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internal cable routing

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#21 ·
I think the newer frames have molded internal routing for the housing/hoses. That will make pushing the housing through way easier than fishing the housing through an open frame. I have a Cervelo S2 road bike from 2012 and that is a huge pain in the ass to guide the housing through the frame.

The MTBs that I have only routes the rear derailleur cable and dropper cable through the frame. The rear brake hose is still routed outside the frame.
 
#22 ·
Seems like an utterly pointless PITA to me. I see literally no benefit gained from the extra work it entails.

But I also realize it is now common enough that my next frame is likely to have it.
 
#23 ·
It would be nice if manufacturers would label what type of internal routing they have. I had a bike without inner tubes, which was a pain. What does the routing-tubing consist of? is that a material that deteriorates or breaks off over time?

I have a black frame bag and a black frame, so I don't see the external housings anyway. and unless you also have internally routed hydraulic lines, I don't see the point of doing the cables. If you really care for looks, everything should be internal.

Same for front brake hose. Some road bikes have forks with brake hose internal routing. Looks really good, but sure a pain to install. But MTB forks don't have that.

Does it improve riding? No.
Does it save weight? No, probably adds a minute amount for internal guides.
Does it improve maintenance? No.


To each their own, sure looks good. My current bike only has the dropper internal routing in the seatpost.


But what really looks bad is all the housing around the handlebar, and internal routing doesn't do anything for that. The routing outside the frame is already stealth compared to that rats nest around the handlebar. If someone would come up with inside-the-handlebar routing for brake hoses and cables and finds a neat way to route that around the head tube so it works when steering, I'm all ear.
 
#34 ·
^^^ I've used that kit a bunch. It can come in handy when needing to thread a cable with no existing cables to use to guide the new one. It won't work in all situations. It's good for a shop where they might have to do this with some frequency, but home mech shouldn't really need it.
 
#35 ·
marcw said:
A good reason for internal routing is bike manufactures have no clue where to put the external routing. On the older style of car bike racks where the bike used to hang from the top tub, my gt bike with the cable on the bottom of the top tube would chew up the frame if the adhoc protection device ( a rag ) slipped out.
Click to expand...
I forgot about that. My old bikes routed along side of top tube, but I remember some bikes routed underneath. It kept the top surface clear of clutter, and I suppose if you rest on top. But yeah they got in way when on those bike racks. Many of those racks also had elastic straps that go around tubes so no matter where the cables routed, theyd rub.
Me and friends now have tray style racks that dont touch frame so its not a problem, although we take a MTB trip where we have to carry bikes inside vehicle and having internal cables is nice when we have to strap bikes down.
 
#36 ·
J.B. Weld said:
Wireless electric? Probably not. I predict future hydraulic brake designs that bury the hoses through the bar & stem.
Click to expand...
I find it hard to believe. The factory gets the brakes pre-cut and bled to install. if they installed them internally, the factory guy would have to bleed, which may be disastrous. Or they need to hire more expensive labor, which also won't happen. A bike i had with internal routing only had the shifter cable installed internally, the brake hose externally. i never felt the desire to take my brake apart to fiddle the hose inside (no guides). Which made the whole exercise pointless.

Electric brakes are not even used in cars etc., where you have a reliable power source. I wouldn't want to go downhill and then a software bug that drained the battery kills me. A brake caliper also has to provide quite a bit of power that is supplied by your finger. Much more than the RD actuator or the dropper post actuator. So a relatively large battery would be needed plus a motor, pump etc. that sure would be bulkier and heavier.

there is some ABS from Bosch for e-bikes. I assume the battery powers some brake booster. So there is enough power from the huge e-bike battery. But I also think (or hope) if power is lost, the hydraulic brake still works (just without ABSing). Like car with brake booster, where you still can brake without the booster, it is just harder.
 
#37 ·
HerrKaLeu said:
I find it hard to believe. The factory gets the brakes pre-cut and bled to install. if they installed them internally, the factory guy would have to bleed, which may be disastrous. Or they need to hire more expensive labor, which also won't happen. A bike i had with internal routing only had the shifter cable installed internally, the brake hose externally. i never felt the desire to take my brake apart to fiddle the hose inside (no guides). Which made the whole exercise pointless.

Electric brakes are not even used in cars etc., where you have a reliable power source. I wouldn't want to go downhill and then a software bug that drained the battery kills me. A brake caliper also has to provide quite a bit of power that is supplied by your finger. Much more than the RD actuator or the dropper post actuator. So a relatively large battery would be needed plus a motor, pump etc. that sure would be bulkier and heavier.

there is some ABS from Bosch for e-bikes. I assume the battery powers some brake booster. So there is enough power from the huge e-bike battery. But I also think (or hope) if power is lost, the hydraulic brake still works (just without ABSing). Like car with brake booster, where you still can brake without the booster, it is just harder.
Click to expand...
As a home bike mechanic, It is fast, no spills/mess, and easy to bleed the brakes. I would expect the guys on the line can do it with no issues and much faster.
 
#38 ·
HerrKaLeu said:
I find it hard to believe. The factory gets the brakes pre-cut and bled to install. if they installed them internally, the factory guy would have to bleed, which may be disastrous. Or they need to hire more expensive labor, which also won't happen.
Click to expand...
High end road bikes already do this, the hose install & bleed is handled by the shop. It is real fiddly and lots of bike techs moan & groan about the extra time and hassle required to install it but others who realize they get paid by the hour actually enjoy it.

I don't know that it will ever happen with mtb's but I wouldn't be a bit surprised if it did. Just musing.
 
#39 ·
J.B. Weld said:
High end road bikes already do this, the hose install & bleed is handled by the shop. It is real fiddly and lots of bike techs moan & groan about the extra time and hassle required to install it but others who realize they get paid by the hour actually enjoy it.

I don't know that it will ever happen with mtb's but I wouldn't be a bit surprised if it did. Just musing.
Click to expand...
Yeah, the mass market bikes probably won't get this treatment, unless there is some more simplification on the bleeding. I could see the higher end MTB could get it.

I bet those road bikes also have the routing inside the NDS fork leg. Looks really great.
 
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