How to tidy up your Bicycle Cables

Vishnu Sharma
28-8-2017
Bicycle Maintenance

Whether you have internal or external routed cables on your bicycle, untidy cabling can not only ruin the look of your ride but also rattle or rub, which can be annoying. So here are a few quick fix tips for tidying up the cables on your bicycle and ensuring that everything still works as it should.

1. Sort out your routing

If your gear cables and brake hoses are entangling one another, rattling or looking a mess, the first thing to do is to work out the ideal cable routing for your bicycle. Make sure the cables/hoses take the most sensible route to the handlebar and don’t cross over one another. Try not to unnecessarily cross over cables it adds to the mess and confusion.

2.Trim cables

Make sure to trim any unnecessarily long cables/hoses down to size. If you choose to do this, check if it is still long enough to allow your bar to turn through 180 degrees without it pulling taut. You’ll need to re-bleed your brake or retune your gears afterwards. Be careful not to cut them too short.

How to tidy up your Cables - Entangled Cables

3. Secure cables

Make sure that any externally routed cables/hoses are secured to the frame’s cable bosses tightly. Cable fasteners or zip-ties will do the job. If you’re using the latter, be sure not to do them up too tight around gear cables, or the shifting will suffer.

4. Reduce cable noise

If the cables/hoses move around in the frame’s cable guides or internal routing, you can stop the noise with a couple of small zip ties. Tie one around the cable outer/hose at each end of the routing. This will stop it moving so much, keeping everything quieter. Rattling cables can be very annoying

5. Tie cables together

Cables/hoses often bash against each other and rattle around in front of the bar. To stop this, use a zip tie to hold them together. Leave a little slack so the cables/hoses can move when you turn the bar. If that doesn’t allow enough movement, use two interlocking zip ties. Make sure that you effectively prevent the cables from colliding.

6. Two become one

If you have two cables/hoses that run parallel to each other in front of the bar, the neatest solution is to use electrical tape to lash them together. Wrap the tape around the cables/hoses neatly and tightly, but make sure this doesn’t affect the range of movement at the bar.

7. Reduce cable rub

Finally, apply electrical tape or cable-rub patches to any areas where cables/hoses may rub your frame. Turn the bar from side to side and cycle the suspension up and down to see where the cables/hoses are likely to rub the frame and fork as you ride an add the tape where you see necessary.

How to tidy up your Cables - Frame Patches

Conclusion

These are our tips to keep your cables tidy and non-interfering and noiseless. Make sure that when you are taping or cutting cables, you leave enough ‘moving’ room for the cables. You do not want to make the cables taut or too tight as this could lead to issues while riding, or faster wear and tear of the cables.

Cookies and Privacy

Guest Login

How to tidy up your Bicycle Cables

1. Sort out your routing

2.Trim cables

3. Secure cables

4. Reduce cable noise

5. Tie cables together

6. Two become one

7. Reduce cable rub

Customer Reviews

Connect With Our Expert

Thank You

Get A Sweet Deal