Internal cabling and integrated bars

[Boshk]

With a rim brake F12, the tight bend from bars into stem then into headset, can mechanical cabling for both brakes and shifting function properly?

Ever since I started cycling, when building my own bike, I always hear and see people comment on cabling with the least bends to enable smoother shifting and braking, but with the F12, those bends are pretty extreme.

I know di2, eps and etap would be way better
Just wonder if anyone has gone mechanical F12

[alcatraz]

I cabled a madone for mechanical. There were some tight bends but not too bad. I made sure to use shimano stainless cables and shimano sp41 housing. You don't want to recable the bike once it's done so please make sure you're using the best cables available. I heard that coated inner cables are crap for longevity so I avoided all those.

[AJS914]

I don't know anything about an F12 but I struggled mightily cabling just some 3T Ergonova bars on my Colnago. They caused enough cable drag with a brand new set of Campagnolo 11 speed cables that it didn't shift consistently. Three tries and four hours later I finally got it.

After this experience I don't think I'd try to cable a full aero/integrated bike with mechanical. I'd just buy eTap or EPS to make my life easier.

[sennder]

I don't know anything about an F12 but I struggled mightily cabling just some 3T Ergonova bars on my Colnago. They caused enough cable drag with a brand new set of Campagnolo 11 speed cables that it didn't shift consistently. Three tries and four hours later I finally got it.

After this experience I don't think I'd try to cable a full aero/integrated bike with mechanical. I'd just buy eTap or EPS to make my life easier.

I got a pair of 3T Superergo LTD a few months ago. Routing the cables was actually pretty easy. And no discernible cable drag. Though I think it might be because the cable routing design was significantly improved.

--sennder

[fogman]

When the F12 was announced with the internally routed cables through the handlebars and head tube, I thought that it was not going to work very well with mechanical shifting due to all the bends the cables would need make on the way down to the derailleurs.


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[Boshk]

When the F12 was announced with the internally routed cables through the handlebars and head tube, I thought that it was not going to work very well with mechanical shifting due to all the bends the cables would need make on the way down to the derailleurs.

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I thought so too but they provide the necessary adaptors for it, Pinarello even came out with a DA mechanical setup video showing cabling and in-frame barrel adjuster.

[boots2000]

I think that you are setting yourself up for failure with mechanical shifting and full internal routing (including bars).
Way too many tight bends and it is hard to wok on/fix once installed.
Also- Since the advent of DI2/EPS/ETAP- smooth mechanical routing is no longer a priority for bike companies when designing frames.
Their defualt is "buy electric shifting".

[Calnago]

I’m with @boots2000 on this. As much as I prefer mechanical drivetrains, if I can see potential performance issues (ease of maintenance aside) due to several tight bends that have to be made I would look at other options. Small frames are even more susceptible to tight bends even without internal cable routing, but when you throw in some of these really tight internal routing options, whether they have included stops or not, the functionality of a mechanical drivetrain (particularly now they we’re up to 12sp) can be severely compromised.
A minimum bend radius I would never go tighter than is ~5cm, so for practical measurement sake just take a circular disc that’s about 10cm (tin can or cut out piece of cardboard, whatever) in diameter and if that fits nicely in the radius then it’s probably ok. I use that as a guide for rear derailleur cable entry to the rear derailleur. Remember the older SRAM derailleurs... they required a huge loop in the derailleur cable at that point in order to work ok, much larger than a 5cm radius. But for going into headtubes, then downtube etc, it’s not only a smooth relaxed radius that matters but also the number of these bends that have to be made. Can you get them to work?... probably. Can you get them to work as well as if all those tight bends weren’t there in the first place. Not likely.

[Boshk]

I think that you are setting yourself up for failure with mechanical shifting and full internal routing (including bars).
Way too many tight bends and it is hard to wok on/fix once installed.
Also- Since the advent of DI2/EPS/ETAP- smooth mechanical routing is no longer a priority for bike companies when designing frames.
Their defualt is "buy electric shifting".

Point taken.
Maybe I’ll reserve the mechanical campy for my C60 and go eps v3 or di2 for F10/12.

[wheelbuilder]

I think that you are setting yourself up for failure with mechanical shifting and full internal routing (including bars).
Way too many tight bends and it is hard to wok on/fix once installed.
Also- Since the advent of DI2/EPS/ETAP- smooth mechanical routing is no longer a priority for bike companies when designing frames.
Their defualt is "buy electric shifting".

I also concur. Back when I worked for Trek, The sales manager and I would try to do everything in our power to dissuade potential Madone buyers (9 series and SLR) from even considering mechanical. We didn't have any in the store, and when selling P1's would not even present mechanical as an option. Trek's pricing for cable/housing replacement on 9 series was like 499.00 or something....plus parts.

[alcatraz]

There are advantages and disadvantages with both. (As a DIY) You wallet would prefer a cabled install. Internally routed bikes and manufacturers prefer di2.

My friend had so many di2 problems I think he almost went back to mechanical. When you're used to buying used top level mechanical gear and using it successfully for many years, just failsearching and getting di2 gear is just ridiculously expensive by comparison. My friend was unlucky to get a di2 derailleur that worked when he received it, despite having signs of contact, then decided to stop after a few weeks. It shows the stuff is basically a ticking time bomb after receiving any kind of external influence.

My friends mechanically routed madone is still going strong after 1-2 years. I cabled it myself.