Why use stealth internal cable routing?

Everyone loves the look of a clean cockpit and a bike free of cables, wires, and hoses sticking out everywhere.

We’re no exception, but we didn’t design our bikes with fully integrated internal routing just for the looks. Here’s why we went with a stealth routing design on our new Taos and Ouray bikes, plus a frank discussion of the pros and cons of internal cable routing.

TYLER: Let’s start with clarifying the terminology. What’s the difference between standard internal cable routing and fully internal, or stealth, cable routing?

TOM:  Historically, standard internal routing meant cables would enter the bike into the headtube or the downtube, then run through the frame and pop out near the brakes or derailleurs.

Stealth routing, or fully internal routing, typically hides the cables inside the handlebar and stem, feeding them through the fork’s steerer tube. Further down, hidden inside the head tube, the steerer tube has a slot where those cables exit into the frame, then run through the frame to the brakes or derailleurs.

Some forks also use steerer tubes with channels or D-shapes to fit the cables between the steerer and the headtube, which eliminates the need to mold or cut holes in the steerer tube.

With the Taos and Ouray, we give riders the choice of either. The cables can enter from the stem or they can enter the handlebar right near the levers for stealth routing, or you can opt for our Flex-Fit spacers that allow cables to enter just below the stem for standard internal routing.

TYLER: OK, so why go with full “stealth” cable routing on your new bikes?

TOM:  A lot of reasons. It looks better and is more aerodynamic. That’s not the only reason, but imagine owning a car with visible plumbing for the brakes, or the shifting mechanism being exposed to the elements.

Bikes have been behind the times for a long time. Shielding the working parts or  “systems” of the bike from the elements is important to us and is better for durability. We’ve been working on hidden cabling since 2009 or so, and we are glad that it’s finally the norm. 

Also, by routing all the cabling completely internally, we have simplified the construction of the frame by removing ports and cable guides, which translates into lighter frames and more efficient carbon fiber construction. Fewer parts are always better!

TYLER: Does stealth internal routing make it harder to maintain or service the bike?

TOM: No, although that’s a common misconception.

With modern electronic and wireless groupsets, the only items that are internal are the front and rear brake lines, and those almost never require service or replacement. All routine services can be done without removing the brake lines or disassembling your bike.

One of the hidden features of one-piece, monocoque frames like the Ouray and Taos is that the frames are truly “hollow” on the inside so installing the cabling is so much easier than with older types of bikes.

TYLER: What about parts swaps? Or packing it for travel?

TOM: Packing for travel can be harder if you try to use older type travel cases. Modern travel cases and bags made in the last 4-5 years are very easy to travel with and don’t require full disassembly of the bike.

We recommend if you are buying a bike of this caliber and you plan to travel with your bike, just get a modern travel case or bag. It’s so much easier now.

TYLER: What if I need to change my bike fit? 

TOM: Good shops (and competent home mechanics) can handle most reasonable bar width or stem length changes without too much hassle with the stealth routing found on the Ouray and Taos.

It’s easy to leave a little extra brake line in the bike for this and have room to fine tune your position as needed, and that’s something we suggest to all of our dealers as a “just in case”.

That said, with a good bike fit we find most people don’t need to make changes at all, but if you do, it’s not a big deal.

We also supply all of our bikes with the option to use a two-piece bar/stem with a stem that allows for the cables to be run outside of the stem under a cover. With that setup you can change stems in a matter of minutes with no need to bleed the brakes…or redo your bar tape!

TYLER: I guess the more important question is about durability. Are the brake hoses rubbing against the inside of the frame or steerer tube every time you turn? 

TOM: We have been building with some kind of internal routing since 2009 and have not seen a single cable related issue with internal routing in that time, and lab tests by our partners have backed that up.

In the early days of internal routing, there were stories of rear brake lines rubbing on the crank inside the BB and things like that, but modern bikes like ours are designed from the beginning to have enough space for the cabling without issues.

The other thing is we (the industry in general, not just us) have done a better job with internal routing as a whole so that the cables don’t make noise at all.

TYLER: What if the bar gets spun 180º during a wreck?

TOM: Regardless of your cable routing, having your bar spin 180º can do bad things to your bike!

We recommend setting the brake lines with some slack in them so that it can handle real-world use, including “normal” bar spins. In most cases, the bar can easily rotate 90º without damaging the internal lines.

At around 90º of rotation, the bar would typically contact the top tube, which would prevent any further rotation. And there’s no real-world riding situation where you turn the bar more than a quarter of that, so it shouldn’t be an issue.

TYLER: My hunch is that, in reality, most people really aren’t pulling their bike apart, changing the cockpit, or swapping brake hoses very often. Have you gotten any feedback from customers wishing you kept everything external?

TOM: True, most cyclists will never swap brake hoses or change cockpits. And if they do, it’s not that complicated or costly for a good mechanic to do it for them.

Yes, you may need new bar tape if you make a big change, but most people need new bar tape anyway!!! It’s the cheapest $$ you can spend to make your bike feel new again!!

Once in a while, someone asks us for external mechanical cable routing on a custom bike, which we are happy to build for them. For old school, mechanical shifting, external routing can still make sense, but the reality is that mechanical shifting is not the future. Electronic shifting is so reliable and works so well we just don’t see changing back.

TYLER: Now’s a good time to talk about how Parlee is doing it differently…you just developed a new fork that allows for a slimmer, more traditional headtube diameter…what’s up with that?

TOM: The evolution continues!

We are constantly looking for new ways to make things work in elegant ways! Using a D-shaped steer tube on our new Z-Zero was a way to keep the classic lines with a slim head tube, an aesthetic lost with most modern bikes.

The design also helps keep the fork and bike lightweight, with a great ride quality, all while adding full internal cable routing. Check out our all-new Z-Zero for more tech details on this frame and fork.

TYLER: Anything else you want people to know about “stealth” routing on your bikes? Or just in general?

TOM: For us, our design ethos has been about simplicity and elegance. Stealth internal routing, when done correctly, adds to the elegance and beauty of the machine and reduces complexity in the fabrication and assembly of the bikes.

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As author of Biking for Dummies, Tyler Benedict quite literally wrote the book on bicycles. He’s also the founder of Bikerumor.com and loves geeking out on cycling tech.

Tom Rodi is Parlee’s product manager and has been with the company since 2003. He’s a lifelong bike nerd.