Shifter cable routing

[ryansigsbey]

My bike (salsa el mariachi) is NOT setup to run full length cable housing.  I think there would be benefits to having full length housing but not really sure.  What do people think for Tour Divide?  Full length to keep more dirt/grit out or does having the cable exposed and less housing create less friction?

I think I could run full housing and just zip tie the cable and also run it through the velcro attachments on my frame bag.  Not sure how that would work on the front derailleur though.

Any thoughts?

[aaron w]

That's what I did for the TD last year.  Worked really well.  I did just what you said, zip tied it, ran it through velcro...electrical tape works too.  My front der housing ran along the top tube originally so nothing different there.  Now I'm running full housing on all my bikes that see much wet weather/mud.  Perhaps the shifting isn't quite as crisp but it's such a minor difference it doesn't bother me.

[bmike-vt]

Going to do the same for my Fargo. They make some zip tie / sticky type cable mounts. But I'm also going to move my FD routing to come in from the top - so I'll likely get a Problems Solvers cable stop for the seat tube to terminate the end and be able to pull against for my FD.

[MattL]

Going to do the same for my Fargo. They make some zip tie / sticky type cable mounts. But I'm also going to move my FD routing to come in from the top - so I'll likely get a Problems Solvers cable stop for the seat tube to terminate the end and be able to pull against for my FD.

What FD do you have?

That's exactly how my Fargo (Ti, Small) was set up by the shop.  My drivetrain is all XT.  I think it's kind of ugly and hangs out to the side a bit much.  I'll see about uploading a photo.

The shop owner said that if I switched to a SRAM FD, it has a cable stop built into the derailer body and so I could run housing all the way down, without the PS cable stop.  Indeed, that seems to be how Salsa-spec'd bikes are put together.  http://salsacycles.com/files/bikes/bikes_FargoTi_2013_3.jpg

[harryonaspot]

I wish my Fargo was that purty!

[ryansigsbey]

So I checked in at the bike shop and they showed me a really nice thing about not having full length housing!  Being able to wipe the cable clean, blow out the ferrels and then apply a little lube to the cable.  Since the sections of housing are so short it doesn't cause as much friction.  If you get dirt in your full length housing, there's no way for it to get out or to reduce the friction.  Hoping this will work at least.  I'm going to give it a shot.  We just did this on my bike which I thought probably needed new cable and housing and now its shifting great without it.   

[bmike-vt]

What FD do you have?

That's exactly how my Fargo (Ti, Small) was set up by the shop.  My drivetrain is all XT.  I think it's kind of ugly and hangs out to the side a bit much.  I'll see about uploading a photo.

The shop owner said that if I switched to a SRAM FD, it has a cable stop built into the derailer body and so I could run housing all the way down, without the PS cable stop.  Indeed, that seems to be how Salsa-spec'd bikes are put together.  http://salsacycles.com/files/bikes/bikes_FargoTi_2013_3.jpg

stock from 2012. it can be pulled from top or bottom, but i need a back stop or something to make it go. the new bikes use the direct pull spec, which allows the housing to die right into the mech

here's a big reason why i'm moving to full housing:

Singlespeed! by mbeganyi, on Flickr


mud-bb by mbeganyi, on Flickr

also, with full frame bags, gas tank, and jerry can, the cables get hung up on the velcro straps and shifting isn't as clean. i'd go gore cables on all my bikes if i could afford it...

[joeydurango]

Full housing all the way.  Use electrical tape or zipties or whatever you want - but exposed cable and multiple dirt entry points on a multi-day rig just means your shifting will be junk by the second day... or at least that's what my experience has been.