Why do derailleurs hang downwards?

[Chris S]

I can't see why they wouldn't work if the pointed upwards from the cassette. They'd be a lot less likely to get hit as well.

 

[dan_bo]

If you think about it, it would look gash.

 

[Pottsy]

That'd only work if you pedalled backwards or the derailleur would just collapse. Think about it

 

[Chris S]

That'd only work if you pedalled backwards or the derailleur would just collapse. Think about it

How about if the derailleur was also 'flipped' through a 180 degrees?

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Dérailleurs work by guiding the chain onto the next cog. Above the cassette would mean it would only fight with the front cassette and side to side movement would not change cassette gear because it's fed in from below.

 

[400bhp]

The clue is in the title......

 

[Rob3rt]

If it was on top, you would tear it clean off!

 

[VamP]

How about if the derailleur was also 'flipped' through a 180 degrees?

In other words below the cassette?

 

[numbnuts]

It's that way for a reason

 

[davefb]

top tip...

keep a spare one of the "little metally bits that fail first before the derailleur"

its' "great" when they fail (ie smacked a rock) on a mountain bike ride .... and suddenly you have to create a single speed bike to limp home :-/

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Actually, one way of reproducing the effect of the dérailleur being above would be to change gears while backpedalling. (Can you borrow someone else's bike for the trial?)

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

top tip...

keep a spare one of the "little metally bits that fail first before the derailleur"

its' "great" when they fail (ie smacked a rock) on a mountain bike ride .... and suddenly you have to create a single speed bike to limp home :-/

So when I ring Vitus in France and ask for a "little metally bits that fail first before the derailleur" they will know what I mean?


It's called a hanger

 

[Dusty Bin]

just when you thought the thread couldn't get any worse...

 

[MontyVeda]

just when you thought the thread couldn't get any worse...

whatever happened to those cages the early MTBs all had?

 

[snailracer]

Actually, one way of reproducing the effect of the dérailleur being above would be to change gears while backpedalling. (Can you borrow someone else's bike for the trial?)

That test would be thwarted by the freewheel.