
.
.
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Wrapping the cables a little ways up the bend (a tad more than the yellow Miyata above) let's me use the drops and brake without cables in the way and provides a really nice curve to the downtube bosses. Cable friction is always bad and should be reduced whenever practical.
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Traditional routing preferred here. I like wide bars and try to keep cable loops a little tighter. I have original housings saved for a project but standard stuff works better than well. Helps prevent paint wear marks on headtube.
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I've done it with the cables going out at the drop bend, I've done it with 'criss cross' cables so you have nicer arcs and I've done it under the wraps.
With modern cable and housing, there's really no reason to NOT do it all under the wraps- the friction difference is negligible. Unless you like the looks of the "traditional" ways.
Then again, if you're using a front rack and a rack bag- you really want it to go under the wraps since the cables will interfere with the bag.
Under the wraps (with aero levers)
IMG_0220 by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr
The arcs of the cables with the 'criss cross' cables- it's so much easier to get right- and it looks more pleasing to me.
CrissCrossCables by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr
CrissCrossFront by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr
To do that ^ you need to have the cables crossed at some other point- it's easiest under the downtube. Of course, this can be problematic if your cables don't go under the BB.
UnderDownTube by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr
I wish I would have taken some better, non-cluttered pix when I had the bike set up that way.
With modern cable and housing, there's really no reason to NOT do it all under the wraps- the friction difference is negligible. Unless you like the looks of the "traditional" ways.
Then again, if you're using a front rack and a rack bag- you really want it to go under the wraps since the cables will interfere with the bag.
Under the wraps (with aero levers)
IMG_0220 by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr
The arcs of the cables with the 'criss cross' cables- it's so much easier to get right- and it looks more pleasing to me.
CrissCrossCables by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr
CrissCrossFront by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr
To do that ^ you need to have the cables crossed at some other point- it's easiest under the downtube. Of course, this can be problematic if your cables don't go under the BB.
UnderDownTube by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr
I wish I would have taken some better, non-cluttered pix when I had the bike set up that way.
The "cyclocross" gambit.
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#16
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No real wrong way to do it. Std assembly protocol in the shop in the early '80s was an early exit, before the curve. I started running my own a little higher, finding the early exit routing kinda annoyingly floppy, especially with flexy stainless steel housing used back then, and it got in the way of bar bags. I've evolved to all the way to the top now, just find it cleaner, and I like the lines better. I do the criss-cross, but that only works with under-bb cable guides. Over-bb guides need the housing uncrossed.
Not so easy to see here, but the criss-crossed cables nestle right between the rear pockets on this Ostrich front bar bag. I really like how the criss-crossed housing frames the head tube.
Not so easy to see here, but the criss-crossed cables nestle right between the rear pockets on this Ostrich front bar bag. I really like how the criss-crossed housing frames the head tube.
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Yet another version - I have mine wrapped in all the way up and crossed but do not cross them back. I shift the front derailleur with my right hand and the rear with my left. I am ambidexter which might help.
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I use the traditional way of routing the cables being sure that they are just long enough so no interference with turning or shifting. I never understand why some applications have so much extra cable.
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#19
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I run mine all the way under the tape, shifting is not a problem, works great.
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My first exposure to them was on my first "good" bike that had them and the cables exited the tape at the brake levers.
I have always thought that this was the way to do it.
Mine was like this in baby blue, the earlier version.
I have always thought that this was the way to do it.
Mine was like this in baby blue, the earlier version.
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#21
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Does that sticker read Mizutani Super Seraph? Holy Japanese Obscurity, Batman!
Was there also a Regular Seraph, or a Seraph Standard, or a Minor Seraph? Or were they all Super?
I don't want to be ungracious to Japanese mechanics of yesteryear, or sour merziac's fond memories of that first good bike, but the high housing exit in the blue Super photo results in a suboptimal angle/bend where the housing meets the clamp. Not entirely elegant, or mechanically ideal.
Dame da to iitakakunai kedo, maaaa, mou hitotsu to iisuginai ka na? Don't wanna say it's wrong, but it kinda just ain't right...
Oh, also just noticed the way-too-long rear brake cable. Can't unsee that now.
Was there also a Regular Seraph, or a Seraph Standard, or a Minor Seraph? Or were they all Super?
I don't want to be ungracious to Japanese mechanics of yesteryear, or sour merziac's fond memories of that first good bike, but the high housing exit in the blue Super photo results in a suboptimal angle/bend where the housing meets the clamp. Not entirely elegant, or mechanically ideal.
Dame da to iitakakunai kedo, maaaa, mou hitotsu to iisuginai ka na? Don't wanna say it's wrong, but it kinda just ain't right...
Oh, also just noticed the way-too-long rear brake cable. Can't unsee that now.
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I've done three bikes with the bar-end cables under the tape, exiting at the stem. Doesn't seem to bind up or anything, and it's a lot cleaner.
#23
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Does that sticker read Mizutani Super Seraph? Holy Japanese Obscurity, Batman!
Was there also a Regular Seraph, or a Seraph Standard, or a Minor Seraph? Or were they all Super?
I don't want to be ungracious to Japanese mechanics of yesteryear, or sour merziac's fond memories of that first good bike, but the high housing exit in the blue Super photo results in a suboptimal angle/bend where the housing meets the clamp. Not entirely elegant, or mechanically ideal.
Dame da to iitakakunai kedo, maaaa, mou hitotsu to iisuginai ka na? Don't wanna say it's wrong, but it kinda just ain't right...
Oh, also just noticed the way-too-long rear brake cable. Can't unsee that now.
Was there also a Regular Seraph, or a Seraph Standard, or a Minor Seraph? Or were they all Super?
I don't want to be ungracious to Japanese mechanics of yesteryear, or sour merziac's fond memories of that first good bike, but the high housing exit in the blue Super photo results in a suboptimal angle/bend where the housing meets the clamp. Not entirely elegant, or mechanically ideal.
Dame da to iitakakunai kedo, maaaa, mou hitotsu to iisuginai ka na? Don't wanna say it's wrong, but it kinda just ain't right...
Oh, also just noticed the way-too-long rear brake cable. Can't unsee that now.
As far as I know, they were a PNW thing, distributed by Life Cycles and sold from a chain of Life Cycles shops, East, West, Roth and a couple others, my first one a basic Seraph came from the East store, the Super came from Mel Renfro's bike shop.
Yep, Seraph, Spree and, you guessed it, Super. Funny thing, the awesome HB says Mizutani Super Seraph on all models so many that come up for sale get listed as "Super Seraph's". They were all heavy, my Super rode great as far as I new, despite that. I had the lever exit for the cables working great for me once I got it down after anchoring them with electrical tape to hold them in place before wrapping over them. Back then wrapping up to the stem wasn't a thing and like you, I didn't like them flopping around when only wrapped for the first few inches.
#24
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Mizutani was a trading company, yet another one of those scrappy companies that put together a bike line to feed the US bike boom.
My two favorites were looking to sign up dealers at the '80/'81 International Toy & Bicycle Shows at the Javits Center in NYC. One was, I kid you not, Karate Bicycle. The other was Oxjap Bicycle, short for Occident-Japan, but I always saw it as a rude way to address Japanese oxen.
We had kind of self-imposed trouble bringing in any of the other big Japanese brands, because the former owner was a bigwig at Fuji, and the shop was named Fuji Cycle Center. So we were always on the lookout for a good smaller brand that wouldn't bother Fuji and wouldn't bother the smaller brand being in a Fuji shop. We did not take on Karate or Oxjap, but we did bring in Matsuri, which is the Japanese word for "festival." Maruka Machinery owned the Matsuri brand, and the bikes were sourced from Nissan. Don't know who else Nissan might have been building for.
My two favorites were looking to sign up dealers at the '80/'81 International Toy & Bicycle Shows at the Javits Center in NYC. One was, I kid you not, Karate Bicycle. The other was Oxjap Bicycle, short for Occident-Japan, but I always saw it as a rude way to address Japanese oxen.
We had kind of self-imposed trouble bringing in any of the other big Japanese brands, because the former owner was a bigwig at Fuji, and the shop was named Fuji Cycle Center. So we were always on the lookout for a good smaller brand that wouldn't bother Fuji and wouldn't bother the smaller brand being in a Fuji shop. We did not take on Karate or Oxjap, but we did bring in Matsuri, which is the Japanese word for "festival." Maruka Machinery owned the Matsuri brand, and the bikes were sourced from Nissan. Don't know who else Nissan might have been building for.
Looks like they were always in a hurry with the cables, no time to take a step back and see how its going.
As far as I know, they were a PNW thing, distributed by Life Cycles and sold from a chain of Life Cycles shops, East, West, Roth and a couple others, my first one a basic Seraph came from the East store, the Super came from Mel Renfro's bike shop.
Yep, Seraph, Spree and, you guessed it, Super. Funny thing, the awesome HB says Mizutani Super Seraph on all models so many that come up for sale get listed as "Super Seraph's". They were all heavy, my Super rode great as far as I new, despite that. I had the lever exit for the cables working great for me once I got it down after anchoring them with electrical tape to hold them in place before wrapping over them. Back then wrapping up to the stem wasn't a thing and like you, I didn't like them flopping around when only wrapped for the first few inches.
As far as I know, they were a PNW thing, distributed by Life Cycles and sold from a chain of Life Cycles shops, East, West, Roth and a couple others, my first one a basic Seraph came from the East store, the Super came from Mel Renfro's bike shop.
Yep, Seraph, Spree and, you guessed it, Super. Funny thing, the awesome HB says Mizutani Super Seraph on all models so many that come up for sale get listed as "Super Seraph's". They were all heavy, my Super rode great as far as I new, despite that. I had the lever exit for the cables working great for me once I got it down after anchoring them with electrical tape to hold them in place before wrapping over them. Back then wrapping up to the stem wasn't a thing and like you, I didn't like them flopping around when only wrapped for the first few inches.
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#25
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Mizutani was a trading company, yet another one of those scrappy companies that put together a bike line to feed the US bike boom.
My two favorites were looking to sign up dealers at the '80/'81 International Toy & Bicycle Shows at the Javits Center in NYC. One was, I kid you not, Karate Bicycle. The other was Oxjap Bicycle, short for Occident-Japan, but I always saw it as a rude way to address Japanese oxen.
We had kind of self-imposed trouble bringing in any of the other big Japanese brands, because the former owner was a bigwig at Fuji, and the shop was named Fuji Cycle Center. So we were always on the lookout for a good smaller brand that wouldn't bother Fuji and wouldn't bother the smaller brand being in a Fuji shop. We did not take on Karate or Oxjap, but we did bring in Matsuri, which is the Japanese word for "festival." Maruka Machinery owned the Matsuri brand, and the bikes were sourced from Nissan. Don't know who else Nissan might have been building for.
My two favorites were looking to sign up dealers at the '80/'81 International Toy & Bicycle Shows at the Javits Center in NYC. One was, I kid you not, Karate Bicycle. The other was Oxjap Bicycle, short for Occident-Japan, but I always saw it as a rude way to address Japanese oxen.
We had kind of self-imposed trouble bringing in any of the other big Japanese brands, because the former owner was a bigwig at Fuji, and the shop was named Fuji Cycle Center. So we were always on the lookout for a good smaller brand that wouldn't bother Fuji and wouldn't bother the smaller brand being in a Fuji shop. We did not take on Karate or Oxjap, but we did bring in Matsuri, which is the Japanese word for "festival." Maruka Machinery owned the Matsuri brand, and the bikes were sourced from Nissan. Don't know who else Nissan might have been building for.
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