While internal routing provides a polished look and marginal performance gains, it comes at the cost of maintenance complexity, potential fit challenges, and a higher price. An integrated cockpit can be a good upgrade, especially if you value a clean aesthetic and aerodynamic. I've made my opinions on fully internal cable routing very clear over the past several years. In short, I'm not the biggest fan (especially on mountain bikes). The brake and shifter cables are simply hidden inside the handlebar, stem, and frame. Singletracks may earn commissions from affiliate links and/or receive products from manufacturers for review. We asked those in the know if they think the positives outweigh the negatives Bikes with internal cable routing looks super slick and. What are the advantages and disadvantages of internal wiring from the handlebars? The safety warning issued by Specialized on its Tarmac SL7 is already well behind us and everything seems to be solved for that model, but at the time it set off all the alarms. While these bikes look sleek and are touted as aerodynamic perfection, they can be a hassle for home mechanics.
[PDF Version]