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Questions and answers about sports

Adding front derailleur vs upgrading the rear one on a (ladies) bicycle

5 min read

Asked by: Mary Marie

Is it better to have a front derailleur?

Are Front Derailleurs Necessary? These days front derailleurs are essentially not necessary, on mountain bikes at least. Now even high-end road bikes are starting to lose their front derailleurs. With a larger rear cassette, it’s possible to get the same number of gears without the need for a front derailleur.

Are front derailleurs obsolete?

SRAM are announcing the end of the front derailleur in mountain biking. The 1x drivetrains on offer from several manufacturers coupled with the range of gears on offer from an 11 speed cassette have rendered the front mech obsolete.

Can you mix front and rear derailleur?

The only two ways the front derailer and rear derailer must be compatible are 1) they must be assuming the same chain width (or at least reasonably close), and 2) they must combine to produce a reasonable chainline (more a function of the crankset than the front derailer).

Do front and rear derailleurs have to match?

The shifters and derailleurs need to match. Front: Sram and Shimano work with eachother on the front derailleur. Rear: Sram and Shimano do NOT work with eachother on the rear. They have different pull ratios and you need to match brands here.

Why bikes are being sold with only one gear in front?

Q: Why bikes are being sold with only one gear in front? These bikes are called 1X or OneBY drivelines. They have only a single chainring and a wider ratio rear cassette. Their advantage is that they don’t have a front derailleur or shifter.

Why do mountain bikes have no front derailleur?

The case for a one-by drivetrain is pretty simple; by loosing the front derailleur you save weight and simplify your bike, having fewer cables to worry about and less to go wrong when riding.

Do road bikes need front derailleur?

The front derailleur is a key component on many road, gravel and hybrid bikes. While it does a simple job, moving the chain between the chainrings on the crankset, there’s more to the front derailleur than meets the eye.

What gearing do pro cyclists use?

Pros often use a 55×11-tooth high gear for time trials. On flat or rolling stages they might have 53/39T chainrings with an 11-21T cassette. In moderate mountains they switch to a large cog of 23T or 25T.

Why do new bikes have less gears?

So why do mountain bikes have less gears? Mountain bikes have less gears for quite a few reasons, however the primary reasons being less maintenance, lighter weight, and the need for only the quickest shifts when running into such a varied terrain.

Will a 7 speed front derailleur work with 9 speed?

Yes. A front derailleur marketed as for a 9 speed system will work normally with your 7 speed set up.

What does a derailleur extender do?

What Derailleur Extender Do? The derailleur extender will make the original hanger longer and lower the rear derailleur, to put the upper jockey wheel under the bigger cogs to make the shift possible, mostly needed when upgrading to a big ratio cassette.

How do I know what derailleur I need?

If you are replacing an existing derailleur on a bike, simply count the number of cogs on your cassette and you’re good to go. If your drivetrain’s speed is an unknown quantity, you can count the number of steps that your shifter runs through and add ‘one’ to determine the number of gears your drivetrain has.

Can I use a 9 speed front derailleur on a 8 speed?

In practice, they are interchangeable. You can use a 9 speed FD on an 8 speed crank.

Are oval chainrings better?

As a direct consequence, Oval rings enhance a cyclist’s ability to spin with a smoother power delivery and feel much easier on legs while climbing. Meaning you will go faster and get less tired. You will actually feel your pedal stroke to be more “round” with an Oval chainring than with a round chainring.

Why do mountain bikes have a single front gear?

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Do road bikes need front derailleur?

The front derailleur is a key component on many road, gravel and hybrid bikes. While it does a simple job, moving the chain between the chainrings on the crankset, there’s more to the front derailleur than meets the eye.

Can you use mountain bike front derailleur on a road bike?

The same logic applies to front Shimano derailleurs, you cannot mix a road (shifter or derailleur) with a MTB (shifter or derailleur) for the exact same reason, even though the chainrings use the same spacing.

What is the front derailleur called?

A road bike front derailleur, often referred to as a front mech, or gear, is the mechanism which moves the chain across the front chainrings. It is very basically a cage with two metal side plates which push the chain right or left on to larger or smaller chainrings.

Are all derailleurs the same?

No, bike derailleurs are not universal. A derailleur that works with one bike may not work with another bike based on factors such as the cage length. Check the difference between the smallest and largest cogs and also the chainring size to determine the derailleur compatibility.

How do I know what derailleur I need?

If you are replacing an existing derailleur on a bike, simply count the number of cogs on your cassette and you’re good to go. If your drivetrain’s speed is an unknown quantity, you can count the number of steps that your shifter runs through and add ‘one’ to determine the number of gears your drivetrain has.

How long does a rear derailleur last?

Good quality rear derailleur can last between 3 to 5 years, when unbranded or low-quality ones can last for 2 years, no matter what the durability of the rear derailleur the jockey wheel will wear after time and it can be replaced very cheaply with new ones, on the other hand, front derailleur can last almost