Cyclist
How to replace road bike gear cables in 8 steps
There’s not a pro rider or mechanic in the world who wouldn’t swap a top-of-the-line mechanical groupset connected up with grotty, old cables for an entry-level equivalent with fresh, snappy ones.
Constant use and exposure to the elements means that the cables joining shifters and derailleurs will eventually deteriorate and start to affect your shifting performance – the most common symptom being a reluctance to shift to higher gears, as your derailleur springs start to lose the battle against increased friction.
While a quick squirt of lubricant can often freshen them up, once they start to feel gritty it’s time to swap both inner and outer parts.
Although internally routed cables can prove tricky to replace, if they run outside the frame, swapping them isn’t a difficult job. Just make sure you have the right tools, then follow our eight-step guide and get stuck in.
What you’ll need
- New gear cables: Buy from Tredz (from £1.99)
- Cable cutters: Buy from Tredz (from £17.95)
- Allen key set: Buy from Tredz (from £7.95)
- Electrical tape
It’s worth investing in quality cables with coated inners and incompressible outers to ensure the best shifting. Now might be a good time to replace your bar tape if it’s seen better days too, as you’ll be unwrapping it before replacing your gear cables.
How to replace road bike shifter cables
Step 1: Prep the bike and cut the old cables
Shift onto the smallest sprocket or chainring. Using cable cutters, chop the end caps off the cables or pull them off with pliers. Undo the anchor bolts on your derailleurs.
The front sections of outer cable run under the bar tape, so you’ll need to unwrap this to get at them. Roll the brake hood forward and carefully unwind the tape until just below the levers. Cut the electrical tape holding the outer cabling in place.
Step 2: Strip the outer and eject the inner
Now disconnect the outer housing from the frame stops and remove it. Next remove the inner from the shifter. Gear cables usually thread in from the side. Push the cable backwards towards the lever.
The shifter will need to be selecting the highest gear and the lever pulled back to the bar for the cable to be released.
Step 3: Measure up and cut
Cut your new cable outers to match the length of the ones you just removed. You’ll need to use dedicated cutters to get a clean finish – it’s important to get the ends as flat as possible.
Once cut, if the liner inside the cable seems to be closed off, use a pointed instrument like a pick to open it out again. Push the ferrules onto the ends of the cables.
4. Fit the new inner cable
Still in the highest gear, fit the new gear cable by sliding it gently into the lever at the same point that the old cable exited. The end should pop out the other side, although it may require a little wiggling.
Pull the end tight and click the shifter to make sure it’s correctly engaged. You should feel the tension increase as the shifter ratchets up.
Step 5: Slide the outer cabling into place
Slide the outer cable over the inner wire. Thread the wire through the frame stops and slot the ferrules on the outer section into place. Tape the first section to the bars.
You’ll need to slide the cable through the guide under the bottom bracket. That’s it for the front but the rear will need the last section fitting between the final stop and the rear derailleur.
Step 6: Attach to the derailleur and tension
Pull the cable tight and attach to the derailleur. Now, without pedalling, shift the lever several times as if to change into a bigger sprocket or chainring.
This will put tension on the cable and help it settle into place, meaning your gears are less likely to go out of adjustment later. The procedure is the same for both front and rear derailleurs.
Step 7: Dial it all in
Ensure the barrel adjuster is dialled in. Undo the cables at the derailleur and pull them taut again to remove any slack that’s developed before refixing.
Chop off the excess cable and crimp on an end cap. If you’ve not touched the derailleur, all that should be necessary is to make some small adjustment using the barrel adjuster to re-index the gears.
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