... when out on the trail.
As I won't be carrying my hefty Park cable cutter (hopefully), what's the best way to cut a cable in the wild?
It needs to be cut to a precise length after it's been threaded down the outer and pre-cutting one is not really an option.
I don't have any option to take up slack elsewhere.
Is there a multi-tool with a cutter?
light pair of
and
don't cut it, just loop it around and cable tie together. Cut it when you get home.
It needs to be cut to a precise length after it's been threaded down the outer and pre-cutting one is not really an option.
Why, if you don't mind me asking?
I pre-cut mine as they came with a brake nipple one end and a gear nipple the other.
shimano cable cutters are a lot smaller and lighter than the park ones.
are you into bivvie bike maintenance?
I'd go with bassspine. I mean I have never, ever in about thirty years of cycling broken a gear cable while out riding but if one did break I'd just loop the end about a bit till I got back home.
bassspine - Member
don't cut it, just loop it around and cable tie together. Cut it when you get home
+1.
Thanks for all the replies.
It's for a Rohloff hub (well, two actually) and they need to be cut 200mm longer than the outer once it's all threaded through the twistgrip and along the bike.
Where it attaches is pretty small and fiddly so no fraying is the order of the day.
Looping it up is not an option.
I want to avoid carrying cable cutters if possible and snips 'ain't gonna cut it', if you'll pardon the pun, because of the fraying.
Still not sure why you would need to do it 'on the trail' ?
Still not sure why you would need to do it 'on the trail' ?
+1
Bizzare.
Well I don't carry cable cutters around for my rear mech so ....... 
maybe Rip will be travelling actually 'in the wild' where you need to be prepared for such occurrences
that said, i'm not sure a completely un-service/bodgeable hub gear would be my choice for this anyway
my recommendation would be to experiment with a smaller tool to which you can apply a lot of pressure (hit it with a big rock)
I guess he is doing a long distance multiday trip then?
i'm not sure a completely un-service/bodgeable hub gear would be my choice for this anyway
you can still change gear with an 8mm spanner, so it's like a selectable singlespeed 
Cut one in advance, then put a bit of solder on the end before it gets a chance to fray, or stick an end cap on. I find that if a cable's cut well, and an endcap's fitted, it'll stay nice enough to thread through gear outers again.
SOme of the Leatherman series multitools have little triangular replacable cutting jaws on the pliers. I think they are carbide or something equally hard. I've never tried em but if they'll cut cable smoothly than that may be an option?
tron - Member
Great idea
I guess he is doing a long distance multiday trip then?
Correct!
To date, I've never had a single Rohloff problem (wish I could say the same for derailleur) and going with 2 Rohloff bikes does double the chances of one.
Just want to be prepared.
you'll have zip-ties yes? Just zip-tie the end to secure it.
carry a spare already cut to length, and a cable end cap that you can crimp?
leatherman wave has cable cutters ... in fact it's what i use for cutting cables even at home
Still can't see the problem with looping it and cable tying out of the way until suitable cutting methods are found. But a pre-cut cable is the obvious answer.
Still can't see the problem with looping it and cable tying out of the way
with the Rohloff, the cable end goes into a blind hole in a metal drum, so this isn't an option
snips 'ain't gonna cut it'
Precut to length and dab some super glue on the cut end so it doesn't fray in your pack.
with the Rohloff, the cable end goes into a blind hole in a metal drum, so this isn't an option
Ah, thanks for that, wasn't aware. I retract that statement then 
Pre-cut it, simples
Pre-cutting isn't really an option as with 2 bikes there's 4 cables. 4 cables may be the way to go.
With the different routing of each and the need to cut at 200mm past the end of the outer, I really need to cut it on the trail.
I just tried the cutters on my Leatherman (which have never been used before) and, even with heating, as suggested earlier, it's fray city.
There must be a solution other than my cable cutters. It's a long way from Anchorage to Vancouver, changing gear with an 8mm spanner.
You need proper cable cutters, having tried this with my Leatherman I realised the hard-way too.
Carry the cable cutters, they may come in handy for other things - maybe bear scarers?
In your case, long distance riding, I'd go with a set of precut cables in the bag, they won't weigh much!
(just for the record, I'm jealous - Anchorage to vancouver: epic! tell us more)
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