Shift/Brake Cable Modular Hookups

Okay, this is very specific. I have a few bikes, & since I'm cheap & I gradually build up more bikes, I have been moving parts from older bikes to newer ones. One of the most painful things to redo is the handlebars: there can be a mix of brake systems (cantilever/dual pivot) & brifter/bar end shifter systems.

The underlying problem is cable housing lengths. For bar end shifters, I prefer to run the cables under the bar tape. Well, if I switch to brifters (already mounted as brake levers), then I have to strip the bar tape, rerun the housing, then rewrap the bar tape. I don't care about the weight of the cable housing or carrying it around without using it.

Or say I have cantilever brakes. The housing length is not going to be the same if I switch to dual pivot calipers. There's no way to extend the housing easily.

The solution is to have hookups for a modular setup. I can have shifter hookups for my bar end shifters hidden under the bar tape, & if I later want to switch to bar end shifters, I just install the shifters, run the cable, & cut a new length of housing for between the hookup & the frame cable stops.

Likewise, I can have a length of housing for cantilever brakes, then add a hookup + additional housing to reach a dual pivot brake.

An inline shift/brake barrel adjuster does the same job, but I've never heard of anyone explicitly using them for this purpose. I will CAD these separately.

TLDR: These allow you to convert between different shift/brake systems.

I hope the instructions are clearly explained. It works in my head, but if you're still confused, let me know.

How I Designed This

My shift ferrules are 12.77 mm long, 5.78 mm OD, 1.80 mm cable hole, 4.28 mm ID. This hookup may not work for other shift ferrules (larger OD). The shift hookup is designed to seat 75% of the shift ferrules.

Assembly & Materials

Basically, you keep a length of housing for the shortest setup possible: for cantilever brakes, bar end shifters. When you switch to a system requiring more length (dual pivot calipers, you add bar end shifters), you do the following:

• bar end shifters: cut housing for between the hookup & the frame cable stop
• dual pivot calipers: add a hookup & cut housing for between the hookup & the brake

Bar end shifters: route the cable housing to exit either by the stem (http://www.bootleg.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/cinelli-bootleg-hobo-2013-2.jpg) or by drops (http://surlybikes.com/bikes/long_haul_trucker). Cap the end with a ferrule. Place a hookup over this ferrule. Wrap bar tape over this hookup, making sure that the ferrule is fully seated inside the hookup. You're done.

Lastly, just run your cable through. This might be a little tricky, but once you get it into the first length of housing, it'll run clear through.

Note that there's nothing securing each piece of housing to the hookup. Once you run the cable through & apply tension, the housings will seat themselves into the hookup. This is exactly how inline barrel adjusters work.

It is absolutely critical that you make sure supports are cleaned out & the holes are correctly sized. It will be infinitely more difficult to run the cables once it's on the bike & covered with bar tape for shifter conversions. I would definitely test seating shift ferrules on both sides to double check before you install the hookups.