Should STI crossed shifter cables actually touch the downtube ?

I've read some of the discussions about reversing
the cable housing between the STI lever and cable stop,
then crossing the inner cables underneath the downtube
(on a road bike).


I just had a steel Mikado D'Iberville frame replaced with
their Aluminium frame. It has the non-round top tube
(triangular) and downtube (eliptical).

The mechanic reversed the cables from the STI levers to
the cable stops, and crossed the inner cables underneath
the downtube. They cross just where the 3rd water bottle
would mount. After 100 km, I can see the scuffing where the
cables touch the downtube. This seems like a bad idea;
they'll wear through the paint, then into the aluminium.

(I only noticed the crossed cables when I was trying
to diagnose incredibly bad shifting. I've also asked him
to put a slightly longer cable housing at the rear
derailleur loop, I think my old steel frame had an extra
inch for a more relaxed bend.)


The mechanic says this is how the new models are (the
old steel frame had straight routing, and the housing
abraded the head tube).

I looked at several road bikes with the same eliptical
downtube. Three had straight routing, two had the crossed
cables with about 1/4" clearance between cable and downtube,
one had crossed cables with hardly any visible clearance.
I couldn't find a shop with this particular model (Mikado
has changed the frame design several times since I bought
the steel-framed bike 3 years ago).

I've asked him to re-route the cables without crossing.
I'm more concerned with the cable rubbing against the
downtube than the cables rubbing against each other. Have
I missed some strong reason to avoid straight routing ?

Thanks

On 8 Sep 2003 15:15:58 -0700, (mark freedman) wrote:

I've read some of the discussions about reversing
the cable housing between the STI lever and cable stop,
then crossing the inner cables underneath the downtube
(on a road bike).



snip

The only reasons I can think to cross the cables is

A. To provide a more relaxed bend of where the cables go around the
head tube. The cable housing can certainly rub the paint off the head
tube if not protected. They make little clear plastic patches that can
be put in place to stop this though.

B. Trying to be different. Im all for unique individuality - as long
as it doesnt cause me problems


I, too have a steel tubed frame where I cross the cables and have had
no problems. However, when I tried the same thing on a newer teardrop
shaped aluminum frame (Marin Argenta in my case) the cables did touch
the downtube. I quickly rerouted them and found the bike to shift
cleaner too.

(Qui si parla Campagnolo) wrote in message ...

CD- The mechanic reversed the cables from the STI levers to
the cable stops, and crossed the inner cables underneath
the downtube. They cross just where the 3rd water bottle
would mount. BRBR

No functional reason to cross the STI except to not take the paint off the
headtube from rubbing of the der housing. A wee bit of tape will protect this.
If you have headtube mounted cable stops, NO reason to cross the STI cables.


Thanks. I went to two dealers who carry Mikado, couldn't find the
exact same model, but their other touring bike with STI levers and the
teardrop downtube had straight cables, and their hybrids with the
identical frame had straight cables. Not sure if the cables would be
factory installed or depend on the mechanic assembling the bike.

Crossing may eliminate some head tube abrasion on a bike where the
cables don't rub the downtube or obstruct the braze-on for the third
water bottle. On this bike, I can't see doing it.