ARPRINCE

^^ Since it looks like you have no use for it now, I call DIBS! I'd shoulder your shipping charges as a favor to you.

woodcraft

I'm running SRAM from 2008 (which works fine in handlebar channels).

Won't be considering electronic shifting for at least 5 more years.

Posted that because the OP is wishing that he had chosen Shimano,

but it might not have worked either.

Fiery

So what is the problem in the end? Why can't the hoses be routed per the manufacturer's instructions?

rpenmanparker 

I am wondering the same thing. Why just give up and let the failure contribute to an irrational dislike of SRAM? This could be easily made to work well.

Seattle Forrest

Two different mechanics at two different shops said no. The first one said flat out impossible, the second one said it can be done but it can't be done right. Putting the bars on requires bleeding both brake lines, I needed to bleed the rear one anyway, and it's been done now. That's an expensive job and I'm not going to pay to have it done again just to hear another mechanic tell me it can't be done.

On top of that, I can't run red brake hose because of the way they come out of the shifters.

As if that wasn't enough, some idiot at SRAM decided the shifter paddles should be metal, so they'll be cold to the touch all winter. The Ultegra ones are plastic, so you don't hate them every time they touch your skin.

It's my fault for buying a SRAM bike. I'd never had one before, and now I know why.

GlennR

If you look, you'll see the hydro hose exits on the "inside" and has to cross over to the "outside" to be routed in the bars.

If you don't like that solution then you can't use this combo.

So I guess Sram sux........ but not for me

noodle soup

that looks like a Shimano lever, not SRAM.

GlennR

Could be, I just checked my Rival hydro and the brake hose exits the shifter on the inside.

FlashBazbo

I have to give SRAM at least some credit (in general). They are always at least the third manufacturer to the patent office with any new product. That means they have to find ways to "wire around" the patents already held by Shimano, Campy, and others. They are required to do things differently. That's a huge disadvantage . . . but SRAM has found a way to overcome it, most of the time. Often, the end result is pretty Rube Goldberg -- not the best solution, but the best solution available given other people's patents -- but SRAM at least finds a way to stay in most product markets. That said . . . my only current SRAM product is a 1x road crankset. (That's a market Shimano has missed.)

It sounds like your biggest issue is the combination of an unusually-designed SRAM product (by necessity) coupled with an unusually-designed bar. For the record, I almost bought the same bar. Even though my setup is Shimano Di2, I decided the ENVE bar design wasn't worth the trouble.

noodle soup

Zipp uses a far better design on their aero drop bars.

If the OP is looking for a set that would work for SRAM, I'd give them a try(but you might need a longer stem as well).

GlennR

He got them for free.

"The bars came free with my wheels"

noodle soup

I understand that. Sell the ENVE bars, and get some similar ones that will work.

Seattle Forrest

I'd rather sell the SRAM bits and get ones that will work.

noodle soup

That makes sense to me. You would end up with a better shifting bike, better brakes, and levers that aren't hideous.

It should be fairly easy to unload the SRAM bits.

Seattle Forrest

I'm thinking about selling the bike. It's a nice, complete gravel bike, and we're about to come into season. It would be easier than swapping all the bits, and that would save me the trouble of selling the (mediocre) wheels that came with it anyway.

noodle soup

New Bike? You can't beat that.

RJM

This is usually how I change parts, lol. Except for wheels or saddles which I will upgrade on a bike, but if it comes down to shifting componentry I start looking at new bikes. Ultegra stuff has been good to me.

Dean V

Why are you putting carbon aero bars on a gravel bike?

noodle soup

Aero drop bars, not aero bars.

joejack951

Putting aside the possible misunderstanding on the type of handlebars being discussed (as noted by noodle soup), the bars were FREE and he needed brake line work done anyway. So why not? Aero gains are aero gains, on or off road.

bmthom.gis

That's odd. My paddles are plastic and brake levers are carbon on my SRAM Rival set up. I like the double tap shifting enough where I don't care to go back to Shimano.

dalava

With these bars, you aren't gonna ride on the top much, so a little cable "protrusion" shouldn't hurt unless you are OCD about how it looks. I know the bleeding drill, it's not that complicated and can easily be done by yourself.

joejack951

Please explain.

black_box 

most of the aero-ness of the bar is in the flattened portion of the tops. If you put your hands there frequently, aero bars don't make much sense. I think most people don't even tape that portion of the bar.

Fiery

Yes, I've noticed, seeing as it's clearly depicted on the provided diagram. It crosses over on the underside of the bar and under the bar tape so it doesn't affect looks or ergonomics, and since it's hydraulics the performance won't suffer due to the tight bends. It is not the most elegant solution, but it's still far better than having to do the same with mechanical Shimano. But hey, let's blame Sram on Enve's design decisions.

So, Enve didn't design the bar for inside routing even though that's what most people use nowadays (and newer mechanical Shimano doesn't even provide an outside option), your mechanics aren't too good and/or are too stuck in their ways, you personally are not mechanically inclined enough to do it yourself, yet somehow all of this is Sram's fault?