Bicycle Mechanics - Gear indicator removal

My wife’s bike has this awful gear indicator that she would like to take off. It seems as if I could just remove that black screw in the 6 o clock position and remove the cable that goes to the indicator. I’m hesitant to do that because I’m afraid that I’m afraid I might open a Pandora’s box of springs and things and screw up the actual gear shifting. She doesn’t need the indicator but does need to shift. Advice appreciated. Thanx.

gadzooks take a mallet to that thing!

i've never seen anything like it. you should get a new shifter cable and housing probably. you might be able to reuse the cable but it's probably not going to be worth the trouble and a new one is about $4.

This CI-Deck thing is kind of amazing, i'd never have imagined...

Here's a link on installation (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CCgQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftechdocs.shimano.com%2Fmedia%2Ftechdocs%2Fcontent%2Fcycle%2FSI%2FNonSeries%2FID-TX50%2FSI-6XJ0A-En_v1_m56577569830606035.pdf&rct=j&q=shimano%20ci-deck&ei=V2sPTuiyCZL6sAOs7ICHDg&usg=AFQjCNG_Xwuq4WWq2OofoJFqFcov5ePfRw&sig2=XuomWRya3jvSCbUJYRUwmg&cad=rja), you could work it backwards

With your shifters, it looks as if the grey plastic cover near the brake lever should come off after removing the screw. The end of the indicator cable will most likely be under it. I'd try to keep the unit in working condition if possible- it seems more sensible than mindless violence and it can then be sold/given to someone else who wants it.

I have a set of revoshift shifters that came with my bike originally, now I know what the extra cable hole was for. :)

That thing is sweet.

Shimano has some good ideas and some really, really bad ideas.

http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/969/bridgestone.jpg

At least it's not Positron.

Shimano came up with several of these HUD units. All the ones I`ve seen have one thing in common: the cables that drive the indicators have nothing to do with the actual shifting functionality and they can be disconnected / removed without issue.

Thanks for the replies.....I think I'll unscrew the top cover and slowly lift it up to expose what's underneath....hoping that I can just slip out the indicator cable. The link from jchabalk seems to indicate I can do it without any other problems. I figure she'll be about 2 mph faster with that billboard removed. Otherwise I just may to try and sell advertising space on the front side.

Just to finish off this thread, I removed the screw, twisted off the gray top cover, and removed the cable from the indicator cam. Easy to do and does not interfere with the shifter cam and cable directly below it. Thanks.

Congrats, your wife should be happy! That's one of the ugliest things I've ever seen on a bike.