90sCro-MoFan
Dirt Disciple
I got back into cycling about 6 years ago after a looooong break of about 15 years. My old mountain bikes (yes, I still have them), all have one thing in common, top tube-routed cables. Since my return to cycling I've become a cycle commuter, it's only a 7 mile ride each way, but I do it all year round and in all weathers. I soon remembered why I'd chosen my previous bikes based, among other things, on their top tube cable routing. Bikes designed with cables routed along the down tube need a cable-slider, usually plastic/nylon, fitted under the bottom bracket. This is right in the firing line of all the crud flung off the front tyre (even when mudguards are fitted). The rear derailleur cable is also subjected to further abuse on its path along the right-hand chain stay. Compare that with a top-tube cable routing design. The cables are kept up high, out of the way of road filth and the final loop before the cable attaches to the rear derailleur can be made tighter because the "angle of approach" is less acute. For me, it's a "no-brainer" and apart from a very minor drawback of having to take extra care when clamping the bike in a workstand, I really can't see any disadvantages to top-tube cable routing. Let me know your thoughts.