A shifter for the actuation of bicycle transmissions designed to be installed primarily on a handlebar of a bicycle. The shifter can have a stationary housing and a rotational housing that are connected together to form a single assembled unit. A traction cable having a nipple on one end can be inserted into t he first end of a passageway in the single assembled unit. The passageway is sized such that the nipple and the traction cable may both pass through the passageway. The nipple end and traction cable can be pushed through the passageway until the nipple end comes out of the other end of the passageway. The nipple can then be fastened to the rotational housing without having to dismantle the single assembled unit.