Many people think that in order to ride a mountain bike, they need a derailleur. This is not the case. A mountain bike can be ridden without a derailleur by using either a 1x drivetrain or “single speed” set-up. With these bikes, you only have one gear and you don’t need to worry about having enough gears for different terrain.
A single speed set-up is when your rear wheel has just one cog on it which allows you to change gears while pedaling backwards as well as forwards.
The simplicity of this means that it’s easier than ever before to get into biking with few complications involved with changing gears at all times of the ride and no worries about getting clogged up with mud or debris.
Here is a related article that might interest you on Can You Put Stunt Pegs On a Mountain Bike?
What Is A Derailleur In A Mountain Bike?
A derailleur is a device that helps to change gears on a bicycle. It consists of two parts: the “derailleur” and the “cassette”.
The cassette is found at the rear wheel hub, and it contains all of the sprockets (or cogs) that are used by the chain. These sprockets are attached to an axle that turns them as you pedal; they can be moved closer together or farther apart from each other using a shifter mechanism in order to make pedaling easier.
The derailleur part is found on either side of your bicycle’s frame and moves back and forth along it in order to keep tension on your bike’s chain while you’re riding.
It does this by moving a pulley wheel along the length of the chain; when it’s time to change gears, the derailleur will move forward and pull on one side of your bike’s chain while pushing on the other.
How To Rig A Derailleur?
It’s not complicated, either. All you need is some wire and an old chain link (or any metal object with the same hole size as your derailleur).
First, take off your chain from the front gear cluster by removing the rear wheel and cassette (if there is one).
Next, remove your rear derailleur by loosening the screws holding it in place. Then make sure that both ends of your wire are long enough to reach around the frame of your bike; then thread them through two holes in two different parts of the frame so that they can be pulled tight when needed.
Next, thread your chain through the hole in one end of the wire and around a gear on the rear cluster. Thread it back up to that same point where you threaded your wire through two holes in different parts of the frame before linking it tightly with pliers (you can also use any type of clamps). Make sure both ends of the wire are pulled tight.
Now, thread your chain to the front gear cluster by routing it through a hole in one end of the wire and around a cog on either side (the right or left). Wrap up and secure with pliers. Now you’ve got yourself an improvised derailleur! All that’s left is to tighten all your nuts and bolts and you’re good to go.
Is A Front Derailleur Needed?
This question is hotly debated. Some people say that front derailleurs are unnecessary, while others say they are. You can make your own decision by reading the following arguments in favor of and against front derailleurs.
People arguing that front derailleurs are not needed argue that modern gears have better ratios than they used to and also argue that a modern cassette will help make it easier to maintain pedaling torque, which means you don’t need a front derailleur.
On the other hand, people arguing for the use of a front derailleur argue that cassettes wear out over time and when this happens your bike will no longer shift properly so you need a front derailleur to keep your bike running smoothly.
A front derailleur is not necessary for the use of a mountain bike. However, it helps in riding bushy off-road terrain.
If there is no front derailleur, the chain is always looped around the small chainring at the front if you are using a triple crankset. The chain will be looped around the big ring if you are using a double crankset, and it will be looped around both the middle and big rings if you are using a double or single crankset respectively.
A front derailleur can help with low gears because it can hold the chain on the largest chainring on a triple crankset without letting it come off when shifting to an easier gear.
A front derailleur can also help to maintain a more constant pedal cadence when riding uphill because it will let the chain stay on one of the smaller rings instead of switching between them each time you shift gears, which would slow down your pedaling.
Most off-road riders typically do not use a front derailleur, but it is a helpful device when riding in the forest.
How To Convert To Single Speed After Derailleur Problems?
It is important to know how to convert back to a single speed drivetrain system if you have had derailleur problems with your mountain bike.
It can be done either by removing the front derailleur and installing an idler wheel, or by replacing the rear derailleur with a one-speed freewheel.
The first option is recommended for those who want to keep their current shifters, but it may require some cable modifications.
The second option allows you to replace your existing shifters with any other type of gear changing mechanism that suits your needs. Both options are fairly simple and inexpensive ways of getting back on track when faced with this unfortunate problem.
Why Your Mountain Bike Is Better Without A Derailleur?
On most bikes you need to pedal backwards when going from low gears to high ones and vice versa, which can be difficult if there’s a lot of resistance from the ground – like climbing uphill or riding in sand.
If you don’t have a derailleur, then all that needs doing is shifting your weight forwards for higher gears and backwards for lower ones; so no more pedaling in the wrong direction.
Another benefit of not having a derailleur is that you’ll never have to worry about your chain coming off – it’s all inside one cassette so there are no dangling parts for dirt or grit to get tangled up in, and if they do then a simple twist will make them come back on track.
A derailleur is a fantastic invention for any road or racing bike, but if you’re riding off-road then it’s probably best to get rid of one.
A chain that constantly moves up and down the cogs in your cassette will take a lot more wear than one which stays put on only two gears – so save yourself some money by installing a simple single chainring up front, and you’ll never need to worry about replacing your cassette.
The idea is that you can focus on pedaling and steering at the same time without worrying about shifting your weight to manipulate levers or cables.
Final Thoughts
Mountain bikes are still able to function properly. The front derailleur is not necessary for the use of a mountain bike. However, it helps in riding bushy off-road terrain.
You can quickly fix it by simply rigging your derailleur. If you’re experiencing some problems with your derailleur even after it then it might be time to replace it.
Also, make sure to check out my post on Why Do Mountain Bikes Not Have Kickstands?
