Rear mech

[chillyuk]

I purchased a Deore 9 speed rear mech from an Ebay retailer. The listing stated reverse spring, but the significance of that didn't register to me at the time of ordering. The "normal" position of the mech would have been on the lowest gear and the cable pull to shift to higher gears which is the opposite to any gears I have ever had. I have arranged a return as the mech has not been fitted and purchased the correct mech from the same seller. However, thinking about it, what would be the problem with the gears working backwards? I wouldn't have thought it would take long to get used to it, and once in gear what does it matter how you get there.

 

[anyuser]

One of my bikes has low normal as you describe and I actually prefer it. You just have to get used to using the shift levers that way round.

 

[subaqua]

front mech has this on my MTB .i think the terms are top pull and bottom pull. takes a few seconds to get used to when swapping from MTB to road bike

 

[TheDoctor]

Top pull / bottom pull is what way the cable enters the front mech - from under the bottom bracket like on road bikes, or from down the seat tube, as most MTBs have.
Not the same thing as top normal / bottom normal.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

The difference is low normal or high/top normal, meaning whether the mech spring pulls naturally into low or high/top gear. Some people prefer low normal especially for offroad because the spring helps, rather than impedes, switching into lower gear when the system is caked in mud to get out of trouble.

Front mech top pull and bottom pull, bottom swing and top swing etc. are entirely different things altogether.

 

[subaqua]

hence the I think . ta for explaining