First, yes, your chain is too short. It might work but you risk damaging the derailer and dropout if you botch a shift. But you can't simply "add a couple of links" to a modern chain like you did in the past. The pins are peened so that the chain can take more side force to shift on a narrower chain. You can use a master link but you can't just push out the pin and push it back in again like you could in the old days. The chain will fail.

Second, although I don't turn my bike upside down to work on it, there is FBinNY is correct (mostly) about that. You won't damage the brake cable unless you have very old style brakes and even then it's not all that likely. The derailer will work just fine in any orientation you want to place it in since the mechanism is extremely light and the springs inside the derailer are very strong.

The tension on the cage return spring is strong enough and the derailer is light enough that gravity would only have a minimal effect on the derailer. There just isn't enough weight there to cause any kind of sag or loss of tension on the return spring. If the derailer were worn out or there was a problem with the spring, gravity might cause the derailer to sag under its own weight but in that case the derailer would have to be replaced anyway.

The rear derailer doesn't care if it is upside down or right side up. It simply doesn't matter.


You do realize that the chain goes around and around, don't you? If you put lubricant on the chain when it is at the bottom of the system and you turn the cranks (at any time) the oil on chain at the bottom will eventually become oil on the top of the chain. That's why gravity doesn't matter...sorry, but I have to disagree with you, FB, on that point but what's new? The oil (or any fluid) is going to flow within the chain and be distributed. If the bike sits for any appreciable amount of time, at least some of the oil is going to flow to the bottom of the chain. If you have it in excess, it's going to drip onto the floor and frame. It doesn't matter where you lubricate, it's going to flow.

And the bike clatters when you backpedal because the system isn't properly tuned. It will do that right-side up, up-side down or sideways.


Because you don't have an answer. Unless you have brakes like on the Fuji del Rey, it won't damage the cables to turn the bike upside down. Even then it's a stretch. It might damage the brake levers but any damage would only be cosmetic.