Crossing Derailleur Cables?

[bobscott]

I am wondering about group opinions on rigging brifter control cables through opposite side housing stops and crossing them back under the down tube. It is said that the resulting smoother housing curves makes for crisper shifting.
I didn't notice any difference on a bike on a repair stand but have not ridden a bike with this set-up. Would like your thoughts.
Thanks,
bobscott

[Ahneida Ride]

My cables are crossed. Shifts like a charm.

[Dave]

The shift cable angles are not quite the same, depending on which brand you use. I set up quite a few Campy equipped bikes with crossed cables, but it was done to keep the cable housing from rubbing on the head tube and wearing off the paint. It did not improve shifting at all. Depending on the location of the cable stops you may have problems with the cables touching the downtube in the area where they cross and cable rattle from this contact. I've used thumbnail sized stainless steel sheetmetal, siliconed to the downtube, to prevent this contact and eliminate rattle.

My most recent frame, a LOOK 585, has factory installed cable guides on the head tube to prevent cable housing rub, which eliminated any need to cross cables, but no barrel adjusters on the downtube, which is not so good. After riding this frame for 2500 miles, the lack of barrel adjusters has not been the problem I thought it would be. After an early readjustment of cable tension, I haven't touched the adjustment of either derailleur since. I did feel that the shifting was better with this normal cable routing, so I switched my other bike to the normal routing and applied small pieces of clear vinyl tape on the head tube to prevent the rub.

[Bill Bove]

One bike crossed, shifts fine. The other bike not, it shifts fine too.

[Kevan]

cross-wired and shifty.

But not very good at either.

[A.L.Breguet]

All I know is that the two coolest riders I know have their shifter wires crossed.
Just be sure not to cross streams!

[Bill Bove]

All I know is that the two coolest riders I know have their shifter wires crossed.
Just be sure not to cross streams!

Umm, that'ed be me and who else?

[fogrider]

I too have crossed cables on one bike and non crossed on another. like others have said, the crossed cables are for the rubbing of the housing on frame. I put a few rubber donuts about where they cross to keep them from rattling on the frame. if the cables are set up correctly, it should work well either way.