Changing mountain bike shifter cables
The cables are the means by which the shifters can move the front and rear derailleurs to change gears. Changing the cables on the mountain bike is easy, just follow these steps:
-
Remove the tension on the gear cables by shifting to the small chainring on the front and the small sprocket on the back.
-
Loosen the cable fixing bolts on the rear derailleur and front derailleur. Cut off the crimp sleeves from the cable ends.
-
Now you have to open the gear lever to unthread the cable. For Shimano and some SRAM shift handles you will need a Phillips-head screwdriver to open the hole cover. For some SRAM shifter handles you have to remove the shift lever and open the case with the silver knob on top to thread the cable. Attention: Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions
-
If a short and a long cable are included in the shifter cable set, the shorter cable is for the front derailleur and the longer cable is for the rear derailleur. Thread the cables through the shifter and unscrew the hole cover.
-
Lightly oil the cables.
For bikes with internal cable routing:
On frames with internal cables, the two gearshift cables cross in the down tube. The cable sleeves do not run through the frame: the cables run without sleeves inside the frame itself.
-
Remove the cable stop under the bottom bracket.
-
Slide the cable from the left gear lever into the cable sleeve on the right side of the down tube and the cable from the right gear lever into the cable sleeve on the left side of the down tube. Push the Bowden cable through the frame. Tip: If the cable hits the frame opening on the inside, turn it around. Turn in the direction of winding, otherwise it can fray. This makes it easier to guide the cable through the hole in the bottom bracket. You can hook the cable with a screwdriver and pull it through the hole.
-
Because the cables cross in the frame, you pull the slide that goes into the frame at the top right down to the left and the slide that goes into the frame at the top left down to the right.
-
Pull the cables through the cable stop and fix the stop again under the bottom bracket. Push the cables through the other cable covers to the rear derailleur and front derailleur.
For bikes with external cables:
These bikes have got cable covers – push the cables through the cable sleeves to the front derailleur and rear derailleur.
-
Fasten the cables using the fixing screws and cut off the protruding part of the cables about three centimetres below the screw. Attach the crimp sleeves.
-
Shift the gears several times. This will lengthen the cables.
-
Loosen the cable fixing screws, tighten the cables again and tighten the screws again.
-
Adjust the gears now. Instructions can be found here in the Tech Support Centre.
Danger: When working on the shifters and cables, always refer to the user manual.
