Full end to end gear cable housing?

[foz]

There doesn't seem to be a definitive answer to this one! I dropped by my trusted LBS yesterday, and his reply was a definite "full cable outers are better, even over traditional exposed inner cables routed externally, and definitely better than inner cables router internally without outers"

 

[2manyoranges]

There doesn't seem to be a definitive answer to this one! I dropped by my trusted LBS yesterday, and his reply was a definite "full cable outers are better, even over traditional exposed inner cables routed externally, and definitely better than inner cables router internally without outers"

yes that's my experience and I have experienced everything:

1
Part exposed - part housing
eg Kona Explosiv, Team Marin ti, COTIC RoadRat, Orange C16R
usually good but collects crap in the smaller sections etc round the seatpost and sometimes but less often the rear mech loop. Surprisingly the exposed cable under the BB seldom gives problems
But this is highly route dependent.
Gear changing on the Marin = great. On the COTIC = meh.
I'll have to give this a variable score
A max of 7/10 for good ones and a 4/10 for others with poor routing.

2
Part housing - part internal inside thin nylon tubing in frame
eg Klein
Surprisingly good when it is working
Still rattles sometimes
This gets an 8 unless it rattles in which case a 2

3
Part housing - part exposed internal naked cable
eg Cannondale BadBoy
Sh+t
Rattles, variable performance
A score of 2 and that's generous

4
Full housing external for brakes and gear
eg COTIC BfEMax Ragley mmmBop
Now you are talking
Weather proof, stainless high quality cables with high quality cable outer with PTFE inserts* are very low friction
On the Ragley, over 10,000 miles on the same cable set and without maintenance - the mech (SLX) ) moves when you breathe on the shifter (Zee)
This gets a consistent 10

5
Internal for gear cable full housing - external for hydro brakes
eg Transition enduro frames
Nice
Decent routing, weatherproof shifting, easy brake maintenance and swaps
An easy 9 only losing a point since some frames the installation can be troublesome

6
internal full housing for gear cable - internal for hydro brakes
eg Stanton Commencal
Nice but not nice
Good shifting and weather proofing
But can be a pig to instal (Commencal) and switching from oil to DOT means a complete re-instal of internal hoses
This gets a 9 for performance and 5 for brake swops - so an average of 7

*but bad for the environment - nasty forever chemicals

 

[93hero]

Full cable housings are better, as long as they are quality cables, properly installed.

 

[benjabbi]

My best shifting set up by far is 12 speed XTR shifter/mech/chain/cassette, full length SP-41 housing and a Dura-Ace polymer coated cable.
Ok, the cable itself is only part of the equation but I think it's safe to say, whatever your set up and routing, don't skimp on the inner cable. You can feel the difference in smoothness between say a polished Jagwire and a basic galvanized one, the latter being much rougher to the touch which must add friction.

 

[foz]

This would be a for a good weather road bike, so I'm not worried about dirt, only increased friction due to the extra outer and probably a few more curves if routed internally. Sounds like it's probably not going to be an issue though