How to Change Derailleur Cable & Housing on a Mountain Bike

This video is a detailed tutorial of how to replace both the inner wire and cable housing of a derailleur on a mountain bike. I'm fairly detailed in my videos so this will contain most of the information you need to do this procedure.
Complete video on rear derailleur adjustment:
• How to Adjust a Mechan...

[@perrybucsdad]

Hmmm... so his wire was in there about a year and was starting to get difficult.... mine has been there since 1994... guess it's time to change it! :) Great video with lots of good tips! Thank you!

[@Ali-Rida]

After a lot of research on YT to fix my bike's rear derailleur shifting issue I finally found the issue and solution! Couldn't find a YT video on this matter! I explain it below: 1) The most common type of housing has an inner thin wires tube and an outer plastic covering tube. Apparently after a while because of pressure the outer plastic tube jams and the inner tube wires are exposed that can get crushed by pressure on ferrels! This causes a serious metal-metal fraction between the cable and thin wires of housing, worse than any dirt or rust can do! 2) Loosen the shifter cable and release the cable at the derailleur (watch YT guides) and through all housings to free all housing parts. 3) You have to cleanly cut the exposed thin wires of housing to align it with plastic cover tube. Be careful not to block inner empty hole (where the cable passes) by crushing the wires. You need a sharp wire cutter (or a specialized tool from bike shop!) Then clean up both ends of housing and lube a bit. 4) Insert the cable in all housing parts and through the derailleur cable clamp. Since you lost some housing length, to have the same tension on the cable at a particular gear you need to pull the cable out of derailleur cable clamp a bit compared to what it was before. This needs to be fine tuned to have perfect correspondence between shifter and derailleur for all gear range (watch YT guides). Hope it helps someone.

[@brove]

You can also leave the old inner cable in the frame and use that as a guide for the new housing - easy if you have to route it inside the frame.

[@damianmcdonagh7908]

Great explanation and video. Thanks for posting. Damian in Ireland.

[@michaelfabian2401]

Another excellent video with clear and on point instructions. Thanks Clint! I enjoy all your videos and topics and races and everything you've taught me and others. Keep it up man!

[@Motorato61]

As always... a very good video. Easy to understand all the steps. I'm big fan of your videos. Thanks Clint... greets from Lisbon, Portugal.

[@MrCable75]

when you cut the cable to put the end cap on, if ya put some electric tape around the cable where your going to cut it (cut into the tape) that will stop the cable from fraying.

[@DilbertMuc]

I always use nail polish, much easer and works just fine. I don't use end caps (saving weight! :)

[@playgroundchooser]

I've also soldered the end to great affect. Or, if before I cut the inner cable, I'll work in some solder to like, a quarter inch of cable, then cut it in the middle. Good to go!

[@arigrosman7264]

Can I use dry chain lube to lube the cable?

[@joelhillsman5912]

Nice informative video as always. Thanks Clint!

[@clintonosborne9319]

Thanks!

[@richardjones2811]

Got a cube stereo with total internal routing 😒not looking forward to change the cables one bit!

[@gastonb2745]

Hi and thank you for this video! Any videos on replacing a front derailleur cable? I totally screwed up where the L and H screws should start on the front derailleur. I got that the barrel adjustment should be all the way in for future tension.

[@ClintGibbs]

I've actually been meaning to make a front derailleur adjustment video. Hopefully soon!

[@tanhonsen83]

Thanks u so much 🥰 very useful for me 😊👍👍👍👍👍

[@marek19]

Excellent video and explanation! Clint, I see a lot of bikes coverage on the net and equipment as well. If I may ask, any suggestions or recommendation on mountain bike shoes? Any experience with Specialized 2FO Cliplite? Thanks.

[@ClintGibbs]

+Marek I had a pair of specialized shoes many years ago that were pretty good. But my favorite now is the Shimano shoes. I have the XC70 shoes in really like them. I've been meaning to do a review on them. I use them for every ride... Gravel, cross, mountain biking cross-country and Trail. The new model for them is the xc7.

[@marek19]

Clint Gibbs great. Thanks for the quick response. Will research them. Best.

[@ClintGibbs]

+Marek 👍

[@th_js]

Very good video Clint👍👍👍

[@ericdeng7315]

Any differences on 1.1 vs 1.2 diameter cables on shifting performance? I would guess 1.1 is lighter and more flexible and should react quicker to inputs on paper?

[@keith4709]

Very well done!

[@memereview1579]

Great vid man thanks

[@leiausting.rodriguez8848]

Thankyou it works

[@michielnooren2076]

Great vid!

[@edgaroscarkocherneto]

What do you use to protect the frame near the chain.... is it old inner tube?

[@ClintGibbs]

+Edgar Oscar Kocher Neto kzbin.info/www/bejne/d2ixpoB_r7KnjpY

[@edgaroscarkocherneto]

Clint Gibbs , thanks a lot!!!

[@ClintGibbs]

+Edgar Oscar Kocher Neto 👍

[@v1d300]

Can you tell me which inner cable to go for? The market has so many options 19strand and 31 strand then there are just normal , SS, galvanized steel, teflon coated galvanized, teflon coated steel etc. I am so confused with all this.

[@ClintGibbs]

+v1d300 I just go for the basic stainless steel cables from the bike shop. Teflon cables may last a little bit longer and can go without any lube.

[@MrCable75]

shimano optislick are good cables, smooth shifting.

[@woduk]

I’ve always just bought shimano stainless steel and never had any issue

[@DilbertMuc]

I am having severe problems on two bikes with the shifting in the middle (4,5,6 gear). It just doesn't shift correctly going up to the bigger ring. Dropping down to smaller cog is no problem. The outer rings on both sides work fine. Already changed the cables and housing according to your video. No change. Have endlessly tried with the screws in vain. I am puzzled. Have you ever encountered this strange phenomenon?

[@ClintGibbs]

The first thing I would check is the derailleur hanger to make sure it's not bent. You may have to use the park tool to do that.

[@playgroundchooser]

Yep, that's a bent hanger. :(

[@mikieson]

thanks

[@scottsullivan8203]

in stead of using a seperate tube to run inter wire thru can't i just uses a outer cable tube to run inter cable thur

[@ClintGibbs]

Yes, if it will fit in the frame.

[@scottsullivan8203]

@@ClintGibbs Thank you

[@kouyang1339]

Where can I buy the cable and housing for replacement?

[@ClintGibbs]

Local bike shop or an online ordering place like competitivecyclist.com

[@TheMatt365]

Clint, why no electronic gearing yet?

[@ClintGibbs]

+Matt™ I used it on my cyclocross bike for two seasons. Really nice stuff but determined it wasn't worth the price. But what's interesting is a few years ago a lot of cyclocross bikes had it but now very few are available with electronic shifting. My cyclocross bike which is a giant tcx Advanced Pro 1 is the top of the line with Sram Force 1. No di2 options available this year.

[@woduk]

I always use shimano sp41, any one used jag wire any good?

[@ClintGibbs]

+woduk I have not had good success with Jagwire...too much friction.

[@th_js]

I'm running Jagwire on my dropper cable and don't really like it.

[@seriykot1]

My downshifts on my Shimano SLX started to hesitate, takes like 2-3 seconds to shift to the smaller cogs. Any recommendations?

[@echocornet]

1 First thing to try as you look at one the cable adjusters on the derailleur/gear changer end or cable stop if one is fitted and give it a quarter turn clockwise i.e turn the screw inwards and see if that helps. Give it a quick test and then try again giving it a quarter turn each time to see if it helps. This allows it to drop into the smaller cogs easier 2 If it has become this way after working properly previously it sounds like the cables are dirty or old. The outer cable particularly around the derailleur area seems to get this way particularly if the outer cable is in smaller sections rather than one piece like the outer cable in the video. It gets water and mud in and clogs the free movement of the inner and outer cables If your outer cable is in various sections you could just replace the smaller piece near the derailleur and/or a new inner cable. I tend to replace both the inner and outer in it's entirety exactly like the video and make sure you apply a thin coat of oil to the inner before putting it on. 3 Have you bent the derailleur hanger by falling off or the bike falling over....

[@axxxxman]

decrease cable tension a little. if that doesnt work, my question would be how old is te cable?

[@seriykot1]

axxxxman thanks, the bike is almost new 2018, around 6 months old.

[@seriykot1]

echocornet yeah, it did work fine before and it's a 2018 bike, had the bike for about 6 months. I'll the suggestions and see how it behaves

[@ClintGibbs]

Also check to see if the cable ferrules are in good condition. Sometimes they will start to split which really messes up your shifting. If all else fails replace the cable and housing.