The MC Derailleur

My solution to bent hangers and broken rear derailleurs.

I’ve applied a simple change: move the derailleur in-front-of the cassette and mount it inside-of the drive-side chainstay.

This allows for increased ground clearance, protects the derailleur from impact and abuse, and gives it a more stable platform to do its job.

For blog style updates on the project’s progress, visit the Story page.

Traditional:

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Malcolm Components:

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Features : 

Increased Protection and a Better Platform for Shifting

It's a simple idea that works. Not only does the chainstay act as a physical barrier, but the new position also places the derailleur closer to the rider's feet, giving the natural protection of rider line choice (people try to not hit stuff with their feet). The derailleur can now mount to a rigid base, giving a more stable shifting platform. The upper pulley wheel sits further in front of the cassette, providing more chain wrap for reduced wear. It also decreases the chain tension during shifts and removes the need for an offset pulley. This allows for smooth, precise, and quiet shifts with the ability to run a big range of cassettes on a single derailleur. 

The modern mountain bike is pretty amazing. It's time the derailleur followed suit. The MC Derailleur. Protect. Your. Mech. 

 

Any Cassette, Any Shifter: 

The number of derailleurs, shifters and cassettes available today can be overwhelming. That being said, we do believe in options. So instead of creating multiple product families, we packed all those offerings into a single derailleur. 

The MC derailleur is SRAM & Shimano, 10 & 11 speed shifter & cassette compatible. Thanks to a replaceable "Drive Lever" and "Cable Housing Stop", users can change the derailleur's pull ratio at will. Pair this with our Quick Change Cage (see below) and you can build your drivetrain to suit any riding style:   

  • 1x or 2x, 10 or 11 speed - Medium or Long cage - XC, All Mtn, Enduro

  • 1x10 - Short cage - DH, All Mountain

  • 1x10 & aftermarket big ring - Medium or Long cage - XC, All Mtn, Enduro

  • Mixed brand setups

 

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Quick Change Cage:

If you've ever removed a traditional derailleur's cage assembly, you know that it's a pain. That's why we're so excited about our Quick Change Cage. It allows you to remove the derailleur's cage assembly without removing the cage spring and pre-load. 

For traditional derailleurs, the cage spring attaches directly to the cage. Remove the cage, and the spring is waiting to snap your hands. Ours is different. The MC Derailleur's cage spring sits inside a housing that retains the spring's preload. The cage mounts to the outside of the housing and the upper pulley wheel rotates around the housing. To remove the cage, back out the two retaining bolts and pop the cage off. Remove the cage to: 

  • Change cage length

  • Replace a damaged cage

  • Clean stuff

 

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Limit Screws:

The derailleur uses regular High (H), Low (L), and B limit screws. The High and Low limits hard-stop at each end of the cassette; H at the small ring and L at the big ring. The B limit adjusts the offset of the upper pulley-wheel to the cassette body. It has a big range to provide maximum flexibility between cassette sizes. We made sure all screws have good tool access even when installed. 

The limits are also "easy to figure out". In other words, you don't need to remember what H, L, or B means. You can just look at the derailleur and quickly see which screw controls what. No more searching for worn-out letters or turning screws unknowingly. Easy as pie.