We’d never have dreamt of wireless gear shifting, AI-enhanced suspension damping or electronically controlled gearboxes back in the ’80s and ’90s, yet now they’re relatively commonplace. In other areas, though, we’re still using tech that’s existed for years with little change. Why have these parts remained the dominant standards, and will that continue to be the case?
01 DERAILLEURS
Expensive, intricate and vulnerable, derailleurs were invented in the 1890s, and we’re still using these familiar-looking pieces of tech to shift gears nearly 150 years later. Front derailleurs may now be consigned mostly to road bikes, but rear derailleurs are still the norm on most MTBs.
They can do a good job, if the frame, hanger and derailleur are straight and true, and in good condition. But, hanging off the back…
