Fitting a new rear derailleur

There are many reasons you might want or need to change your rear derailleur. First of all, it might have snapped in a crash. Alternatively, it might simply have worn out from hundreds of gear changes.

Derailleur pivots will wear over time, causing sluggish shifting as the guide jockey struggles to respond to changes in cable tension. Take hold of the bottom of the derailleur cage and rock it sideways, towards and away from the back wheel. A bit of flex is fine, but if you can feel the cage knocking, replace the derailleur. This task is easiest when you have as much chain slack to play with as possible. That’s why you should change into the smallest sprocket at the back, while at the same time dropping the chain off the smallest sprocket at the front and into the gap between the chainset and the frame. Clip the end-cap off the cable. “A bit of flex is fine, but if you can feel the cage…

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