Internal cable routing

[Andywinds]

What are the benefits of this and is it something worth looking for on a road bike?

 

[Smokin Joe]

It's a pain in the ar$e. Don't let it put you off buying the bike you want if that's what it comes with but don't go looking specially for it.

Other views may be available.

 

[Andywinds]

Thanks I will bear that in mind. I can a use in MTB'ing as it something less to damage and caught on, not that I've had an issue before.

It's a pain in the ar$e. Don't let it put you off buying the bike you want if that's what it comes with but don't go looking specially for it.

Other views may be available.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Thanks I will bear that in mind. I can a use in MTB'ing as it something less to damage and caught on, not that I've had an issue before.

You never have an issue with things catching on cables. It is just not a problem.
There is internal routing and internal routing. The type to avoid is where the cable housing stops at the entrance into the fame and the inners then run naked, sometimes over runners and slides, to the exit point where the cable out then takes over again. These are absolutely criminal. One of the Niner bikes, a carbon one, is particularly bad this way. You have to remove the BB to change the cables, etc.
Others, where the entire inner and outer goes inside and comes out again at the desired exit point, are just fine. For instance, some of the Scott bikes have done this beautifully, even the seatpost dropper device is completely internal.

 

[Smokin Joe]

You never have an issue with things catching on cables. It is just not a problem.
There is internal routing and internal routing. The type to avoid is where the cable housing stops at the entrance into the fame and the inners then run naked, sometimes over runners and slides, to the exit point where the cable out then takes over again. These are absolutely criminal. One of the Niner bikes, a carbon one, is particularly bad this way. You have to remove the BB to change the cables, etc.
Others, where the entire inner and outer goes inside and comes out again at the desired exit point, are just fine. For instance, some of the Scott bikes have done this beautifully, even the seatpost dropper device is completely internal.

A mate has a Ceepo TT frame with the inners running through the tubes, complete with the runners and slides you mention. The whole thing was a complete dogs breakfast, getting enough tension in the front cable was next to impossible. He got so fed up with it he stripped off the Dura Ace mechanical groupset and replaced it with Ultegra Di2.

To me, internal routing just gives another point where water can get into the tubes. I can't see any advantage over a slightly cleaner look to the bike.

 

[bpsmith]

My Bianchi has internal cabling without outers going inside the frame at all.

Changed the lot recently and was amazed at how straight forward it was. The cables enter the head tube in the sides, with removable caps that screw into the frame and fit the ferrules perfectly. Cable comes out of a letterbox style flap at the bottom of the down tube. All that I needed to do was cut a thin narrow piece of plastic, from a butter tub, and insert that into the letterbox to deflect the end of the cables as they got to the bottom of the tube. Both cables out first time.

No chance of water getting in as frame caps are so well machined and literally only the inner cable goes through the cap.

 

[themosquitoking]

My Bianchi has internal cabling without outers going inside the frame at all.

Changed the lot recently and was amazed at how straight forward it was. The cables enter the head tube in the sides, with removable caps that screw into the frame and fit the ferrules perfectly. Cable comes out of a letterbox style flap at the bottom of the down tube. All that I needed to do was cut a thin narrow piece of plastic, from a butter tub, and insert that into the letterbox to deflect the end of the cables as they got to the bottom of the tube. Both cables out first time.

No chance of water getting in as frame caps are so well machined and literally only the inner cable goes through the cap.

My mates merida has a similar system to this it sounds like. Very neat system it seems.

 

[bpsmith]

My mates merida has a similar system to this it sounds like. Very neat system it seems.

I was surprised, based on reading the horror stories repeated on here. Sometimes it's best not to read about it, as often turns out easier than said stories which are sometimes just repeated from others who haven't actually done the job. Not aimed at anyone here btw, just generalising.

 

[lpretro1]

Depends on the make/model of the bike. Some are easy some are difficult and some in-between.

 

[Cubist]

The ones with no inner guides are only a problem if you remove the inner cables before realising they aren't guided. Make a ghetto inner cable guide by stripping the outer plastic and compression wires from a length of old outer cable. The polythene tube left over can then be slipped up over the old inner cables while they are still in the frame, then taped in place before withdrawing the old cable. Once you've fitted the top run of outer and run the inner through it, you can pass it through the guide hose. Once it's in place withdraw the guide tubing and fit the lower outer and ferrule. Piece of cake.

 

[lpretro1]

Good advice from Cubist - but some bikes you have to remove bottom bracket to fit new cables

 

[glasgowcyclist]

To me, internal routing just gives another point where water can get into the tubes.

I use a squirt of silicone sealant to close any gap around the cable. Luckily my frame is white so it's not noticeable.

GC

 

[woohoo]

The ones with no inner guides are only a problem if you remove the inner cables before realising they aren't guided. Make a ghetto inner cable guide by stripping the outer plastic and compression wires from a length of old outer cable. The polythene tube left over can then be slipped up over the old inner cables while they are still in the frame, then taped in place before withdrawing the old cable. Once you've fitted the top run of outer and run the inner through it, you can pass it through the guide hose. Once it's in place withdraw the guide tubing and fit the lower outer and ferrule. Piece of cake.

I've used the same approach but bought some narrow bore fish tank tubing off eBay to do the job. It was very cheap to buy a couple of metres