# which way with cables and bar bag



## lobstermike (Apr 29, 2012)

Hi everyone, looking at most peoples set ups on here, it seems that the favoured route for the brake and gear cables is behind the bar bag, instead of long cables looping over the front of the bag. Does the act of compressing the cables behind the bar bag affect the operation of the brakes (being if it was mechanical disc), or impair the steering in any way, with the rear brake cable? I'm guessing that the cables must be cut as short as is practical, while still getting optimum braking performance?


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## SuPrBuGmAn (Jun 20, 2009)

I run my tent on the bars, under the cables. 

Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but everything seems fine


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## lobstermike (Apr 29, 2012)

How fat is the tent? The bar bag I'm thinking of has a 10 inch diameter, and i think i'll either have to run the cables behind the bar bag, or make my cables longer (which would be a pain), to run them looping over the bag.


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## febikes (Jan 28, 2011)

It will depend on if you have a rigid fork or a suspension fork and the size of your frame plus your bar height. 

If you have lower bars on a smaller frame with a suspension fork you may have issues with your stuff hitting the tire when the suspension is at full depth.

Personally my bar system is light so I keep it a little bit higher and put it above the cable guides. I actually have a set of bar ends installed to act as a shelf so I can strap things down onto the bar ends. It's not the lightest system but it works.


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## baker (Jan 6, 2004)

I run long cables and the bag goes in between the bar and cables. I don't have a lotta space to spare, but it works. 

I've seen others do the opposite and compress the cables with the bag.

I'm getting a new handlebar bag and I'm not sure which way I'll go. I guess it depends exactly how the new bag fits when stuffed full.


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## VO2 Lax (Jan 2, 2011)

In my experience, the act of compressing the cables behind the bag system does not effect the shifting. I use the Revelate Designs Harness and I actually run the cables just a little longer than normal and everything works fine. 

Personally I would not loop them over the bag (or in my case the harness). Incase of a crash I can see it doing more damage than if it were behind the bag system.


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## SuPrBuGmAn (Jun 20, 2009)

lobstermike said:


> How fat is the tent? The bar bag I'm thinking of has a 10 inch diameter, and i think i'll either have to run the cables behind the bar bag, or make my cables longer (which would be a pain), to run them looping over the bag.


Small, maybe 4" diameter if I didn't roll it tight


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## Dusza (Feb 18, 2011)

I compress my cables with a RD harness on a suspended Fargo - no handling issues apart of slightly stiffer brakes.


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## OmaHaq (Jun 1, 2010)

Whatever allows me to get into my bags while riding is what I try to do. Under the cables usually makes access a bit of a pain.


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## lobstermike (Apr 29, 2012)

So it is a mixed bag really then (excuse the pun). Trial and error depending on the rig. 
And how about the handlebar types? Do the bar bags work ok with standard mtb riser bars? Or do the bag straps have a tendancy to slip down into the trough of the riser? I noticed that a lot of the set ups in the gallery have a kind of foam bar tape on the handlebars. Is this to stop the bag straps slipping around on the bar?


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## annoying crack (Jan 15, 2010)

I also run the cables between headtube and harness. It might sound wrong but I found that you do it this way, you also have to run your cables a little longer. Wider bars help too if you want to route the cables in a good way. 
I'm running cable actuated brakes on my bike and never feel like they function less because of the way the cables go, same with the gears.
If you need new cables anyway, it might be a good idee to fit your bags on the 'bare' handlebar and then put the brake and gear cables in a way that they don't interfere with the bag. That's how I did it.


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