Outer Cable Guides – does anyone bother with these?

[cool_hand]

I have an old Genesis Aether road bike that I use primarily for shopping/post-office runs. The levers are Shimano Sora ST-2300. Unfortunately the left-hand lever took a knock and cracked last week so I'm having to replace. The schematic for the lever and the bars are fitted with an Outer Cable Guide (Y-86B-90010) - a triangular plastic snake like housing that sits under the bar tape and holds the brake cables in place. I've never seen these used elsewhere and I can say the triangular shape is that comfortable under my fingers. I can still use what's there but I looked for this as a replacement part and it's pretty much thin on the ground so is clearly not popular. Should I just remove the cable guides all-together and be done with them? Just tape the cables in position and then cover with bar tape? Or is there a specific reason why the ST-2300 levers use the guide?

 

[cyberknight]

I have an old Genesis Aether road bike that I use primarily for shopping/post-office runs. The levers are Shimano Sora ST-2300. Unfortunately the left-hand lever took a knock and cracked last week so I'm having to replace. The schematic for the lever and the bars are fitted with an Outer Cable Guide (Y-86B-90010) - a triangular plastic snake like housing that sits under the bar tape and holds the brake cables in place. I've never seen these used elsewhere and I can say the triangular shape is that comfortable under my fingers. I can still use what's there but I looked for this as a replacement part and it's pretty much thin on the ground so is clearly not popular. Should I just remove the cable guides all-together and be done with them? Just tape the cables in position and then cover with bar tape? Or is there a specific reason why the ST-2300 levers use the guide?

View attachment 743718

Never used them on any bike I have had , various Shimano including 2300, sram,campag and microshift all worked fine by using electrical tape to hold cables in place under the bar tape

 

[Andy in Germany]

Never used them on any bike I have had , various Shimano including 2300, sram,campag and microshift all worked fine by using electrical tape to hold cables in place under the bar tape

As above, I've never used it. If you position the cable under the bars you'll have no trouble.

 

[presta]

an Outer Cable Guide (Y-86B-90010) - a triangular plastic snake like housing that sits under the bar tape and holds the brake cables in place

It's not to hold the cable in place, it's to create a tunnel that you can thread a new cable through without having to remove the bar tape.

 

[cool_hand]

It's not to hold the cable in place, it's to create a tunnel that you can thread a new cable through without having to remove the bar tape.

I'm not sure this is if I'd agree with this. The brake cable is pretty much held down under the cable guide. It's worth noting that on the ST-2300 levers the gear cable comes out of the side of the lever and only the brake cable sits under the cable housing. Could that be the reason Shimano came up with this device. It would appear once you have both cables running along the bars it became obsolete.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

It’s not critical. I have used them on previous setups. By the time I need to replace a cable outer the bar tape usually needs doing as well anyway.

 

[presta]

I'm not sure this is if I'd agree with this. The brake cable is pretty much held down under the cable guide. It's worth noting that on the ST-2300 levers the gear cable comes out of the side of the lever and only the brake cable sits under the cable housing. Could that be the reason Shimano came up with this device. It would appear once you have both cables running along the bars it became obsolete.

I have them on the gear cables but not the brakes, it's an easy job to pull the cable out and thread a new one in. No removing tape.

 

[cool_hand]

I have them on the gear cables but not the brakes, it's an easy job to pull the cable out and thread a new one in. No removing tape.

That's strange as mine are over the brake cables and not the gears. On the ST-2300 levers the gear cables project 90 degrees inwards out of the side of the lever. On my other bikes the cables sit parallel on the bars. Are you saying you use the cable guide only over the gear cables. - trying to make sense of how you've set it up?

 

[presta]

Are you saying you use the cable guide only over the gear cables. - trying to make sense of how you've set it up?

Mine are bar end shifters.

 

[raleighnut]

I've used em on a couple of bikes, makes it more comfortable to hold the handlebars but then I don't ride 'on the hoods' much preferring to hold onto the handlebar than something held onto them with a tiny screw

 

[cool_hand]

Mine are bar end shifters.

I stand corrected - I was able to push/pull the brake cable through the Cable Guide.

On a different note I purchased some replacement Lever Bracket Covers for the ST-2300. The were purchased from AliExpress and were described as replacements for ST-2300 / ST-3400. I received them and they are a match in size and shape and branded Shimano but they have a small hole on the inside. I thought this hole was for the gear cable on the ST-3400 but when I googled ST-3400 images show the Covers being exactly the same as the ST-2300 and the gear cable coming out the side at the same position. Does anyone know what the hole is for? I'm baffled.

Top shows the original cover which is a little larger than the replacement as it's stretched. Bottom shows the replacement cover with the hole!

 

[Rusty Nails]

I've used em on a couple of bikes, makes it more comfortable to hold the handlebars but then I don't ride 'on the hoods' much preferring to hold onto the handlebar than something held onto them with a tiny screw

Agreed. I also much prefer to sit on the crossbar rather than something held in position by a tiny screw.

 

[raleighnut]

Agreed. I also much prefer to sit on the crossbar rather than something held in position by a tiny screw.

My Saddles are held on by large bolts, about the same size as holds the handlebar onto the stem.

 

[Rusty Nails]

My Saddles are held on by large bolts, about the same size as holds the handlebar onto the stem.

Very wise, and my brake levers are not held on by tiny screws.