Step by step guide; Adjusting a Shimano Nexus 7/8 gear hub

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This guide applies to any bicycle equipped with a Shimano Nexus Inter-7 or Inter-8 internally-geared hub.
This hub type is primarily found on city bikes, touring bikes and electric bicycles, since it is a fairly low-maintenance gear system.

What you'll need

Important to know before you begin

It’s often possible to manually adjust the system, using the adjustment bolt by the shift lever.
To be able to see the indicator, push the chain guard slightly to the side near the rear-most sprocket.
This action is most easily performed with the bicycle on the floor, without putting the bicycle up in a repair stand or suspending it from hooks.
If you cannot see the indicator properly, or if the chain guard needs to be removed so you can reach the hub, putting the bicycle in a repair stand or on hooks will make things easier.

Step 1 : Adjusting gears using the cable adjuster screw

Put the shift lever on the handlebars in fourth gear. (1)
Remove the chain guard cover cap, if there is one. (3)

Step 2 : Manually adjusting the gear cable

If necessary, clean the cassette joint between the sprocket and frame with a polishing cloth, so the indicator is clearly visible.
You’ll find the cassette joint on the rear axle, located between the sprocket and frame.

Now check the cassette joint to see if the yellow stripes on the indicator are aligned. (1)
If this is not the case, the gears should be adjusted. You can do so by tightening or loosening the inner cable, using the cable adjuster screw near the shift lever on the handlebars. (3)
In the above example, the indicator is located at the bottom of the cassette joint and the cable adjuster screw should be turned clockwise in order to loosen the cable. (2)
There are also cassette joints with the indicator located at the top. If your cassette joint has a top indicator, the adjustment bolt should be turned counter-clockwise instead.
If the yellow stripes are aligned, you can skip steps 3 and 4 of this guide.

Step 3 : Removing the gear cable

If the gear cable cannot be loosened/tightened any further using the cable adjuster screw, because the bolt has been tightened/loosened fully, you can further adjust the cable manually.

Put the shift lever in first gear and fully tighten the cable adjuster screw, creating slack on the inner cable.
Pull the cable out of the cassette joint by pulling the pulley downwards, using an allen key or spoke 14. (1, 2 and 3)
Then remove the outer cable from the cable housing stop.

Step 4 : Adjusting the cable

On the cassette joint, you will find its type/model number. Use this number to find the right adjustment gauge. (1)
What end of the gauge you should use, depends on the cassette joint model.
For the CJ-NX10 and the CJ-8S20, you will need the front end, which measures 101mm.
The rear end, which measures 127mm, can be used for CJ-NX40 and the CJ-8S40 cassette joints.

Use the TL-CJ40 adjustment gauge from Shimano to determine the correct length of the inner cable and to more easily tighten and loosen the cable clamp. (2)
Hook the outer cable in the widest part of the opening and place the inner cable in the narrower part of the Shimano adjustment gauge.
Insert the inner cable in the cable clamp and place the clamp in the iron part of the adjustment gauge.
Tighten the inner cable by pulling it, while simultaneously tightening the clamp on the inner cable.
If you’re not using an adjustment gauge, the inner cable can also be measured using a vernier scale, measuring from the end of the outer cable to the heart of the cable clamp.
Now you can mount the adjusted inner cable back on the cassette joint.
Start by placing the outer cable back in the housing stop. (3)

Step 5 : Mounting the cable

Take the pulley and pull it all the way back down, using an allen key or spoke. (1)
Hook the cable clamp back into the pulley and gently release it, so the cable is tensioned again. (2)
Cut off any excess (inner) cable with a cable cutter.
The gear should now be properly adjusted, or at the very least close to properly adjusted. You can always use the cable adjuster screw for a more precise adjustment.

Manual adjustment can only be done when there is enough space on the cable to pull the cable taut. If there is not enough space, you should use a new inner cable.

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