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Is it possible to remove a front derailleur without removing my chain and without the use of heavy equipment?

5 min read

Asked by: Tyler Maloney

Can I remove front derailleur without removing chain?

If the derailleur is riveted closed, you won’t be able to take it off the bike without breaking the chain or destroying the derailleur. If you’re going to replace it, then you’ll need to break the chain anyway to put the new derailleur on. So if that’s the case, then just buy a chain tool and new derailleur.

How do I take the front derailleur off my bike?


Quote from video: The cable is no longer attached so that's free we can now use the five mil allen key to go in at the front here. And loosen the main bolt that holds the derailleur to the frame. Be a little bit tight.

How do you remove a Shimano front derailleur?

Quote from video: The front derailleur down to the smallest chainring up front. So shift it down next you want to remove the cable. That's where use the five millimeter allen wrench.

How do you remove a derailleur?

Quote from video: Put the mech to the smallest sprocket using your sti's. Pull the cable crimp off the end of the inner cable using some pliers then undo the cable crimper bolt by unscrewing it anti-clockwise.

Do you need 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.

How do you replace a front derailleur on a road bike?

Quote from video: Tool remove the cable crimp bolt making sure that you don't lose the washer. And then attach the tool to the mech like this. And then run the cable through the guide.

What happens if I remove my front derailleur?

Removing the front derailleur isn’t really a good idea, gear wise unless you have a good reason to. All you’re doing is taking away the little mechanism that moves the chain from one front ring to another. If you’re not happy with the shifting, get it tuned, not remove it.

What is a master link on a chain?

A master link or quick-release link is a roller chain accessory that allows convenient connection and disconnection of a chain without the need for a chain tool. It acts as a set of the chain’s outer plates, so joining two sets of the chain’s inner plate ends.

What is Dual Pull front derailleur?

Dual pull. Dual pull is something that came out as a solution to make front-derailleur options more universal. Simply, a dual-pull derailleur allows the cable to be routed from either the top or bottom.

How tight should front derailleur cable be?

It is generally a good idea to lubricate the pivot point of the front derailleur with a light lubricant. The cable inner wires should also be lubricated. If you have loosen the inner wire pinch bolt, lubricate those threads as well. When tightening this pinch bolt, secure to approximately 30-40 inch-pounds.

How much does it cost to fix a derailleur?

There can be a range of prices for replacement derailleurs, starting around $20 and going all the way up to $700.

Why won’t my front derailleur shift up?

Common Front Derailleur Problems. Front derailleurs may cause sluggish or inaccurate shifting because (A) the derailleur body is not positioned properly, (B) the derailleur limit screws are not adjusted correctly, (C) the mechanism is dirty or (D) the cable is damaged or improperly tensioned.

Why are bikes 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.

Do you need front derailleur for 1X?

A 1x drivetrain is simpler to operate than a drivetrain with multiple chainrings because you don’t have to worry about shifting a front derailleur. Instead, you only need to shift the gears up and down the cassette.

How many gears does a bike really need?

Quote from video:

How do I change the front gear on my bike?

Quote from video: Loosen and remove the bolts holding the chain rings to the crank on some chain rings all you'll need is a torque ski. For others you'll need a hex key and a nut wrench tool.

How do you change front gear?

Left-hand shifter controls front shifting: Push the shift lever behind the brake lever inboard (sweeping left to right) to shift up into a larger chainring (a larger/harder gear). Push down on the thumb paddle to shift down into a smaller chainring (a smaller/easier gear).

How do you fix a front derailleur that won’t shift?

Pull the cable as tight as feasible with your fingers and retighten the anchor bolt. Try to shift up to the larger chainring. If the chain won’t shift or feels sluggish, twist the inline barrel adjuster further up the cable (turn it anti-clockwise) to increase the tension and try again.

How do you replace a front derailleur cable?

Quote from video: The first step is to remove your old cable. So to do that we need to loosen the allen key cinch bottle on the derailleur. And it's the same right of the front or the rear derailleur.

How do you tension a front derailleur cable?

Quote from video: Once we're in place. We can take our five millimeter hex. Key let's get it in place. Now just pull it tight. And tighten the front derailleur capable with a 5 millimeter hex.

How do you adjust the tension on a front derailleur?

Quote from video: The limit screws. Just how far the derailleur can move either out or in but to actually control the movement of the derailleur. That's all down to cable tension. So limit screws limit the derailleur.