# What's the point ? (Tarmac 2015 pointless cable routing)



## Devastazione (Dec 8, 2011)

Got the bike today. Ok I can deal with the fact that we pay for DA 9000 but Specialized places lovely Jagwire stuff instead,what I don't get is why don't they just go Californa Cross from the factory ? I really don't get it. Maiden ride tomorrow..I hope for the love of God this thing won't have shifting issues. And besides that visually speaking these housings are just a mess. Are you listening @Specialized_Joe ? Not happy about this,but ehi,since I've dropped thousands already what would 27 Euro worth of cables out of my pockets do ? Right :mad2: ?


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## vertr (Aug 22, 2006)

Devastazione said:


> Got the bike today. Ok I can deal with the fact that we pay for DA 9000 but Specialized places lovely Jagwire stuff instead,what I don't get is why don't they just go Californa Cross from the factory ? I really don't get it. Maiden ride tomorrow..I hope for the love of God this thing won't have shifting issues. And beside visually speaking that these housings are just a mess. Are you listening @Specialized_Joe ? Not happy about this,but ehi,since I've dropped thousands already what would 27 Euro worth of cables out of my pockets do ? Right :mad2: ?
> View attachment 300125


Have you bought a new bike before? This kind of cable mess is pretty standard. Blame your LBS for not optimizing it. They do this in case you need a longer or taller stem setup.


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## Peter P. (Dec 30, 2006)

You're too poor to afford a bike that's set up properly. Otherwise you wouldn't have purchased a Specialized. You get what you pay for.


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## BluesDawg (Mar 1, 2005)

Someone at the LBS made that mess. Make them fix it.


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## Devastazione (Dec 8, 2011)

vertr said:


> Have you bought a new bike before? This kind of cable mess is pretty standard.


Not correct.


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## goodboyr (Apr 19, 2006)

Should have gotten Di2......


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## 1Butcher (Mar 15, 2011)

Should of got EPS......


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## scottma (May 18, 2012)

goodboyr said:


> Should have gotten Di2......


So tidy....


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## 1Butcher (Mar 15, 2011)

So much tidier.

No, not the shop.


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## scottma (May 18, 2012)

Cant see your pic



1Butcher said:


> View attachment 300154
> 
> So much tidier.
> 
> No, not the shop.


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## 1Butcher (Mar 15, 2011)

Fixed, but the shop is still messy.


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## Devastazione (Dec 8, 2011)

Took me 45 minutes to fix that mess,5 of them to awe about how Specialized made the operation piece of cake over my old SL3. Shifting is now butter. Still...the whole thing was pointless in first place.


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## scottma (May 18, 2012)

1Butcher said:


> View attachment 300156
> 
> So much tidier.
> 
> No, not the shop.


Very nice. I moved my bike out of the shop for the pic LOL.


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## scottma (May 18, 2012)

Devastazione said:


> Took me 45 minutes to fix that mess,5 of them to awe about how Specialized made the operation piece of cake over my old SL3. Shifting is now butter. Still...the whole thing was pointless in first place.


Before/after pic?


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## 1Butcher (Mar 15, 2011)

Too messy to get it out of the shop. The interface is inside the stem, wires are inside the handlebar, and the wiring goes thru the stem and fork before it finally is inside the frame. The only electric cables are exiting for the derailleurs. I even converted the frame so I can internally route the brake cable. Yeah, I know, it's dangerous, two years riding it and I have not had an issue.

As for the before and after pics, YES!


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## goodboyr (Apr 19, 2006)

Nice work! Chapeau to you.


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## Devastazione (Dec 8, 2011)

scottma said:


> Before/after pic?


Here :








Need to shorten the brake one a bit now but what the heck...


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## Dunbar (Aug 8, 2010)

My local Specialized concept store doesn't recommend the California Cross. Is Specialized really spec'ing Jagwire cables/housings with Shimano 11sp groups? The new Shimano polymer coated cables make a large and very noticable difference in shift effort.

How did you shorten the housings? Did you pull the inner cables all the way through the frame first?


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## Devastazione (Dec 8, 2011)

Dunbar said:


> How did you shorten the housings? Did you pull the inner cables all the way through the frame first?


No need to short the housings,they were cut to size,furtherly proving the absolute non sense of messing up the cables in such way back in Taiwan. Yes I've pulled the cables all the way with even without using a guide like I've had to do on my SL3. I've only needed the guide for the BB through cable and the chainstay's one.
About the California Cross the bikes comes with quite a few tech docs,one of these is all about recommending the California Cross...I mean...WTF..really.


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## TSW910 (Aug 8, 2012)

I am new to bike building .. and notice my 2014 SL4 Tarmac runs the California cross .. are there any down side to doing it this way?


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## BluesDawg (Mar 1, 2005)

Devastazione said:


> No need to short the housings,they were cut to size,furtherly proving the absolute non sense of messing up the cables in such way back in Taiwan.


These bikes typically arrive at the dealer with the internal cabling not installed. My bet is that you are blaming the factory while the real culprit is nearby and you should let him know about your dissatisfaction.


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## 1Butcher (Mar 15, 2011)

I'll speak for most mechanics. If I work on something, it is just that, something. There is no face, no character, no nothing. It is just an object.

Get to know the mechanic, then most mechanics will put that little extra effort, because there is now a person behind this object.

My business has flourished because of this. I get to know everyone and they get to know me. There is a relationship that is built and over time, you get to know that person and visa versa. It just works.

Find out what the mechanic likes and send him a small gift [beer works]. The next time he works on your bike, you will get the level of service you should of got in the first place. Don't go in there and complain about what he/she should have done. No one likes that.


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## Devastazione (Dec 8, 2011)

BluesDawg said:


> These bikes typically arrive at the dealer with the internal cabling not installed. My bet is that you are blaming the factory while the real culprit is nearby and you should let him know about your dissatisfaction.


My dealer offered me on the phone ( we live at about 800km away from each other) to sort the cables without being specific about the issue because he'd probably already knew the bike was going to be like that,I told him I would have taken care of it myself just for the pleasure of being the first one to touch it,now I know why he was happy about my decision. It's my 2nd brand new Specialized,the first one was bought from a different dealer : both bikes arrived like that from the factory. Next stop : cutting that damn fork.


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## johnnysworks (May 15, 2014)

Why do you have like 4 inches of stem height yet you complain about the cables??!


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## Devastazione (Dec 8, 2011)

johnnysworks said:


> Why do you have like 4 inches of stem height yet you complain about the cables??!


Stems are going today,waiting for the carbon saw. Is this cut for the Di2 thing ?


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## Horze (Mar 12, 2013)

Jagwire cabling is not bad.
You might pay 2x for Shimano only to find the stell cabling and internal cladding has developed rust after only 6 months. Although to be fair the new 11 Speed Shimano cablles have added insulation against rust.


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## NZPeterG (May 21, 2011)

Hi All,

Almost all top end Specialized bikes come with the Handlebar off the bike and none off the cables routed! so you bike was builded up by someone with no care to building up bikes to a good standard!

Sorry to see the bad workmanship on any bike!

Good to see you fixed it, there is little things like putting a little tube over the inner brake cable (with three little cable donuts on the outside of this tube) to keep the brake inner cable from making any nosie!

[video]http://servicevideos.specialized.com/video/23917838[/video] go to 04:48 and watch from there

It's the little things that make the bike ride better..

Happy Cycling

Kiwi Pete :blush2:


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## Dunbar (Aug 8, 2010)

As far as the California cross it can cause shifting issues at least with internal cable routing. I just went through this on my 5800 install. I couldn't get the RD to index properly so I took it to the LBS and they said the cables were crossed (I did not intend to cross them in the down tube.)


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## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

Devastazione said:


> Got the bike today. Ok I can deal with the fact that we pay for DA 9000 but Specialized places lovely Jagwire stuff instead,what I don't get is why don't they just go Californa Cross from the factory ? I really don't get it. Maiden ride tomorrow..I hope for the love of God this thing won't have shifting issues. And besides that visually speaking these housings are just a mess. Are you listening @Specialized_Joe ? Not happy about this,but ehi,since I've dropped thousands already what would 27 Euro worth of cables out of my pockets do ? Right :mad2: ?
> View attachment 300125


Resurrecting this thread becuase Im about to recable my tarmac. 

I really dont see the issue here. Might not be as pretty, but looking at the cables, it appears this config would work without binding and shift well. California Cross looks a bit nicer but those shift cables bang into your knees on smaller frames, where California Cross results in shift cables jutting out a good 6" off the head tube. So for smaller frames, IMO what is pictured above is the way to go.


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