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Just bought my first bike and it was put together by the store. I was wondering if this little cable/wire is okay, it's hitting my pedal every time I’m riding. It doesn’t really bother me, but I don’t want it to end up messing something up really bad. Help please new bike owner

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  • I think that's the inner cable that controls your front derailleur, not a brake cable.
    – Criggie ♦
    Commented May 13, 2020 at 7:15
  • Just bend the cable sideways. It will stay there.
    – Carel
    Commented May 13, 2020 at 17:37

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Nope, it won't hurt anything. It's unlikely, but the worst case is that you might knock the cable crimp (the cap on the end of that cable) off eventually, which could then cause the cable to fray, which would then eventually need to be replaced.

I would try to bend the cable so that it is tucked away behind a piece of the bike frame or the front derailleur (the thing that shifts your front gears) so that it is silent and worry-free.

Enjoy the new bike!

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    Agreed - Just bending the free end some so it points down should be enough.
    – Criggie ♦
    Commented May 13, 2020 at 7:14
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    Kinda indicates to me that the cable isn't secured in the pinch bolt properly, it should wrap around
    – Argenti Apparatus
    Commented May 13, 2020 at 13:37
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    @ArgentiApparatus: Depends. There are bolts fitted with a special washer that has a straight groove in which the cable fits. These washers usually have other ways to keep the cable under the screw.
    – arne
    Commented May 13, 2020 at 14:32
  • The cable is steel, the crankset might be steel, or aluminum. Bending it is the right answer. Left sticking out it will damage the finish on the cranks and possibly damage the cranks or cable itself.
    – Deleted User
    Commented May 13, 2020 at 23:07
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I would definitely take it back to the store and ask them to shorten the cable. It's a simple thing and should be done within five minutes, costing them cents only for the new cap.

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    On one hand I agree with you, on the other hand I think the OP should understand there are many ways to do the "right" thing and should start feeling that the bike is his/her bike and that it can be touched/fixed/manipulated and that simple maintenance can and should be performed by the bicycle's owner. I say this especially because the issue noted here is not compromising safety (not in the short/medium term, at least, cable fraying would take quite some time...)
    – EarlGrey
    Commented May 13, 2020 at 8:15
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    @EarlGrey I agree with you in principle, but on a brand new bike... Also, if it was my bike, I'd fix it myself obviously, but a beginner probably doesn't have cable ends at home.
    – arne
    Commented May 13, 2020 at 10:28
  • Somewhere in between these 2 opinions: when I collected my bike, after test riding it, I borrowed the mechanic's pliers to bend the cable tidily before I left the shop. It's a trivial adjustment and wouldn't be worth a special trip even in normal circumstances
    – Chris H
    Commented May 13, 2020 at 13:11
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    Assuming the OP purchased this bike from a bicycle shop that does this as their main focus (compared to a big box store that just has workers quick-assemble stuff without really knowing what they're doing beyond the printed instruction sheet), I'd question the quality of the work if the bike shop that did the assembly left this cable to hit the crank all the time.
    – Milwrdfan
    Commented May 13, 2020 at 14:59
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    Most people don't own the proper cutter for this type of steel wire (or any type of wire actually), to be able to do a clean cut that inserts nicely into the cap without "gnawing" on the cable and fraying it in the process.
    – Kaz
    Commented May 13, 2020 at 20:34

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