Front derailure maintenance

[zigzag]

if the fd is sheltered by a mudguard, then it will last years with hardly any maintenance (jet wash, dry and lube once a year is more than enough). if the derailleur gets a lot of muddy/salty spray from the rear tyre then regular maintenance regime is necessary to keep it going. i don't use any smelly stuff on my bike (e.g. gt85, diesel, white spirit etc.) and find that penetrating aerosol chain lube does a good job on hinges and pivots of derailleurs, brake calipers, sti levers.

[Kim]

if the fd is sheltered by a mudguard, then it will last years with hardly any maintenance (jet wash, dry and lube once a year is more than enough). if the derailleur gets a lot of muddy/salty spray from the rear tyre then regular maintenance regime is necessary to keep it going. i don't use any smelly stuff on my bike (e.g. gt85, diesel, white spirit etc.) and find that penetrating aerosol chain lube does a good job on hinges and pivots of derailleurs, brake calipers, sti levers.

GPWM.  Especially when it's a nice wide (~50mm) mudguard.

Even better than sheltered by the rear mudguard is the boom of a recumbent.  Pretty much immune to road splatter, unless you're riding behind someone without mudguards (and recumbent riders tend not to make a habit of that, because it all lands in their face).

It's my MTB where the front mech gets properly caked in crud.  But it gets a clean and lube after pretty much every ride.

[quixoticgeek]

Current state of front mech is as follows:






Works fine tho.

J