neat cadence sensor wiring

[rek]

Hi guys, I'm installing a Sigma 1606 bike computer (with cadence kit) onto my sister's new road bike. Speed sensor -- no worries -- that's on nice and neat. Cadence sensor, oh dear, I give up on this one for now. How can you route the cadence wire in a way that doesn't look like ****?

I'm thinking one of two options are worth a try;

a/ run it down the top of the downtube, using electrical tape to hold it in place here and there.. the bottle holder will hide most of the ugliness

b/ run it down the bottom of the downtube, between the two shifting cables.. out of sight for the most part, but more susceptible to damage from kicked up road debris. Maybe spanning the cable's whole length with electrical tape will hide (and hold) it better.

I'm thinking of (b), because the routing would end up being a lot simpler and to my mind it'll be more out of sight. The frame is a dark metallig greay so black electrical tape won't stand out (too much) like dogs balls. Either way I'll need to have a loop of tape around the down tube at each end, to stop the lengthwise tape from peeling. Ugly.

Anyone here installed a wired cadence sensor neatly, and proud enough of their cable-fu mastery to share?

 

[Lord Chambers]

Anyone here installed a wired cadence sensor neatly, and proud enough of their cable-fu mastery to share?

If you do it properly you won't need to use tape anywhere. Wind the wire down the cable to your front deraileur. The line goes right to the crank where you wind it along the crank arm to where the sensor needs to be. When winding, don't wind so tight the wire can't move, because as you shift, the cable will slide and could potentially wear on the wire. But, don't wind so loosely that the wire is slack and flops around.

 

[flipper]

I fitted a 1606L to my bike a while ago and I'll go along with Lord Chambers.

I've got one little bit of tape at the headtube, run down the cable, under the BB and use the mounting rubber bands to keep it tidy at the chainstay.

Here, took a pic:

 

[rek]

If you do it properly you won't need to use tape anywhere. Wind the wire down the cable to your front deraileur. The line goes right to the crank where you wind it along the crank arm to where the sensor needs to be. When winding, don't wind so tight the wire can't move, because as you shift, the cable will slide and could potentially wear on the wire. But, don't wind so loosely that the wire is slack and flops around.

Ahh! Of course! I have the speed sensor cable routed in a similar fashion over the front brake cable, why didn't I think of doing the same thing for the cadence cable

Thanks for the pic flipper, makes perfect sense now I completely wasn't thinking about mounting on the chainstay either; while thinking about it, I was looking at my bike (which has a Polar wireless cadence sensor mounted at the bottom of the downtube) wondering how to put a sensor there neatly...

 

[Bob Ross]

I fitted a 1606L to my bike a while ago and I'll go along with Lord Chambers.

I've got one little bit of tape at the headtube, run down the cable, under the BB and use the mounting rubber bands to keep it tidy at the chainstay.

Here, took a pic:

Uh, sorry, but that looks like ass. As does nearly every other wired sensor I've ever seen on a bike. Call me a fashion-snob, but that's the reason I got wireless; I think those dinky cables winding around frame members & cable housings just looks sloppy, plus seems really prone to damage.

But if I *was* going to use a wired sensor, I'd probably go w/ the OP's idea of spanning the entire downtube with electrical tape...or, even better, cold-shrink tape.

 

[John M]

Uh, sorry, but that looks like ass. As does nearly every other wired sensor I've ever seen on a bike. Call me a fashion-snob, but that's the reason I got wireless; I think those dinky cables winding around frame members & cable housings just looks sloppy, plus seems really prone to damage.

But if I *was* going to use a wired sensor, I'd probably go w/ the OP's idea of spanning the entire downtube with electrical tape...or, even better, cold-shrink tape.

he rides a Trek OCLV so fashion has already been thrown to the wind

 

[FREDBLACK]

I run mine in accordance with your second option. the only difference being i use three zip ties (one near the head tube, one under the bottle cage and one near the bottom bracket to keet it in place) electric tape along the wire is for protection from debris and extra security). very neat

Note: in my opinion, this way looks better than running it down the FD cable. Simply because it is invisible when the bike is upright.

Hi guys, I'm installing a Sigma 1606 bike computer (with cadence kit) onto my sister's new road bike. Speed sensor -- no worries -- that's on nice and neat. Cadence sensor, oh dear, I give up on this one for now. How can you route the cadence wire in a way that doesn't look like ****?

I'm thinking one of two options are worth a try;

a/ run it down the top of the downtube, using electrical tape to hold it in place here and there.. the bottle holder will hide most of the ugliness

b/ run it down the bottom of the downtube, between the two shifting cables.. out of sight for the most part, but more susceptible to damage from kicked up road debris. Maybe spanning the cable's whole length with electrical tape will hide (and hold) it better.

I'm thinking of (b), because the routing would end up being a lot simpler and to my mind it'll be more out of sight. The frame is a dark metallig greay so black electrical tape won't stand out (too much) like dogs balls. Either way I'll need to have a loop of tape around the down tube at each end, to stop the lengthwise tape from peeling. Ugly.

Anyone here installed a wired cadence sensor neatly, and proud enough of their cable-fu mastery to share?

 

[bobbyOCR]

After alot of trial and error, I made mine disappear. Run it down the bottom of the Downtube, on the lowest point. Keep it at a high tension by taking up all the slack, winding it around your fron shifter cable at the handlebars, then run the cable under the BB so it comes up at the chainstay about 1 inch behind the BB. I'll post pics soon. Also, to keep it protected, use those clear long frame protector stickers and put a couple of those on the down tube. I wouldn't worry though, the cable won't break, I have been using this for six months in wet conditions. (I have the 1606L too, awesome computer.)