Shorten shifter cables?

[slowerisbetter]

I'm wrapping up my trike project and need to hook up a shifter to the 3 spd hub. I want to mount a stick shifter not far from the actual hub itself, so the cable needs to be quite a bit shorter. How do I shorten the cable? Do I buy a different length? I've searched the "How To" and can't find anything.
The shifter is an index shifter and the hub is an older Shimano I believe. Any thoughts?
Thanks!

 

[CCR]

how does the cable attach to the hub ? gotta pic ?

 

[slowerisbetter]

Not yet, but hopefully tonight.

 

[thatismytruck]

I don't have a close up but if you look really close, you can see a little doo dad that screws onto the internal gear changer chain and has a bolt and nut that grabs the cable.
(did that make sense?) I got mine at Harris Cyclery . com. I went to look for it but cannot find it. Which is kind of a pain because I need another.

I need another because I pulled the one above off to repair a broken cable on a bike I want to sell.

 

[JLarkin]

It's called a cable anchorage. Generic cables come with one. You can buy them individually also. Likely about $2 at the LBS. They're not high-tech by any means.

 

[jimw1960]

The answer to your original question is yes, you can shorten the cable. You need a cable casing cutter tool to do it cleanly and then you put on a new metal casing cap and crimp it with the crimping tool that is part of the casing cutter. Then just cut the cable itself to the length you need. If you don't have the tool, your LBS can cut if for you for a couple of bucks.

 

[thatismytruck]

It's called a cable anchorage. Generic cables come with one. You can buy them individually also. Likely about $2 at the LBS. They're not high-tech by any means.

Thanks!! Could not remember what they were called. I hope I didn't confuse anyone with my technological engineering wording before. :lol: Yes you are correct, not high tech. Exactly why I like it. 8)

 

[CCR]

would these work ?

http://cgi.ebay.com/NOS-VINTAGE-STURMEY ... _500wt_975

 

[thatismytruck]

would these work ?

http://cgi.ebay.com/NOS-VINTAGE-STURMEY ... _500wt_975

Those be them!!

 

[slowerisbetter]

Thanks all! I'm hoping to work on it this weekend. Hope it works out cuz my trike keeps shifting randomly between the three speeds. Which makes hills interesting, at least!