Your bike gear shifter wears out with time. When your bike isn’t shifting the way it used to, then it is a sign that you need to replace your old shifter and install a new pair of shifters. There are tons of good-quality shifters available on the market; one of them is Shimano Gear Shifter. If you have chosen this specific shifter for your bike but don’t know how to install it, we are here to guide you. Changing the shifters isn’t a difficult job if you have all the necessary tools at home. So let’s see what steps to follow to install the new pair of Shimano Gear Shifters and allow your bike access to multi-speeds.
How To Install Shimano Gear Shifter
Replacing the shifters itself is a handy job. The real issue that comes is to replace the cables and housings that come with the shifters. The shifter and the cable that attaches to the derailleur mechanism works in harmony and helps the bicycle to change the speed and gear accordingly. That is why installing shifters isn’t a one-step process. It will require a bit of your attention, mechanical concepts, skills, and time. Before moving on to the actual process, arrange all the tools that you will require. In case you don’t want to get yourself indulged in gears all together, then you should get a perfect e-Bike for $2000.
Tools Required
- 5mm Allen key or Hex key
- Screwdriver
- Plier
- Butter knife (optional)
1. Remove The Grip
The first and foremost thing to do before changing the shifter is to remove the grip from the handlebar. To remove the grip, you can put a butter knife in it and twist it to help it become loose and come off. However, there is another method to spray a little isopropyl alcohol inside the grip. Let the alcohol get in there, and it gets effortless to get the grip off the bike.
2. Remove The Old Shifter And Cable
The next step is to get rid of the old worn-out shifters. To do so, get a screwdriver to loosen up the bolt that attaches the shifter to the cycle’s handle. Remove the screws and pull off the old shifters. After removing the shifters, you need to unbolt the cable out of the front and rear derailleur as well. Shift the chain to the smallest gear to remove the tension out of the cable; that way, it will be easy to remove it. Remove the screws and pull off the old shifters. Remove the anchor bolt on the rear Derailleur to disconnect the cable from it.
3. Put The New Shifters On
After you are done removing the old shifters, the new ones will go in the same way the old ones were installed previously. Slide the new Shimano shifter in its place. There is a 5mm bolt on the Shimano shifter that you have to tighten up to fix them in place. Use the 5mm Hex key for this purpose.
4. Install The Cable
Get the new shifter cable and thread it back to the front and rear derailleurs to connect it. Pull the cable towards the cable housing of the derailleurs, put it in the clamp, and pull it snug before tightening the bolts. Use a hex key for the bolts according to the size of the bolts. Put the crimps back on the new cable, and don’t forget to put some lubricant to elevate the performance and life of your bike.
5. Check The Shifters
Once you are done installing the shifter and cable back in its place and putting and tightening all the bolts securely. Check if the gears are working smoothly or not. Shift the derailleurs to the full cycle of gear to check if they function well and smooth or not. Check and adjust the tightness of the cable as well. If you do not find any flaw in the functioning of the shifters and cables, then your job was done perfectly. You do not need to adjust anything else.
6. Reinstall The Grip
The last step is to reinstall the grips back to the handlebars. To reinstall the grip perfectly, you can get the help of compressed air. The other method to do this is to spray hairspray on the handlebar and inside the grips. Insert the grips back. Allow the grips to dry off thoroughly and completely. The hairspray after drying out will help the grip stick to the handlebar firmly. Do not ride the bike before if the grips haven’t dried completely. You can lose control while riding the bike with loose grips.
FAQs
How long do Shimano shifters last?
Unfortunately, the Shimano shifter doesn’t have a record that they last really long, but it can ride 2-4k miles a year. Apart from it, you can make your shifter last long by taking good care of it. The daily maintenance, cleanliness, and lubricating it occasionally can increase the life of your shifters.
Do bicycle shifters wear out?
Like other bicycle parts, the bicycle shifters also wear out with time, depending on how you use and ride your bike. The chain, chainrings, and shifter cables are mainly likely to wear out as they do all the work to move the bike. No matter how durable and high quality your bicycle shifters are, they will wear out with time.
Can you reuse shifter cable housing?
If your shifter cable is in good condition, then you can reuse it without installing a new cable. But if the old cable is too frayed to use again, it is better to use the new cable instead of relying on the old one. Also, check if the old cables are not rusty; if they are in good condition, go ahead and use them.
Related Bike Guides: How to install e-Bike Conversion kit | Resetting Bosch e-Bike
Wrapping Up It
Installing the new shifter is not at all difficult. It is just a bit of mechanical work for which you need to have a little understanding. It will take around 20 minutes to install the new Shimano Gear Shifters on your bike with the right tools. We hope that these steps help you install your new Gear shifters so that you can enjoy new heights of adventure with perfect performance and multi-speed of your bike.
