(Part 2) Best sports & outdoors derailleurs & shifters according to redditors

In broad strokes there are five things you need to consider, in order of importance:

1 - How does the derailleur mount to your frame? If you have a hanger with a threaded hole below the dropout you use the "normal" modern style like so

Otherwise if your dropouts (mostly older frames) don't have a hanger you need to use one like this or get an adapter.

2 - (Again broad strokes, there are exceptions) you need to consider the brand. Don't mix Shimano with SRAM.

3 - You need a derailleur for the number of cogs in your rear cassette / freewheel. A 10-speed mountain rear derailleur won't work with 9-speed mountain shifters, for example. There are, again, exceptions but that gets very complicated very quickly.

4 - You need a rear derailleur capable of taking up all the chain slack your gears will create. The rear derailleur not only shifts the rear, it also uses that long dangling cage with two pulleys to tension the chain. The amount of chain used when in the big chainring up front is a lot more than the amount of chain used when in the small. The rear derailleur doesn't shift those front chainrings, but it does take up the slack. You need a rear derailleur which can take up all the slack your chosen drivetrain can generate. (BigChainring-SmallChainring)+(BigCog-SmallCog)=How much slack a drivetrain generates. The longer the "cage" the more chain slack a rear derailleur can tension, but the worse it shifts (in theory) and the more likely it is to get hit by trail obstacles (because it hangs lower). That's why most people run the smallest cage they can. Cages come in three general length categories: Short, medium, and long. MTB cages are almost always medium or long, and road cages are almost always short or medium.

5 - Clutch or not. Clutch derailleurs are (in theory) harder to shift but they don't bounce around as much off road, preventing the chain from bouncing as much on rough terrain, decreasing the chance of the chain popping off the front chainring.


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As far as "what's better than what": Longish article on Shimano and SRAM's heirarchies

Do you mean like these?

If you're looking to switch out brake levers in a set of STI shifters, you're out of luck. They're not meant to be serviceable at all, and parts are very hard to come by. You'll have more luck swapping the whole thing out for a set of black ones (at likely great expense, unless you find someone willing to trade).

Sunrace cassette 9-speed 11-40T CSM990 wide ratio (Sliver) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MTX8J3H/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_E5aLEH7DMDO1P

my bike is a rehabbed 99 GT XCR-4000. here's a brief summary of my current configuration, with costs & reason for replacement. I should note that I wanted to buy a cheap bike to get into the sport and learn how to do maintenance so if I got a nice bike I wouldn't be actively destroying it. I've had the bike for a few years now and replaced a bunch of things. anyways, this is roughly in the order that I replaced things.

Stock: Frame (duh), seat tube, head set / stem.

new:

Shifters: Shimano Alivio 3x9. the shifters were shot when I bought the bike, had a set of microshift ones that lasted a year but sucked and broke. $65 for the pair

Drivetrain: new chainrings $10-$30 each, cassette $35, chain $22, Front Derailleur $20, rear derailleur $68. The drive train was such a mess when I got the bike, I've destroyed some good components from being a noob. all straight now though. kept the 3x9 arrangement since the sifting wasn't holding back my riding at the time.

Fork: Rockshox recon silver solo air $200 the 15 year old rockshox judy was sticky, heavy (coils) and the only damping was the stiction of the tubes. Super happy with the replacement, it's steel so not super light but the adjustable rebound damping made a huge difference. when I bought it they had rim brake mounts as an option on the amazon page, not sure if that's still available. the rim brake version that I have does have disk mounts as well.

Wheels - $100 craigslist. the stock wheels were a mess and impossible to true well - I broke a spoke on my rear wheel which then got sucked into my RD, destroying that and breaking another couple spokes in the process. decided to say screw these old things and bought a new set of wheels, this time with disk brake hubs - thankfully my frame had mounts for the rear.

Disk brakes: avid bb-7 - $60 ebay(new). purchased at the same time as the new wheels, went with mechanical because I didn't want to deal with bleeding hydraulics, though this is the one thing I would change. I would get hydraulic brakes because I feel like I'm adjusting the pads on the mechanicals every ride or two (huge pain in the butt). Also bought avid FR-5 levers $16

handlebars - Ritchey comp alloy $30. crashed and bent my bars pretty good. I didn't want to change out the stem so I bought the closest approximation to the stock bars that I could find cheaply. also decent 25.4mm mount bars are freaking impossible to find.

I should note that this is certainly not the proper way to maximize the quality of the bike for the money. The total is around $700, though I've spent more than that over the 4 years I've had the bike since I've replaced a couple things multiple times (chains, etc.).

if you want a retro bike, these are the best things that I've found to replace the components as they break. If others have found better stuff in terms of bang for your buck, let me know. The only things I've replaced to "upgrade" the bike are the fork & disk brakes, though since it was time for a new wheelset the brakes made a lot of sense to purchase at that time.

Shifter: https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-ST-4700-Tiagra-Control-Shift/dp/B00YGY8JX6

Handlebars will be $50 roughly.

Wheel truing can be done by your local shop. Probably $20-30. Do the rest yourself at home and throw on some new bar tape, you'll end up around $200. It's worth it. Even if you have the shop do it all and pay say $300, still worth it.

I used a Shimano kit on my wife's bike and a Jagwire kit on mine - both came with boots.

Shimano:
https://www.amazon.com/SHIMANO-Dura-Cable-Sleeve-Black/dp/B01F1GYYU4

Jagwire:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001C4NJME/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Shimano m310 3x7 shifters.

Misunderstood, I thought you wanted to replace the DT shifters with brifters.

Your bike here is a 5-speed -- which refers exclusively to the number of cogs on your cassette. It doesn't matter how many chain rings you have in the front. 5x2 means you have a 10-gear range, but we still refer to these bikes as "5-speeds".

The problem is this: 5-speed bikes have a spacing for the rear wheel of 120mm -- which is very narrow compared to modern road bikes. You have two options: track down an old 5-speed rear wheel that works, or you could buy a (comparatively easy-to-find) 6-speed rear wheel and bend the frame to suit its 126mm width. While that sounds like a recipe for disaster, steel is supple and wouldn't really mind the 6mm bend. If you go down the 6-speed route, you will need to replace the shifters and rear derailleur to match a 6-speed drivetrain. Do not attempt to buy a wheel that works with 8, 9, 10, or 11-speed drivetrains, as they simply will not fit the bike.

The cassette you linked would work fine for a 5-speed setup. This is an example of a derailleur that would conceivably fit that bike.

For brakes, almost anything will work. Tektro make some very nice dual-pivot brakes that you can make work with that frame.

Bottom bracket is the set of bearings and spindle that hold the crank arms to the frame.

I'd make this comment even longer if I could, but I'm tired. I've got a 1975 Raleigh Grand Prix and have done everything and more to it, and can answer any question you have when you start working on it. I also race a 1974 Raleigh International in collegiate races and some of the parts are from a Grand Prix. Most of your stated questions were already answered so I'll address some other things.

Check the serial number on the bottom bracket (or left rear dropout). 1974-onward models are on the bottom bracket and have a logical serial number that works as follows: My serial number was WB5... which meant W = Worksop factory, B = 2nd fornight (2-week period) of 5 = 1975. The Worksop factory was the best and the N = Nottingham factory was the worst - not because of build quality, but because they used non-standard bb and headset threading (26tpi). My Grand Prix had a 24tpi standard bb and a Raleigh 26tpi fork/headset, so I'm not sure what happened there.

The drivetrain should be just fine with a replacement chain - my recommendation for any 5-8 speed application is a SRAM PC830/580/870. Sunlite sells a very affordable but effective rear derailleur if you want to replace yours, but the existing one should work fine. The front derailleur will also work great, and I still use that same model. Those downtube shifters, IMO, are actually better than same-era Campagnolo shifters because honestly, levers are quite simple, and these are very solid and have a nice, sharp edge that makes flicking them with your fingertips very easy. I recommend removing the washers and cleaning them, or cutting new ones out of a thin sheet of copper - made mine just like new. For what it's worth, the Huret groupset was a nice step up from the Simplex groupset, and the all-metal Huret components will work just great, particularly with that new chain. Regarding the cottered crank/bottom bracket, be sure to either re-use the original hardened steel cotters or new ones from bikesmithdesign.com. Do not remove or reinsert them with any tool other than a cotter press. If you follow the right directions, servicing them is actually quite simple. Repack and set the bearings carefully, and you shouldn't have problems - Raleigh cups and spindles are legendarily hard and wear-resistant. If you need a new freewheel, be sure to get one with a 14-17-20-24-28 combo (or a 6-speed Shimano 14-28 freewheel), NOT one with a 16t 4th gear in place of the 17, because it's mathematically incorrect. That one is matched to a 52/40 crankset - if you get something with a 14-16-19-21-24-(28), technically a 52/42 is the correct matching crankset. I wouldn't do a 7-speed, spreading the frame and figuring out how to space it properly will be a headache.

Regarding the paint - you may want to keep it as-is and just sand and touch up the rusty areas. This is a high-tensile steel bike (though a nicer one), so I am almost certain not enough metal got rusted away to damage the thicker steel tubing. The paint, however, was generally very good, and is a candy-coated finish that looks very good touched-up. You won't be able to replicate it. I would keep it.

For potential improvements, your best bet is the wheels. While I wish I had kept my Maillard hubs, the steel rims are unfortunate on these frames. Alloy rims are an excellent upgrade, as are moving to 700c rims and getting some nice tires (Clement Strada LGGs are decent). It'll shave a lot of weight while leaving the bike's character intact, and gives you a lot more tire options. You may notice the front brakes are Weinmann 610s and the rears are 750s. The rears are longer-reach than the fronts (this was common practice among bike manufacturers, though I have no idea why). In my experience, putting a 750 on the front will be enough to run 700c rims front and rear.

Keep in mind this is a high-tensile frame, albeit a nice one, so don't go too crazy. I ultimately moved up from mine to an International, but the Grand Prix is still in my stable and I ride it whenever I go home (college student). It's got Nervex lugs and imo the geometry is decent. Just take good care of it and you'll have it a long time.

https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-Tourney-8-Speed-Mountain-Derailleur/dp/B00O7XMG1C

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Like that one?

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There are a couple of others that want me to chose between 'direct attachment' and 'with riveted adapter' like this one:

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https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-RD-A070-Road-Rear-Derailleur/dp/B007Q4PBNO/ref=asc_df_B007Q4PBNO

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Thanks.

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Watching youtube videos about how to replace and adjust a derailleur right now...

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(edit: also https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-RD-TY300-Derailleur-Compatible-Upgraded/dp/B01GO02W5K/ )

Your cheapest option is to replace them with a pair of the 2013 Sora brifters. They've got the two paddle design that lets you shift in the drops. They're also 9-speed so nothing else will need to be changed.

If you've got 2 chainrings then these are what you would need: http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-ST-3500-Shifter-Brake-Lever/dp/B007Q4MRR2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368836722&sr=8-1&keywords=Shimano+Sora+Shifters+2013

If you've got 3 chainrings then: http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-ST-3500-Shifter-Brake-Lever/dp/B007Q4MN9O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1368836722&sr=8-3&keywords=Shimano+Sora+Shifters+2013

Edit: Saw the 9 speed. Nevermind about buying take off 105 stuff. Those Sora ones will work.

Go ahead and buy new brake and derailleur cables, as well as housings. A full kit will set you back $35: http://www.amazon.com/Jagwire-Complete-Brake-Derailleur-Black/dp/B001C4NJME/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425568415&sr=8-1&keywords=jagwire+road+kit

Buy some new bar tape: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=road%20bar%20tape&sprefix=road+bar+t%2Caps

Then read up on youtube on how to do this. It's fairly straightforward. Your hardest part is going to be cutting the housing. The brake housing requires a diagonal cut, while the shifter housing is a straight cut. If you don't have a cable cutter, use a dremel, or find a friend with a cable/housing cutter.

Yes. They come with a small plastic shim for use inside the clamp on a 28.6 tube. You can see the plastic shim In two of the pictures on this page: https://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=83997&category=71

For that matter you can see the shim on this amazon listing as well: https://www.amazon.com/SHIMANO-Dura-Ace-FD-R9150-Derailleur-Adapter/dp/B01M9AEDBG/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=shimano%2Bbraze%2Bon%2Badapter&qid=1572039385&sr=8-2&th=1&psc=1

Use the shim for 28.6, don't use it for your 31.8 :)

Figured out the size! Wanted a black one would this work?

Edit: forgot link SHIMANO Dura-Ace FD-R9150 Front Derailleur Adapter Black, 31.8mm/28.6mm https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M9AEDBG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_OJ2SDbNCNESZ3

if you search for the product number on google you'll find http://bike.shimano.com/content/sac-bike/en/home/components11/road/sora11/rd-r3000-ss.html which says that it is only good for 32 teeth.

this one is good for 34T - see http://bike.shimano.com/content/sac-bike/en/home/components11/road/sora11/rd-r3000-gs.html

edit: do you have friction shifters? if not then you need to also check that the new derailleur is compatible - it needs to move the same amount per "click" as the old one.

no problem. Glad I could help.

here is a bit cheaper one.

The part number on the claris derailleur is FD-2400 if you want to look for it elsewhere since it doesnt seem to be on prime.

They are even cheaper on ebay if you are looking to really pinch pennies.

Gl and feel free to pm if you need help.

Pretty much anything Shimano will be fine.

https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-SL-M310-Shifter-Trigger-Levers/dp/B01E4VQTYQ/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=shimano+shifter+3x7&qid=1573585945&sr=8-4 would work

Or if you're a gripshift fan: https://www.amazon.com/Paraout-Shimano-Cycling-RevoShift-Shifter/dp/B07GNMX5BP/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=shimano+shifter+3x7&qid=1573585978&sr=8-1

If you want something really cheap but annoying to use:https://www.amazon.com/Paraout-Tourney-SL-TX30-Shifter-Levers/dp/B07GNM33CK/ref=sr_1_15?dchild=1&keywords=shimano+shifter+3x7&qid=1573586161&sr=8-15

That's a very misleading description. I'd only order the 3503 if you need the triple. Here is the listing for a 3x9.

My GF has these on her Specialized Dolce Sport and they are very crisp and comfortable.

That is an 8 speed derailleur, so replacement is very easy! Any Shimano 8/9 speed derailleur will work, new or used. RD-M310, RD-M360, and RD-2400 are three inexpensive ones I found on amazon. Also, going used will often let you get a higher end model for less money. I would suggest either getting a RD from your LBS or if buying off the internet, run whatever you find by us

Lets see, I take it you didn't even look at the 2 bikes.

Trek 7.2 FX.

• Shimano 8-speed shifting
  
  It is all of $25 on amazon. Toss in another $27 for the rear derailleur.
  
  Compared to the 549 EUR http://www.bikemarket24.de/diamant-achat-herren-saphirschwarz-bern-silber.html
  
  
• Nexus 7 speed coaster brake. $329 on Amazon
  
  The price difference in gearing alone is where the difference is.
  
  Also includes a bike rack. A lighting system. Seatpost suspension.
  
  Oh, and a 3N20 Dynamo $90 on amazon.
  
  If you bought the Trek and tried to turn the Trek into a commuter bike like the Diamond you'd end up spending more.
  
  Compare apples to apples and then you can do a price comparison.
  
  Here's a 399 EUR one. 7 speed, with dyno. http://www.bikemarket24.de/hercules-13-city-7-nexus-rt-14518.html
  
  Here's another for 299. http://www.bikemarket24.de/kreidler-raise-rt-limited-spectro-7-gang-13811.html?price=3%2C100
  
  Please link to a commuter bike in the US that even close to that feature set for $392.80 AFTER taxes.

So, bit of an update, this is what I ordered earlier and wanting to make sure they're compatible/good choices:

Cassette:
SRAM PG850 8 Speed

Rear Derailleur
Shimano Alvio 8 Speed

Chain
SRAM 850

and I was unable to find any 'cheap' single bar end shifters, most were the 'extreme' kind that have bars extended out in front of the rider(unsure what that is called); however, was able to find a 'good' deal for a right Shimano Sora ST3000 8 Speed shifters.

From my understanding, I could mix/match many of the parts except the RD and the sifter should be the same brand. They all should be 8 speed?
The one part that I have reservations about is the rear deraileur as I would prefer something more 'roady' than the Alivio but unable to find any that are '8 speed'; would it be possible to get a 9 speed Shimano RD and have it still function well?

This is the one I picked up, not sure if it has the clutch on it though. It does seem to shift better than the stock derailleur.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000YBCNAA/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Having a look myself and I found this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007Q4MDI0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007Q4MDI0&linkCode=as2&tag=faqloadcom-20

What do you think? Should it work?

Would you happen to know if these are actually double and triple compatible as the Amazon product specs say?

On Shimano's site it says the 3500 are double, and the 3503 are triple, so I'm guessing they're not?

Available on Amazon!

Name: "SHIFTER FBK NUVINCI HB MANUAL C8 TWIST RH SL 2250mm f/N360/N380"

$52.47

Purchase Link:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MTDST0F

yeah, with the road link PLUS a long cage rear derailleur, you could run something like this for a low gearing cassette: https://www.amazon.com/cassette-Freewheel-derailleur-extender-JGbike/dp/B01MTX8J3H/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1525739460&sr=8-19&keywords=9+speed+cassette


prob overkill! lol but it's doable, just gotta find a long cage rear der that plays nice with your shifter. Totally doable though.

hey could you give info regarding what chain are you using? and regarding slx derailleur is it this one ?

>None of the modern bikes I listed for comparisons’ sake had disc brakes. All had linear pull, just like the ‘00 Specialised.

The bike you link to has disc brakes

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>well you can just cut your sentence there. It’s a steel crankset. It’s cheap, it’s shitty, and it is heavy.

How is it shitty? How much heavier are the cranks on the modern bike vs the older bike? 4lbs difference in bike could be the coil suspension fork alone. Additionally, both the OP's bike and the Pitch are "Forged Alloy". Guess what? Probably the same stuff. The components you get on a bike like the Pitch aren't as shitty as you seem to think they are.

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>Modern Geometry

You realize that with aluminum, specifically, they have modified their manufacturing techniques in the frames to be more compliant where it matters while remaining stiff where power is transferred? I rode an aluminum road bike from 2000 for 17ish years. My butt definitely knows the difference between it and the modern CAAD bikes that Cannondale is putting out. Just because you aren't aware how the modern changes to MTBs affect construction doesn't mean they don't exist.

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>That is a change from the past where MSRP was used as an advertising gimmick to get the rider to think they were getting a great deal- when it really never actually came off sale.

This hasn't changed. The OP bought a year old model, which can bring a bike down 30% in cost. I've only bought one bike (high quality kid's bike) at full value, and have probably bought 7/10 of the bikes new from a shot that I've purchased new in the past decade.

You are only picking out any possible negative comparisons to fit your narrative and haven't provided any actual contradictions to my points, just a lot of hate.

They make them in both 9 and 10 speeds. With the XT 9/10 speed stuff you need specific derailleur for 9 or 10 speed for some reason.

The rear D for 9 speed is the M772 or M773. Also, the Deore SGS is a good choice, this is what came on my bike and it's the same derailleur, just a bit heavier.

The 10 speed rear is the M781

Just remembered something else that you didn't have questions about, but that you'll want to know about: cables and housing. If you don't already have a set in mind, I'd recommend looking at a Jagwire Racer set--very good for the price.

There are a few details that matter for your derailleur.

• If the current one is a SRAM, the new one needs to be a SRAM.
  
  
• If the current derailleur has an integrated claw-type hanger (like this one does, as opposed to this one) then you want to get the same thing.
  
  If neither of the above apply to you, then you can buy just about anything else out there.
  
  If you don't have indexed shifting, or if you do, and you have less than 8 gears in the back, then you can get away with really cheap cables. WalMart and Amazon sell a Bell-branded kit with everything you need for $6.
  
  Take note of the cable routing as you take the old parts off, and use the old housing sections as a guide to cut the new ones (even if you need to make some changes). Also, read this first. You don't really need special tools, but you will need to do some clean-up work on the cut housing ends with a file.
  
  

>Edit: Can I swap out just the front shifters with these? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JPVUMOY/ref=twister_B00L096XLU?th=1&psc=1.
Will this work with sora front and rear derailuer?

No. That is a 11-speed shifter. It works with a 11-speed chain and a 11-speed rear cassette.

Please tell me EXACTLY which model Sora she has. Sora has been around for over 15 years in different varieties. Current Sora is 9-speed. I know the 8-speed Sora shifters had reach adjustment. There's a screw at the top of the hoods...if you tighten them, you reduce the reach which would help you wife.

This looks like it might work

https://www.amazon.com/Sunlite-Short-Cage-7spd-Derailleur/dp/B001HD8Q4Q/ref=sr_1_6?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1497773398&sr=1-6&keywords=bike+derailleur

Thank you for your thoughtful response.

Someone suggested this, which can take 34T cogs:
https://www.amazon.co.jp/SHIMANO-%E3%82%B7%E3%83%9E%E3%83%8E-%E3%83%AA%E3%82%A2%E3%83%87%E3%82%A3%E3%83%AC%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A9%E3%83%BC-RD-R3000-GS-ERDR3000GS/dp/B01D8CP9B6/ref=sr_1_1?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1506107852&sr=1-1&keywords=RD-R3000-GS

Will the cage itself still crash, though？

Your shop doesn't ship to Japan, does it? xD

I'm not sure I understand your question, but I use this derailleur with a bar end shifter on a 9 cog 11-34 cassette.

https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-Deore-RD-M592-Rear-Derailleur/dp/B00WJGWJUC

Not sure if you have a 10-speed 105 rear derailleur or 11-speed, but here is what you need:

If you have 10 speed: Shimano 105 5700 10-speed shifters

If you have 11 speed: Shimano 105 5800 11-speed shifters

The prices are a bit expensive on amazon, you can probably get the shifters on Ebay for ~$100.

As for the brakes.. assuming you have rim brakes, those can be brand-mixed easily with no issues.