How to Cut a Bike's Cable Housing

Sometimes it is necessary to replace or shorten cable housing. With a good bicycle cable cutter, this is fairly easy.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Decide where you want to cut the housing. Make sure you aren't cutting off too much.

2. Remove the housing from the bike.

3. Remove the cable from the housing.

4. Remove the ferrule (end cap) from the end of the side of the housing you are planning to cut and put it aside. You may need to pull it off with pliers.

5. Understand that most quality bicycle cable cutters these days double as housing cutters. If you don't have a good cable cutter, you might want to take the housing to a bike shop.

6. Cut brake housing quickly and firmly. Be careful not to crush the housing. Afterwards, check for burrs. You may need to file them off or use the bench grinder.

7. Cutting SIS or gear cable housing takes little special care.

8. Put the ferrule back on the end of the cable housing.

9. Grease the cable before putting it back in the housing.

Tips & Warnings

• When grinding off burrs on the bench grinder, have your cable ready to poke it through the end of the housing - otherwise the heat created by the bench grinder may melt the internal plastic lining and it will seal back over. Always wear eye protection when using the bench grinder.
• Brake cable housing can also be cut with diagonal cutters - however, diagonal cutters won't work on most derailleur cable housing.

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[neworion]

on 1/27/2009 For certain applications the length of the cable is fairly critical, such as with Rohloff hub shift cables. If so, consider leaving some extra length in the cable housing. This will slightly increase some of your routing loops. The benefit is that you have the option to later reduce the housing length, which will expose more useful cable length. Leaving a little extra length in the housing provides insurance against cutting the cable too short on the first try, requiring purchase of a new cable.

[neworion]

on 1/27/2009 A note on using a Dremel tool to cut cable housings: Some cables have Teflon liners that can be moved. If so, move the liner back from the point being cut so it does not melt from the heat created by the friction of the cutting tool. Remove any burs. Dip the cut tip in water to cool it, then push the liner back into place and cut it to length with scissors. Come to think of it, moving the liner back before cutting may also be a good idea when using a cable cutter.

[gomer900]

on 4/21/2008 That is an excellent tip on using the Dremel -- haven't seen this idea anywhere else. It worked perfectly. Saved me a trip to the bike shop and $$ for cutters. Thanks!

on 11/22/2005 Grasp the cable or housing firmly above the cut with pliers and using a Dremel tool or fine cutting wheel at highest speed, cut right next to the pliers. Use medium pressure as the cutting wheel is very brittle. It cuts fast and clean with no unraveling.