Is it hard to change out clip-ons? I have profiles that I’m changing over to VT. Im concerned about the cables and shifters not the installation of the clip-ons. Do I cut the cables by the shifters or do I need to replace them. Is there a good website with information?
Thanks Spider
It’s actually a simple job, but if you haven’t done it before it would seem complicated.
I"m assuming you have bar end shifters and not STI? If the the aero bars are the same length roughly there should be no need to have to replace anything. Just undo it and reroute it the way it came out.
You’ll have to re-adjust your derailleurs and set the shifting up. If you’re not familiar with how to do this, it’s best to pay a few bucks to the LBS for them to do it.
I guess that is my question? How do the cables come off the bar end shifters? I’ve re-adjusted my derailers before, but what do you mean by setting up the shifting?
Tip the shifters all the way down. Loosen the allen bolt at the DR and free the cable. I suggest using new cables because they will feed through better, in which event, cut the old cables at the DR so the cable does not have any bends or frays, then push it up the sleeve a bit. It will stick out at the Bar end, then just pull it out.
After you put in the new cables, adjust the DRs. I think that;s what he means by “setting up the shifting”. Don’t know what type bar ends you are using, but you may note that there is a tiny setting on the side for “Friction” or “index”. You will want index. Friction is where you have to manually get the DR in the right spot–indexing jumps to the next gear.
You might want to go to the “Park Tool” site–they have a great bike “How to” section.
Im going to try it tonight. If I don’t use new cables will I need a cable cutter to trim the cable before I re-attach them to the shifters? I’m using DA bar end shifters.
Thanks for the advise on the Park Tool site, couldn’t find anything on bar end shifters but they have some good info.
Spider
I agree with everything said above provided that the cables are run internally on your existing bars. If they’re not run internally then the job really couldn’t be much simpler. All you’ll need to do is remove the shifters from the old bars and install them in the new one. You shouldn’t have to re adjust the derailers if this is the case.
It’s been a while since I’ve removed my shifters. I recall that the expansion (allen) bolt to remove/attach the housing from the bar-end is left-hand threaded.
Johnny, the expansion bolt inside the bar end plugs (for the shifters) is backwards. Tightening the bolt will compress the expander so you can pull them out.
Be very careful if you have an internally cabled bike- step away and leave it to the pro’s.
Okay how do I remove the cable from the bar end shifter? Do I need to cut it? I have the shifter off the clip on but can’t figure out how to remove the cable. Since the bars are the close to the same size I was going to use the same cables. Since I need to feed it through the VTs I need to remove the cable from the shifter.
Thanks
put the shifter in the slack position (smallest cog).
unclamp the cable from the derailleur and cut off any deformed part
near the end of the piece of housing that is closest to the shifter, push the cable through the housing backwards. The little cable head should pop out, or you’ll at least be able to see what is obstructing it.
jon–The cables on my DA 10 go into the shifters through tiny holes in the front. No way to change them without extracting the cables through them, or pushint them through a bit and then cuting them, but then they can’t be re-used.
Spider,
The shifter end of the cable has a permanently affixed “end” on it. You have to pull the cable all the way out through the shifter. Start with detaching from the other end (at the deraileur).
It has been suggested you get fresh, new shifter cables. In that case, just cut the cable (with cable cutters to avoid frayed ends damaging anything, like your fingers! :). Next, route the cable housing through the new aero-extensions. Then you thread the new cables through the bar end shifter, through the cable housing(s), down to the deraileurs. Adjust or have your LBS adjust the cable length / shifter adjustment.
Or, if your cables are in good shape… loosen the bolt on the deraileur that holds the cable. Pull the cable all the way out from the shifter end. Route housings, re-thread cable.
Mo(Joe)