A great bicycle derailleur is always worth investing in. Learn how to bike a derailleur for your bike in this free video clip.
Determine the use of product
Determine budget constraints
Derailleur should be lightweight and strong at the same time
Consult your local bicycle shop
Pancho Herrera is passionate about cycling. Pancho races for the SLO Nexus Club on road and mountain bikes. Pancho also has 25 years cycling experience as a competitor and pro shop mechanic.
PANCHO HERRERA: This is Pancho Herrera. Now I want to talk a little about choosing a good derailleur. There is a lot of choices on the market, a lot of different brands represented, everybody's making a good product, but it is important for you to know what you need. The number one determination is what am I going to do with this product? If you are a recreational level or entry level rider, you can get by generally with a less expensive part, something that is going to be adequate for weekend type of riding, or the occasional use. As you develop in the sport, don't be afraid to invest in a better quality part. More expensive derailleurs are better quality. They have more durability and a little bit more performance built into them. Derailleurs are generally classified as mountain or road type derailleurs. Obviously mountain bike derailleurs built a little more rugged. It will typically have a long cage meant to take up a lot of chain slack, and typically in a suspension bike situation. Road derailleurs are built a little lighter and typically have a shorter cage and are meant to be light weight for that high performance road bike. What makes an expensive derailleur expensive? Well, typically a high-end derailleur is built to be light weight and strong at the same time. You will find forged lengths, possibly titanium bolts, and high grade bearings in the pulleys. Inexpensive derailleur, perhaps we will see steel pieces, the weight of the derailleur will be a little higher, and typically the durability won't be quite as good. So, for good cycling enjoyment, invest in a good quality part and don't forget to use that local bike shop as a good resource.
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