Swap handlebars with internal routing?

[dcorn]

So I'm buying a built up bike and I realized it has very wide drop bars that I'll need to swap out. Researching the bars shows they have internal routing for the cables. How much of a PITA is it going to be to change the bars since the thing is assembled with cables run? Or if I'm lucky and the cables aren't run internally, how bad would it be to run the cables through new bars with internal routing?

Am I going to have to pull the cables all the way back through the bike to get them out of the bar holes? Is that even possible to do without needing new cables? I'm not familiar with the ins and outs of cabling a bike but I'd like to take a shot at this myself.

[TiCass]

Yeah you need to remove the whole thing. But since your new bar will be smaller, you can keep the same housing. Maybe cut 1 cm on everyone of them.

Some handlebar are notoriously hard to setup. Yeah I'm looking at you Pro Vibe Aero with mechanical setup! An afternoon of fun.

[AJS914]

How much of a PITA is it going to be to change the bars since the thing is assembled with cables run? Or if I'm lucky and the cables aren't run internally, how bad would it be to run the cables through new bars with internal routing?

It really depends on the bars that you will be installing. I've had one set of Time bars where the routing was an easy to access channel along the bottom. Next I had some Zipp Vuka Sprint bars where it was really hard just to get the casing to come out of the holes in the bars. My current set of bars are 3T and I struggled with them for hours and because of the tight bends shifting wasn't great and I had to redo it all over again with new cables.

Basically, I hate integrated bars and when I recable those 3T bars I will just tape the cables along the bottom of the bar old school style.

[Catagory6]

the 3T ergonova internal routing was attrocious, i don't even know where to begin describing the horror.
when routing cables, you want to have the cleanest, easiest bends possible. absolutely impossible with 3T
when i finally did get everything through the holes, after going through numerous lengths of housing and cable, the shifting and braking was barely functional
tore everything out and routed externally. functions as it should
i've since got a pair of deda superleggera handlebars, and didn't even thing about going internal

[none]

More importantly, do your shifters allow internal routing?
Routing the internal cables was major PITA for my handlebar, took lots of patience & practice..
Use new housing and cables, don't try to use old ones, they likely won't be long enough.
Easier to have hollow plastic tubing already routed through the handlebars.

[TheRich]

The internal cable routing tools are worth their weight in gold in these situations. They turn a frustrating process into less than a minute of easy work.

On the plus side for the OP, this is an opportunity to trim down those way to long housings that manufacturers put on bikes.

[dcorn]

Well in this situation, the bike is a new Allez Sprint with new Sram Red 22 and the bars are Bontrager XXX Aero . Seller says it was recently assembled by a shop so it won't be standard factory cable routing. Pretty sure Red22 is designed for internal routing in bars as it's fairly new and Zipp has a bunch of internally routed bars.

So it is possible to pull the shift/brake cables completely out without messing with the housings that are already in the frame? As long as I can get everything out without issue or replacing cables, I should be able to figure out how to put it back in.

[liam7020]

the 3T ergonova internal routing was attrocious

Yep completely horrible.

[ancker]

I've done this a few times without issue. Granted, the last few times were just brake cables as I've switched to eTap everywhere.
I did this most recently on an Allez Sprint. So it's definitely possible.

What I did was:
Remove the cables (not housing).
Remove shifters, bartape, etc.
You should be left with housing coming from the frame and still routed through the bars.
On most bars you can simply pull the housing through the bars towards the frame from the frame side.
It's easy to tell the difference between shifter and brake housing, but not always obvious which is front/rear when everything is splaying out from your frame. So maybe put a piece of tape on the fronts to distinguish them.
Remove the old bars.
I found it easier to mount the new bars in the stem, but leave the fixing bolts loose enough to allow rotation.
Then carefully re-insert the housing into the new bars. This is the tricky part.
Depending on the bar's shape/contour/etc, the housing will easily find the egress hole, or you may have to fish it out. I've used a spare spoke J-hook with great success before. You might also try a hobby pick, grabber tool, or anything that can help guide the housing out.
Once the housing is routed through the new bars, install shifters and insert housing as appropriate.
If needed, I cut excess at the derraileur/caliper instead of at the shifters. I suppose you could cut at the shifter, but I've just not done it.
Then install new cables, then tune and trim/install cable ends.
Then if you're happy, new bar tape!

It's doable. But depending on bars it might be a fight to get the housing routed correctly. Mine have all been fairly easy with the spoke J-hook to help guide it.

[jfranci3]

the 3T ergonova internal routing was attrocious

Yep completely horrible.

Terrible. Worse when you are putting in the 2nd cable. They have lips around the openings that prevent the hose from finding the hole. A 90deg pick is required. https://amzn.to/2DXXMez


Much easier on my Easton bars.

[TiCass]

I have the 3T Ergonova and the Pro Vibe Aero... the latter is much worse. Shimano should just remove the mechanical compatibility mention.

[dcorn]

Thanks for the help fellas. I'm going to give it a shot when the bike gets here. I'm ordering new bars without internal routing so I don't have this problem in the future.

[topflightpro]

With that frame, I'd suggest getting some cable liner for the frame. Run the liner up the cables and out the frame, then pull the cables. That way, you already have the cable routing in the frame done. That frame is a real PIA to feed cables through without any lining.

As for re-using the housing from the existing bar, I would count on it. I've found a lot times, the housing gets kinked in the bars, making it useless once removed. I'd suggest just leaving the cables in the exist bar and selling it as is. Just put new housing in your new bar.

If you are using new internally routed bars, route the cables through first, then feed the housing over it. The cable will provide a guide for the housing and are much easier to get sorted first. You can even use an old cable if needed.

[Miller]

the 3T ergonova internal routing was attrocious

Yep completely horrible.

I was thinking of doing internal routing on my currently externally-routed Ergonovas.
Maybe I'll just leave it for now.

[dcorn]

With that frame, I'd suggest getting some cable liner for the frame. Run the liner up the cables and out the frame, then pull the cables. That way, you already have the cable routing in the frame done. That frame is a real PIA to feed cables through without any lining.

Good call, grabbed some on amazon.