Thanks. Yes, I am trying to avoid the forward looping of the cables.
How far forward? I know some bikes come supplied with huge forward loops, I've never found it necessary. On mine (Straight bar to downtube with a long headtube) they don't extend beyond the fork mounted light and I can easily use a bar bag with them tucked behind.
I've seen noodles used in this scenario, also those beaded Nokon cables, it's usually been where the bar and/or bike makes the bend impractical without. There's no doubt it works, but there's also no way it can't introduce additional friction, I don't know how bad that is, it can't be good. Whenever I've seen it on flat bars, it's made the cable run an S, similar to what's unavoidable on my folder and that makes gear changes noticeably stiffer.
It isn't an expensive experiment, give it a go if you think it solves an issue, though I can't see any benefit in doing so unless it's required. And if the choices are an acute bend in a noodle or sweeping curve in an outer, there's probably a middle way.