Servicing the rear derailleur

The rear derailleur does all the shifting work and dangles down close to the ground getting caught on twigs and picking up debris. It’s also the part that your bike lands on first if you crash on your right-hand side or drop the bike. If you have time to think when you’re crashing, drop the bike on the left – it’s far cheaper!

If your shifting is still sluggish after you’ve adjusted the endstop screws and the cable tension, then it’s time to treat your rear derailleur to a little clean and re-lubrication. The separate sections of the derailleur need to be able to move freely, so that your shifting is crisp. The pivots that connect the parts work best if they’re not jammed up with dirt and have a little oil to lubricate them. The first step is to clean your rear derailleur. This is easiest with the back wheel removed, so you can get to everything. Wipe down the outside, then use a little brush to get mud and dirt out from inside the mechanism. You don’t need to carry that muck around with you. You need to move the derailleur…

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