Shift Cable Replacement

Procedure

1. Shift to the smallest cog

   (rear) or smallest chainring (front) so the shifter is at low cable tension.

2. Loosen the cable pinch bolt

   at the derailleur.

3. Pull the old cable out

   through the shifter. If it's stuck, snip the end cap and pull from the derailleur side.

4. Inspect the housing

   If gear shifting was sluggish before, replace it. Cut new housing to match the old length, leaving smooth gentle curves (no kinks or tight bends).

5. Cap each end of new housing

   with a metal ferrule, especially where it enters the shifter and derailleur.

6. Lubricate the new inner cable lightly

   with a light oil — this dramatically improves shift feel.

7. Thread the new cable through the shifter

   — the cable head sits in a recessed pocket in the shifter mechanism. Make sure it's seated.

8. Route through housing and frame

   matching the original path.

9. Pull through the derailleur pinch bolt

   , but before tightening, pull the cable taut by hand using pliers (gentle, just to remove slack — not stretch).

10. Tighten the pinch bolt

    to 4–5 Nm.

11. Cut excess cable

    , leaving 30–40 mm beyond the pinch bolt.

12. Crimp on a cable end cap

13. Re-index

    as in 3.15 step 7.