I was thinking about stuff while riding this past weekend and kept coming back to cable/hose routing. I do mine "properly" but want to understand the thinking behind those who do it wrong. At minimum this should be fun and there is a very slim chance that someone will convince me that I should start doing my cable routing the wrong way. It also may serve the community by getting the wrong headed people on the path to enlightenment so we can get an industry standard for cable routing.
To get started, let's define the right ways. Ideally this will lead to an argument so please jump in and engage if you disagree with what I deem as "OPTIMAL", "SUB-OPTIMAL", or "WRONG".
OPTIMAL:
With a proper seat stay style brake mount the rear brake hose is attached to the underside of the top tube. The hose guides are 60mm away from the head tube and 60mm away from the seat tube. The middle guide is exactly in the middle of the span between the other two guides. Two guides route the cable down the underside of the non-drive seat stay where it can reach the rear brake. Gears cables should also be routed on the underside of the top tube if the bike is built to use them.
SUB-OPTIMAL:
If the bike is built with a less proper chain stay style brake mount cable routing should be on the top of the down tube followed by the underside of the non drive chain stay. The guides should 60mm from the ends of the tube with the middle guide in the middle. For most bikes two guides should be enough on the chain stay.
WRONG:
Any guides that are on the top of the top tube, top of the seat stay, or even top of the chain stay are wrong. These guides seem so wrong it is hard to imagine why anyone would do it this way.
My thinking:
On a mountain bike, delicate body parts may slide along the top of the top tube in a dismount or crash. Having a cable or a guide there is not good. The cable on the top of the seat stay is somewhat ugly and if something is caught in the wheel it can be pulled into the cable and possibly snap the zip tie or snag on the cable and create a problem. The down tube cable routing is sub optimal because in a log or rock crossing you could get your cable in trouble. It is also pretty ugly (subjective) so really for chain stay mounted brakes internal cable routing is the best approach although really with hydro internal cables seem like a PITA.
In any case, it's a good subject to argue about and it would be interesting to hear the thoughts of other builders and/or riders. Some of you must like these evil top side cable guides and it would be interesting to hear the thinking behind that approach.
To get started, let's define the right ways. Ideally this will lead to an argument so please jump in and engage if you disagree with what I deem as "OPTIMAL", "SUB-OPTIMAL", or "WRONG".
OPTIMAL:
With a proper seat stay style brake mount the rear brake hose is attached to the underside of the top tube. The hose guides are 60mm away from the head tube and 60mm away from the seat tube. The middle guide is exactly in the middle of the span between the other two guides. Two guides route the cable down the underside of the non-drive seat stay where it can reach the rear brake. Gears cables should also be routed on the underside of the top tube if the bike is built to use them.
SUB-OPTIMAL:
If the bike is built with a less proper chain stay style brake mount cable routing should be on the top of the down tube followed by the underside of the non drive chain stay. The guides should 60mm from the ends of the tube with the middle guide in the middle. For most bikes two guides should be enough on the chain stay.
WRONG:
Any guides that are on the top of the top tube, top of the seat stay, or even top of the chain stay are wrong. These guides seem so wrong it is hard to imagine why anyone would do it this way.
My thinking:
On a mountain bike, delicate body parts may slide along the top of the top tube in a dismount or crash. Having a cable or a guide there is not good. The cable on the top of the seat stay is somewhat ugly and if something is caught in the wheel it can be pulled into the cable and possibly snap the zip tie or snag on the cable and create a problem. The down tube cable routing is sub optimal because in a log or rock crossing you could get your cable in trouble. It is also pretty ugly (subjective) so really for chain stay mounted brakes internal cable routing is the best approach although really with hydro internal cables seem like a PITA.
In any case, it's a good subject to argue about and it would be interesting to hear the thoughts of other builders and/or riders. Some of you must like these evil top side cable guides and it would be interesting to hear the thinking behind that approach.