I purchased this bike used, and replaced all the cables. When I flipped the bike over I noticed the cables were crossed. By looking at the guides it seems like the cables should be reversed. I was told on newer bikes they are crossing the cables along the down tube so the cables are on opposite sides, and don't rub the head tube. My concern is the cables touch the frame right now. If you have a Super Six how are your cables routed?

I've got the Super6 with Dura Ace and the cables are routed without a cross. To combat the cable rub on the head tube, I put a small piece of clear frame-saver tape on the side of the head tube though rub does not seem to be an issue - so far.

Either way will work just fine. I personally don't like the crossed cables thing, though I'd rather have that than have the paint rubbed off the headtube. But I'd prefer to eliminate the headtube rub via the clear tape or similar method. I don't know why manufacturers haven't addressed this problem with some stick on or molded on cable guide yet. Seems to me someone could come up with 5 cent solution for this and sell it for 5 bucks. He'd be rich, we'd be happy, and nobody would ride $5000 bikes with paint rubbed off the headtube. All from a country that put a man on the moon. 30 years ago!

You made me look!

I, too, have a SuperSix (Dura Ace). The cables are not crossed. No rubbing on the head tube - the cable guide is cut long so it doesn't touch the head tube. As cheap insurance, like Chrono, I've put frame-saver tape under the cable.

Thanks for the responses. I wasn't sure if this wrong, or just personal preference. My main concern is the cables kinda touch the frame.

I'm probably gonna leave it since I would have to cut the cable ends, re-route everything, and possibly new cables to change it.

My dad gave me this black tape he said was specifically for cable rub. You can kinda see where I used it on the down tube.

Cables crossed or not is up to the guy at the LBS who built up your bike, not the manufacturer; Cannondale (et al) rarely ship a bike to a dealer with the cables pre-installed.

When I bought my Cannondale the LBS wrench built it up with crossed cables. I also noticed that every other bike in that shop, Cannondale or otherwise, also had crossed cables. That particular wrench just happens to like that technique for cable routing.

I on the other hand HATE IT!

In the first place, the place where the cables cross puts them closer to the downtube than they would be at any point in a traditional non-crossed routing, so they're more likely to rattle against the frame when you go over bumps. My bike sounds like a maraca when I encounter rough road!

Secondly, it DOESN'T alleviate frame rub; it's the housings between the bars & the head tube that contribute to frame rub, and they're gonna rub regardless of what's happening to the cables downstream of the headtube.

Thirdly, the thing that crossed cables were supposed to address was too tight an angle coming off the brifter: By routing the cable from the right brifter around the left side of the headtube (and vice-versa) the cable & housing don't have to be bent as tightly as if the cable goes from the right brifter to the right side of the frame. Except that this is a solution in search of a problem: No one's ever had a bike that shifted poorly because the angle of the cable from the brifter to the headtube was too tight!

In summary: Crossed cables suck, but they're there because of your local wrench's desires, not the manufacturers.

Nice pussies!

I got my Super in August 2007 -- no crossed cables and no rubbing issues.

Although, interestingly, today at the end of a metric century ride I met a guy who was still waiting on his Super to be delivered because the one initially delivered to his LBS by C'Dale had the cable router at the top of the down tube mounted backwards!! :eek:

Out of curiosity, do most of you have the carbon SI or Hollowgram SL crankset? Looked at the cable guide on my own frameset. Cannondale could definitely have done a better job with this 10 cents piece of plastic. Also, under the cable guide, there is a piece of foam. Did you guys take it out or leave it in? I'm presuming the foam is to protect the frame.

CHL

maybe the cats did it?

Out of curiosity, do most of you have the carbon SI or Hollowgram SL crankset? Looked at the cable guide on my own frameset. Cannondale could definitely have done a better job with this 10 cents piece of plastic. Also, under the cable guide, there is a piece of foam. Did you guys take it out or leave it in? I'm presuming the foam is to protect the frame.

CHL

I've got the Hollowgram SL crankset on mine (SuperSix-1). No piece of foam under my bottom bracket cable guide.

Nice pussies!

The cats have an uncanny ability to place themselves in almost all pictures.

Also, under the cable guide, there is a piece of foam. Did you guys take it out or leave it in? I'm presuming the foam is to protect the frame.

That would make sense because I sight down the tubes, and it's impossible to route the cables without rubbing where they wrap around the bottom bracket.

Out of curiosity, do most of you have the carbon SI or Hollowgram SL crankset?

What makes the Hollowgram SL better than the Carbon SI besides the ceramic bearings? Are the just lighter? I obviously have the Carbon SI.

What makes the Hollowgram SL better than the Carbon SI besides the ceramic bearings? Are the just lighter? I obviously have the Carbon SI.

According to Cannondale:

"The SuperSix is BB30 equipped to accept the new Hollowgram SL Crankset. At 580 grams, it’s the lightest and stiffest production crankset on the planet!"

Out of curiosity, do most of you have the carbon SI or Hollowgram SL crankset? Looked at the cable guide on my own frameset. Cannondale could definitely have done a better job with this 10 cents piece of plastic. Also, under the cable guide, there is a piece of foam. Did you guys take it out or leave it in? I'm presuming the foam is to protect the frame.

CHL

I have the Hollowgram with the ceramic bearings... unreal.

Out of curiosity, do most of you have the carbon SI or Hollowgram SL crankset? Looked at the cable guide on my own frameset. Cannondale could definitely have done a better job with this 10 cents piece of plastic. Also, under the cable guide, there is a piece of foam. Did you guys take it out or leave it in? I'm presuming the foam is to protect the frame.

CHL

I have a System Six with the Hollowgram SL crankset. The cable guide with the small piece of foam had some adhesive on it. In addition to it, I used some silicon glue to make sure it was well attached.