Non Indexed rear mech help please

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Location
Shropshire
Hello All,
My rear mech has fallen apart on my ride to work bike (luckily close to home) but as it relatively old tech I haven't got a clue as to what I need to replace it can anyone help ? I'm looking for something at the budget end of the market as it's a relatively shabby bike. thanks all here is a pic.

gear.jpg


90A5D1


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Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
Go to your local bike shop. More or less any RD will do the business and they'll have old ones in their 'box (YLBSMV).
 

Cycleops

Legendary Member
Location
Accra, Ghana
Decathlon have some cheap good rear mechs and there is one near you at the Gallaher Retail Park in Dudley, open tomorrow as well. They have tech staff so can also fit it for you.
 

si_c

Guru
Location
Wirral
The nice thing about friction shifting is that anything you can fit in there will work. The second two images aren't loading for me unfortunately, so I don't know if you've posted a better view of what's happened, but it looks like the chain has become caught behind the freewheel.

If that is the case and there is nothing else broken, then if you can pull the chain out from behind the freewheel you should be good to go, but I'd still check the high and low limit screws as you shouldn't be able to shift the chain that far inwards, and those screws are designed to stop that. We can direct you to instructions if needed.

Once you've got the chain off, then get it all back into a lower gear and post a couple of new photos.

It would be useful if you could post an image from the rear of the cluster, getting the derailleur in full, so we can see if the cage is bent at all.
 
OP
OP
BADGER.BRAD
Location
Shropshire
Thanks everyone, I wasn't sure if I could use index type gear equip with a none index system , so that makes it a lot easier. I also had never come across a mech that bolted to the frame most I've seen are on a hanger or attached to the rear axle.I have no problem with fitting it , the original has some pressed parts which have literally fallen apart sending the mech at an angle to the chain luckily I caught it before it sent its self into the wheel and only had to push for a short distance before rolling home. It a freewheel ,originally 5 speed but now 6 so that I could use a mega range sprocket to match the original gearing.
again thanks all.
 
Any long cage 8 speed mech with do. It would be very easy to introduce indexing to the bike since both the mech and freewheel are indexed compatible - all you need is a shifter with the appropriate number of clicks.
 

si_c

Guru
Location
Wirral
Thanks everyone, I wasn't sure if I could use index type gear equip with a none index system , so that makes it a lot easier. I also had never come across a mech that bolted to the frame most I've seen are on a hanger or attached to the rear axle.I have no problem with fitting it , the original has some pressed parts which have literally fallen apart sending the mech at an angle to the chain luckily I caught it before it sent its self into the wheel and only had to push for a short distance before rolling home. It a freewheel ,originally 5 speed but now 6 so that I could use a mega range sprocket to match the original gearing.
again thanks all.

Ah ok, I understand now, I couldn't see that parts of the mech had fallen apart from the photo you posted, but I could see that the chain had come off. Most steel frames have a built in derailleur hanger as part of the drop-outs, you tend to only see the separate derailleur hangers on carbon or alloy frames, and the integrated hanger that attaches to the axle is predominantly low-end gear.

As has been said above, any derailleur will work with what you have, although if possible I'd try to stick to a 7 or 8 speed model, simply because the cage can become narrower on the higher speed ones as the chain is also narrower, so you might get a bit of chain rub. You can either look online for a second hand one or get a new one. Something like the new Shimano Claris R2000 series derailleur would fit the job perfectly, cost about £25 and to me, the new models look just as good as the higher end shimano gear.
 
OP
OP
BADGER.BRAD
Location
Shropshire
The fact I can add indexing to the bike would be useful, the bike itself as far as can work out was built about 1982 and is a E clements road bike ( not to be confused with a quality Ernie Clements bike in fact it's quite naff) with front and rear racks as standard although fitting anything like touring panniers is near impossible as the rack is that close on the back that it is difficult to get enough clearance between panniers and feet. My intention when summer came was to rebuild the bike as a hybrid type tourer with a new lick of paint and some better running gear. I think as this has happened I will take the opportunity to make a start and press my long suffering MTB based commuter back into service.

Thanks again for all your help.
 

Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
if you do it yourself you may have to buy a chain breaking tool.
I think a small allen key will allow the OP to extract the chain, left in situ, from the broken RD cage and secure it in the new RD cage. No chain splitting required (if the OP sticks to a simple replacement - cage the same length as currently). Still think the OP's LBS is the best place to ask for a second hand RD (suspect all the contributors to this thread have half a dozen in their 'box' - I have).
Renewal of cable outers also recommended.
 
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