How to Run Gear Cable Wire for Shimano SIS

Shimano SIS components are made for road bicycle use. Shimano Integrated Shifting (SIS) combines the shifter and brake lever into one contiguous piece. Running cables on an SIS system requires you to "follow" the guides and cables along the bicycle frame, most often through the pre-welded frame cable guides. For best results, grease the cables prior to placing them onto the frame, as they will be exposed to grit, road grime and inclement weather, all of which conspire to impede the performance of the SIS components.

Things You'll Need

  • 4 mm hex wrench
  • Cable and housing cutter (optional)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Set the bicycle against a firm wall or hard upright surface. Go to the right side of the handlebars, and find the two cables coming down and out form the inside of the shifters, near the drop bars. These are the rear derailleur cable and rear brake cable.

    • 2

      Grip the top cable --- the derailleur cable --- and begin to run it down the underside of the down tube on the bicycle frame. (The down tube is the main tube running at an angle to the center of the bike.) Push the cable into the welded frame cable guides. Insert them, then pull them through the guides until the cable reaches the rear derailleur. Use a 4 mm hex wrench to attach the cable end to the rear derailleur's cable nut.

    • 3

      Follow the remaining cable on the right shifter along the top tube on the bike frame. This is the tube that runs from the stem to the seat. Place the cable into the welded guides, and run it to the rear brake. Use the 4 mm hex wrench to attach the cable wire to the brake nut.

    • 4

      Go to the left shifter, and locate the two cables. As the right side, the left cables serve as the front derailleur and front brake cable. Grip the bottom cable, curve it upward and place the cable end into the front brake nut. Use a 4 mm hex wrench to secure it to the nut. If the cable extends up higher than 2 inches above the handlebars, cut it down using a cable and housing cutter, and run it to the brake nut.

    • 5

      Run the upper cable alongside the rear brake cable along the underside of the top tube, using the remaining set of frame cable guides. Bring the cable end down the seat tube on the bicycle all the way to the front derailleur, keeping it in the frame cable guides.

    • 6

      Attach the derailleur cable to the derailleur nut using a 4 mm hex wrench.