How To Replace Your Rear Derailleur | GCN Tech Monday Maintenance

Removing and installing the rear derailleur on your road bike can seem like a pretty intimidating job. Despite this, it's really easy to do and means you can service your mech and jockey wheels to improve your shifting. In this video, Alex shows you how to remove and reinstall the rear derailleur on your bike!

Check out the GCN App:

#Cycling #GCN #GCNTech #RoadBike

Have you ever removed your rear derailleur? Let us know in the comments below!

If you enjoyed this video, make sure to give it a thumbs up and share it with your friends. 👍

Watch more on GCN Tech...

Music - licensed by Epidemic Sound:
A Mistake (Instrumental Version) - Particle House
Fine with You Gone (Instrumental Version) - Particle House

Brought to you by the world’s biggest cycling channel, the Global Cycling Network (GCN), GCN Tech is the only channel you need for all things bike tech – past, present and future.

Simply put, we’re obsessed with tech: we seek out and showcase the best in bikes, components, tech, accessories, upgrades and more from races and events, tech shows and product launches across the globe to bring you the best in road bike technology.

We’ve also got great maintenance videos to help you get the most from your bike; pro-bike tours from all the biggest races; special features and the weekly GCN Tech Show. We also take a deeper look into the future of cycling, apps, smart tech and virtual riding.

Join us on the channel and the GCN App to submit your content, vote on the latest tech and keep abreast of exciting new trends.

[gcntech]

Have you ever removed your rear derailleur? Let us know in the comments below!

[neil_down_south]

2:06 when fitting the derailleur, check it's rotated anticlockwise until it butts up against the small tab that sticks out from the derailleur hanger. Also check periodically to ensure no gap has appeared during use.

[funboat]

None of the derailleur tuning videos ever mentioned the importance of the angle the derailleur needs to be on the hanger. If not proper the unit rubs up against the frame in ninth gear, causing the chain to jump because no amount of tuning will correct the problem until the derailleur is free to move.

[ramonvanderben]

Don't forget to fit a new cable end cap on! You would't be the first with a puncture wound in hand or fingers because of some unraveled sharp cables!

[mehDOGIESRATS]

I didn't have a chain tool, so I just took the cogs off the Derailleur, shit was bit of a nightmare . Had no idea what I was doing . Had a washer somewhere it shouldn't of been and the bolt wasn't biting . Took me 2 hours to figure out what was going on lol . I'm a middle aged man, so when I got off the ground it felt like I had done something to my back . The lighting was so bad all I could see was like black shapes, I guess I learnt something tho . Much easier if you bolt the derailleur on the bike before attempting what I was doing lol . I need a wine after that shit, I'm half way there lol . The derailleur cost me like 30 dollars, hate to imagine how much it would of costed to get fixed at the bike shop .

[williamtuttle]

New at bikes my difficulty was putting the chain and derailleur on . This film really helped thank you😂

[andrewharris]

Drop to bottom sprocket before removing!

[Aureas]

Maybe clever to also mention the fact not all quicklinks are re-usable. I''ve snapped two whilst climbing out the saddle before I learned this.

[christofferstfeldt]

Too many omissions and/or mistakes. On the top of my head: Re-using quick links may be a no-go depending on manufacturer; some chains are directional, as are some quick links; (low) limit screw position can be influenced by cable tension; front chainring position not mentioned in relation to indexing; no crimping of the now exposed cable end, which is now going to fray.
Could also mention: What to do if there's no quick link; why would I do this in the first instance; possibility of faulty mech hanger; compatibility of different rear derailleurs.

[jhvanderstighelen]

really should have mentioned ensuring the b-adjustment is behind the lug on the hanger when attaching to the hanger. . This is the one thing i keep forgetting to do, and risks badly damaging the derailleur and hanger; would have taken 10-15s max.

[robertwalker]

Thank you so much!!! After hours of messing around your five minute video got my MTB all dialed in :)

[peterstevens]

After years of cycling you still learn something new from videos like this.. thank you GCN Tech

[jonathanemdin]

Great video! I purchased a bike online and the rear wheel and derailleur arrived detached. This video and others by GCN were very helpful for learning the basics and understanding the various parts of the bike. Thanks!

[kenadams]

You should fit a new gear cable while your there, and ensure the gear shifter is set to the highest gear (smallest cog on the cassette) before tensioning the cable..also screw in shifter and derailler barrell adjusters to within a few rotations before tensioning the gear cable by hand.Compatability of the derailler and shifter is crucial, too, and therefore match shimano with shimano / sram with sram etc.A usesful tip for old bikes is to straighten a bent derailler hanger with a vice grips if needed ..after this the derailler may not thread easilly, so, temporarily fit the derailler on the inside of the 'hanger' to 'tap' the hanger threads.

[sethmeistergee]

This is a decent video -- you can make it better by showing common out-of-normal configurations along with what they sound like when pedaling / shifting then showing how to resolve the issue via adjustments (and showing the alignment of the pulley with the cassette would go a long way to doing that as well).

[daraclarke]

I have roved my derailleur from my old mountain bike but not from my road bike. Hopefully I won't have to be removing any derailleurs for a while because I got a new road bike yesterday 😁😁
Great video guys thanks

[risingawareness]

Omg thanks so much! I thought for sure I was gonna die not understanding this. 😅 It's so easy once you get it. I can now check this one off my bucket list.

[marzenarozanska]

I have to comment. I watched so many tutorials on how to change derailler and only just now finally understood! Thank you so much for that video. ❤🎉❤❤

[lukasilverman]

Thank you so much for the video, keep up the great work.🙏💪
I removed my 105 rear derailleur because it was bent and then replaced it.

[pogle]

Thanks found out what I needed to know quickly, clearly and precisely. Been a long time since I messed about with derailiers needed to refresh the old grey cells.