This year's new bicycles have been generating a lot of interest among customers, not only for their disc brakes but also for whether their cables are hidden or not!

Looking at the situation with Giant, Merida, and Pinarello, this year's upgraded Merida Reacto and Pinarello Prince feature fully integrated cables.

However, the TCR, on the other hand, employs a design with exposed cables. Why is that?

According to Giant, this design prioritizes practicality and quick maintenance during races, in response to feedback from professional teams.

Giant has always emphasized that their competition bicycles are the same as those purchased by regular customers, so they simply chose not to hide the cables.

On the other hand, Merida, which also emphasizes "racer bikes = production bikes," has adopted full internal routing for their upgraded Reacto.

Similarly, Pinarello's recently released Prince also features a fully integrated design, emphasizing that internal routing effectively reduces cable resistance by 85%.

Indeed, fully integrated cables can reduce wind resistance and cable friction. The most important benefit, of course, is the cool aesthetic.

However, installation and repairs can be very troublesome. If the cables are too long during assembly, they can bunch up in the frame, and if they're too short, they might snap. Some people have even had all their internal cables cut when their bike fell over!

Therefore, whether to hide them or not, and whether to prioritize aesthetics or practicality, each has its pros and cons, making it a difficult choice!

Should cables be hidden or not? Between aesthetics and practicality, which do you choose?

Recommended Related Articles

[Amazing] Explaining the Effects and Benefits of Hill Climb Wheels

For Those Interested in Fixie Bikes

Road Bike Brakes ①: Rim Brake Edition

Road Bike Brakes ②: Disc Brake Edition

ICAN AERO40 Carbon Wheels: Jonny Pink's Enthusiastic Review!

Chinese Carbon Wheel Buying Guide