8/12/15 3:31 PM

Has anyone managed to replace a SRAM gear cable inner without having to untape the handlebars so that the new inner can be fed into the outer where it exits the shifter body. Last time I replaced the inners on my SRAM Force gears, I was unable to get either front or rear cable to feed out of the shifter body until I untaped the bars and removed the cable outers so that the end of the inner wasn't butting into the outer where it tried to exit the shifter. On my Campagnolo shifters on another bike I can replace the inner cables with everything else still in place, but the cable must be exiting the SRAM shifter at a slightly different angle.

8/12/15 4:05 PM

Only the lucky ones. The cable will never line up with the tiny hole in the housing ferrel. I Just tried the same thing, not gonna happen, no way no how.

Replace my blown right shifter and all my cables. Tape came off of course for the right side which died, the left side I tried to leave on, none of the cables will go in the housing. To top it off I have a bar with internal cable routing.

8/12/15 5:58 PM

I've always wondered why they don't make funnel shaped guides inside the shifters that direct the cable into the housing for both brakes and derailleurs. Guess I always will.

8/12/15 6:14 PM

If your tape is still nice, use heat/blow dryer to remove it and just put it back on when done underneath. I do that all the time. Don't forget to put the blow dryer back. ;)

You can also push a new cable in backward to push out the old one, then push it back out with the new cable. This works sometimes... Glue or solder the ends if not a new factory end. A stray strand is going to kill you fast.

8/12/15 7:22 PM

ergopower

;-)

8/13/15 1:49 PM

I often have to twist the inner cable as it is inserted past ferrule junctions, in order to prevent hang-up.
Note that Campagnolo cables are twisted ccw!
A new cable, with it's welded tip, allows a more aggressive push through.

Re-wrapping the upper portion of the bar tape takes just minutes, and re-tensions, re-aligns and re-positions (dirty/worn side down, out of sight) the tape for the next service interval, and allows for cable housing work.
Bob reminded me that while I only occasionally need any heat to soften stubborn tape adhesive, one can blast a hair drier or heat gun through the inside of the bar to get heat in there quickly.

8/13/15 5:04 PM

Is that a typo? ego power ? ;)

8/14/15 8:40 AM

Don't leave home without it.