Old cheap R.Derailleur vs new cheap R.Derailleur
03-13-12, 02:22 AM
#1
The bike plague
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Greek mountains
Posts: 377
Bikes: 70's Legnano Road Bike, Late 70's Mercier Road Bike, Ideal Target Mountain Bike, Specialized crosstrail trekking bike and a unicycle
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 38 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
1 Post
Old cheap R.Derailleur vs new cheap R.Derailleur
One of my weird questions again, I hope you haven't got tired yet 
I just got an new cheap read derailleur (I can't recall de model right now but it was shimano and it was the cheapest shimano in the shop - something like altus or tourney). It is ugly and full of plastic. Now a friend of mine gave me his old cheap (similar range with mine) derailleur wich is like 10 years old and it looks so much better. It's full of metal and looks undestractible.
Wouldn't it be wiser to keep the old one which, atleast, looks of better quality than the new one? Also is it me or cycling components nowadays is so much crappier than it was 10 years ago?
I just got an new cheap read derailleur (I can't recall de model right now but it was shimano and it was the cheapest shimano in the shop - something like altus or tourney). It is ugly and full of plastic. Now a friend of mine gave me his old cheap (similar range with mine) derailleur wich is like 10 years old and it looks so much better. It's full of metal and looks undestractible.
Wouldn't it be wiser to keep the old one which, atleast, looks of better quality than the new one? Also is it me or cycling components nowadays is so much crappier than it was 10 years ago?
03-13-12, 09:58 AM
#2
Zip tie Karen
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Fair Oaks Ranch, TX
Posts: 7,004
Bikes: '13 Motobecane Fantom29 HT, '16 Motobecane Turino Pro Disc, '18 Velobuild VB-R-022, '21 Tsunami SNM-100
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1465 Post(s)
Liked 1,542 Times
in
806 Posts
Both Are Probably Fine, But...
A little more information would help.
What was the derailleur originally on the bike? Long cage or medium cage? What is the gearing capacity you need? (subtract large chainring # of teeth from smallest chainring on front) + (largest rear cog teeth - smallest cog teeth).
What are the ranges of your rear cogs? Does the present deraillaur go inward when you release the cable tension, or go outward? Are all three derailleurs the same in this regard?
Is your friend's older derailleur clean and properly lubricated? Signs of wear on the pulleys?
Are you doing the installation yourself and do you have a new cable in place? That may be a major factor in the performance of the replacement derailleur. Can you swap both on and off and judge the differences for yourself?
Many questions to be answered...
What was the derailleur originally on the bike? Long cage or medium cage? What is the gearing capacity you need? (subtract large chainring # of teeth from smallest chainring on front) + (largest rear cog teeth - smallest cog teeth).
What are the ranges of your rear cogs? Does the present deraillaur go inward when you release the cable tension, or go outward? Are all three derailleurs the same in this regard?
Is your friend's older derailleur clean and properly lubricated? Signs of wear on the pulleys?
Are you doing the installation yourself and do you have a new cable in place? That may be a major factor in the performance of the replacement derailleur. Can you swap both on and off and judge the differences for yourself?
Many questions to be answered...
03-19-12, 12:41 AM
#6
Senior Member
The late Sheldon Brown advised that newer derailleurs were always better than old ones. By the same token, more expensive derailleurs are always better than the cheapest ones.
03-19-12, 04:16 AM
#7
Membership Not Required
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: On the road-USA
Posts: 16,855
Bikes: Giant Excursion, Raleigh Sports, Raleigh R.S.W. Compact, Motobecane? and about 20 more! OMG
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 70 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 15 Times
in
14 Posts
Too many variables. However on my bikes the older ones, if they are in good shape, are usually going to work better than the newer ones. I run vintage bikes, Shimano has a bad habit of planned obsolescence. The only derailleurs they make available for 6/7 speeds are the low end stuff, in my case the older high end stuff is going to be a better choice. YMMV
Aaron
Aaron
__________________
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
03-19-12, 02:59 PM
#8
Banned
I got Campag's MTB derailleurs in the 80's, just as they were giving up
on trying to compete , in the Mountain bike component market, at all.
on trying to compete , in the Mountain bike component market, at all.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
dicken74
Classic & Vintage
8
06-06-14 02:37 PM
AuFox
Bicycle Mechanics
6
07-09-10 12:53 PM
