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Can I get away with replacing just the olive?
What brakes? I've done Formula RO's and only need ed to replace the olive. By keeping the hose upright I managed to do it without requiring a bleed too.
Sorry.. Hope Mono Minis.
There's some suggestion they can be re-used?
You may be able to reuse the olive, but then again you may not- it's not a good thing to plan on imo considering they cost buttons.
They can but, for what they cost, it's not worth it.
Olives can't be reused as they are crushed against the hose as the nut is tightened into the lever. The barb can be reused if you cut it out with a sharp knife.
To shorten hydraulic hoses you will need a new olive and barb (or reuse your old one), a hose cutter, and possibly a bleed kit and brake fluid - although it is possible to shorten hoses without bleeding. You will also need the relevant sized open ended spanner to remove the brake hose from the lever.
See our guide on shortening Shimano brake hoses without bleeding.
http://www.epicbleedsolutions.com/blog/shorten-shimano-hoses-without-bleeding/
Jagwire do a hose cutter and a pin driver that make the job almost a pleasure.
Having swapped over many, many sets of Shimano brakes I'd happily opt to re-used the olives.
Scotroutes, I've never tried to reuse an olive. How easy is it to remove and refit to a new piece of hose. It looks impossible as the olive is crushed into the hose sheathing which must make it a pig to slide over new hose?
For the pennies an olive costs and the ride wrecking / life changing consequences of a major brake failure at the wrong moment why would you even consider reusing them? Seems a very odd choice to me. I accept they may last year's when reused but for the cost I just don't get taking that risk especially when you have to go to more effort to remove it.
I've never tried it, as I say. The only time I can imagine me trying this would be in a last minute attempt to salvage a ride when there is no way of finding an olive elsewhere.. but I'd simply ride with long hoses before trying this so, I dunno. 🙂