Internally-Routed Cables

This is how a bike with internally-routed cables often ends up—in a stand with shop bros mad at it. Even frames at the highest end, like the U.P., result in late nights re-cabling and frustrated mechanics.

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The issue here was, somehow, a cable wrapped around another, INSIDE of the frame. Sure it’s visually pleasing to have a clean-looking frame with internal cables and no clutter; until, you have to rerun them through the frame.

Internally-routed cables are like sweater sleeves. They fit very well until you push them up once then hang there loose. Mark V has much to say about cabling, he texted me this last night

Internally-routed cables are frequently the result of a whimsical industrial designer putting two holes at either frame end for each cable with the hope that they somehow connect. Like you’re supposed to stick the cable into a dark hole at the head tube and it’ll magically reach a derailleur…located somewhere in Narnia.

Now that you know your mechanic has to visit the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe to build up your bike, perhaps some patience, a tip, or we’ll see more wireless design in the future, like eTap.

For this build, I brought the mechanics a six pack of tall boys for their time.

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