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2013 Shimano Direct Mount Rear Derailleurs Coming – Tech Breakdown

2013 Shimano Direct Mount rear derailleur comparison and tech details
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2013 Shimano Direct Mount rear derailleur comparison and tech details

With the introduction of the new SLX group, Shimano formally announced their new Direct Mount rear derailleur system. We say “system” because it’s not really a new “standard” in the moan-and-groan sense of the word that means you’ll have one more thing to figure out when upgrading parts.

Simply put, the new Direct Mount rear derailleurs will work with either standard dropouts or new direct mount dropouts. SLX is the first group to be announced with it, but it’ll be a running change for XT an XTR. The changed parts have been made at the factory, and they’ll start popping up in a few months. They’re completely backwards compatible, meaning you can use one of the new derailleurs in place of an old derailleur that mounts to a standard dropout.

Visually and physically, the key differences are that the mounting bolt between the B-Link and B-Knuckle goes from a M7 to M10 bolt, same as the bolt used to mount the derailleur to your dropout. The link is still used with a standard derailleur mount. Just remove the link to install on a direct mount frame by bolting the B-Knuckle directly to the DM dropout. It sheds a bit of weight, adds rigidity and it simplifies the system overall.

2013 Shimano Direct Mount rear derailleur comparison and tech details

The pic above shows where the DM bolt goes versus the B-Link mount. The derailleur ends up in the same place. The blue link shown is from a Yeti. Rumor has it Giant, Trek, Rocky Mountain and others will be launching bikes with this standard this year. It’ll work with both thru axles and quick release wheels.

2013 Shimano Direct Mount rear derailleur comparison and tech details

The silver parts here are some early prototype mounts.

2013 Shimano Direct Mount rear derailleur comparison and tech details

Old derailleurs won’t be forward compatible because the spacing in the B-Knuckle gets a bit wider to accommodate the thicker dropout tab and the bolts are bigger. That’s not to say some bike brand or enterprising aftermarket manufacturer couldn’t offer DM dropouts that would work with older derailleurs. It shouldn’t be that hard, it’s only a matter of unbolting the B-link, you’d just need a thinner DM dropout with a hole for an M7 bolt.

We talked to one major bike brand’s engineer about the new design and he said the reason Shimano went with a larger diameter bolt rather than just keep the M7 bolt already used between the link and knuckle was to improve serviceability. Many bike shops already have the facing and other tools to tap or thread a derailleur hanger for M10 bolts, so using the same size on the DM dropout means shops will be better able to fix or service them without having to invest in new tools. That benefit applies to bike manufacturers, too, since they’re already designing their dropouts with M10 holes and threads.

Above, you can see how thick the DM hanger is. It’s wider than the current B-Link by a tiny bit. Below is an older XTR (left) compared to a new DM-ready XT derailleur (right). It’s hard to tell the difference unless you’re actually measuring it:

2013 Shimano Direct Mount rear derailleur comparison and tech details

Besides increased stiffness, it also makes wheel changes easier because it opens up the space around the axle – a lot. Even better, any bike with a replaceable dropout can easily be upgraded to the DM if or when the frame manufacturer offers a DM dropout. Or, any new DM frame could easily offer a traditional dropout for lower-spec models or as an option on framesets.

2013 Shimano Direct Mount rear derailleur comparison and tech details

You can see the difference in bolt diameters on the old XTR versus new XT.

UPDATE:

If you’re confused, check this out. The photo above is of a current, standard mount XTR Shadow Plus rear derailleur. Basically, all that the new Direct Mount derailleur will entail is relocating the mounting point of the derailleur from the old bolt (red arrow) and now attaching it at the B-Knuckle (blue arrow). The old B-link in between, with the red X, will not be used at all with the new mount, so essentially the Direct Mount system is just removing a redundant bolt and chunk of aluminum.

So the system will be more rigid, but I thought derailleur hangers were supposed to bend to protect the derailleur? That’s a valid question. Realistically, replaceable derailleur hangers have been getting stiffer for some time now. As the rest of the parts improved, the flexible derailleur hanger soon became the weak link. In order to improve shifting, especially when shifting under load, having a rigid derailleur hanger has become even more important.

Won’t that mean if I hit something with my derailleur, my pricey XTR unit will explode? Well, maybe, but then you might be better off. More often then not, in the shop when I saw a derailleur damaged due to impact, it wasn’t from the impact itself, but from getting caught in the spokes. This also meant that the hanger and spokes were damaged and possibly the rim (by nipples pulling out) and chain as well. What usually happened was the customer would crash and bend the hanger just enough so that they didn’t notice, yet the first time they shifted into their lowest gear, the cage would catch a spoke and everything would explode. However, newer derailleurs are surprisingly durable as many of mine have the gouges and scratches to prove it. It takes a pretty massive impact to render a derailleur useless, but then hopefully you can still singlespeed your bike and get home.

The beauty to all of this is if you don’t want a DM derailleur on your bike, you don’t have to use it. All of the new derailleurs will ship with the standard B-link and standard mounting bolt, and the B-knuckle should be a bit more stiff on the new derailleurs thanks to the larger hardware and wider tab. So if you’re looking for the best shifting, lightest weight, and easiest wheel changes the new DM derailleur has you covered. If you’re happy with your current frame but need a new derailleur, the new derailleurs have you covered there too.

*Additional Update:  I just confirmed with Shimano that since the new Direct Mount Hanger derailleur mount is threaded identically to current derailleur hanger as Tyler mentioned, all previously used derailleur alignment tools will still work. So Direct Mount derailleur alignment, if bent, will still be corrected in the same manner using a tool such as the Park DAG-2.

Takeaways – One: DM rear derailleurs good – stiffer, lighter and backwards compatible. Two: By “running change”, we’re betting we’ll see a few other changes to at least the XT group when the new ones hit, likely late spring or summer if we had to guess. Three: That white frame in the pics? Check back April 1 for the scoop.

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Sam
Sam
12 years ago

I thought the whole purpose of a replaceable derailleur hanger was to provide a “weak point” to protect the derailleur and frame in a crash. Perhaps I’m misunderstanding, but won’t this system eliminate that “weak point” and increase the chances of breaking the derailleur?

timmbers
timmbers
12 years ago

i was thinking the same thing as Sam while reading this. seems like another “innovation” thats just a modern spin on old product

Daan
Daan
12 years ago

Instead of breaking a part of your frame you gonna break a part of the derailleur.

One of the possible plus sides is that there will be a lot less different Hangers for all the brands.

Bikerumor
12 years ago

The DM derailleur hanger is still replaceable ifit bends, but there’s no breakaway bolt coming from Shimano. Their Shadow design should minimize things sticking out that are likely to get ripped off in a wreck, though. The axle dropout is still primarily part of the frame, but some thru-axle frames will have the hanger incorporated into the design a little more heavily like you’re seeing here.

JESUS CHRISTO
JESUS CHRISTO
12 years ago

This makes no sense.

Simon A.
Simon A.
12 years ago

Why not? If Shimano can make this a new standard, I think it will be a great move.

Think about it. How many different derailleur hangers companies are making?

Why not make only ONE derailleur hanger that will be part of the derailleur, and that can fit ALL the frames?

WV Cycling
12 years ago

Eeeeek. I don’t understand this at all. I feel alone, and scared.

Mountain bikes are moving (technologically) too fast for me. Egads, and I’m not even 30…. Will I become a luddite?

Barrett
Barrett
12 years ago

So basically Shimano going to a standard hanger that comes bolted to your derailleur? So frames designed around this will not be able to use anything other than Shimano, at least until SRAM releases a direct mount?

Bike Dork
Bike Dork
12 years ago

I look at this and see what I call the “standard Shimano means of progression”. They like to take something that works ok or well and instead of making steps forward, they make steps sideways. Forward is a good direction if you ask me… I like to look at things from Shimano such as dual control and laugh at how it took off then fizzled. True there are some out there who ride dual control. Also some forms of it are still offered but what shops have dual control levers on display and for sale in a glass case? Forward Shiamno! Forward!

Mr. P
12 years ago

Shimano has done a terrible job of articulating why this might be important to us.

We might not be the communication audience, but we do drive demand; or otherwise…

P

Luke
Luke
12 years ago

I dont understand what is wrong with the current setup, working at a bike shop i know although there are lots of different ones getting a replacement is pretty simple. I would rather break a $40 hanger than a $200 X0 derailer or worse a 2k frame. If this becomes standard will it mean you have to pay for a decent derailer to get a decent hanger?

dgaddis
12 years ago

FYI – Shimano doesn’t even make an X0 derailleur.

ralph
ralph
12 years ago

sounds like Luke has some catching up to do around the bike shop…

mateo
mateo
12 years ago

Sounds like most of you are misunderstanding this (or I am!!)

They’re not getting rid of replaceable hangers. Just changing where derailleur mounts (moving it further back) and eliminating the knuckle on the derailleur.

in the second pic, the blue and silver pieces are the new DM hangers, and the black one is the old style.

and @ Mr P… do we really drive demand for standards like this? I think not. BB30, PF30, BBRight, BB386, direct mount FD, e-type FD, internal headset, integrated headsets, 1.125-1.5 headsets, 1.25-1.5 headsets, etc, etc

Dover
Dover
12 years ago

You guys are reading this wrong.
SHImano has not attached the hanger to the RD. (its only pictured that way, for example sake)
This replacable hanger is just a different shape that the one that is currently on your bikes. the caption actuall says” the blue link shown is from a Yeti”

Roguewrench
Roguewrench
12 years ago

I find it funny that this is very reminiscent of the derailleur hangers we used to have on bike back in the 60’s and 70’s that was before a lot of dropouts had the hangers built in to them. It almost feels full circle, I know it’s not the exact same it just looks that way.

Mindless
Mindless
12 years ago

So I need to buy a new tool to replace my Park’s DAG-2 for checking derailleur alignment?

Zach Overholt
Admin
12 years ago
Reply to  Mindless

@Mindless, I just checked with Shimano, and they confirmed that the standard Park DAG-2, or any other current derailleur alignment gauge will still work with the new Direct Mount Hangers. No new tools are required.

Steve M
Steve M
12 years ago

If this were open source and all the component makers used it then great- if not- no thanks.

ChadQuest
ChadQuest
12 years ago

“Three: That white frame in the pics? Check back April 1 for the scoop.”

I don’t feel like getting fooled.

kuka.berlin
kuka.berlin
11 years ago

Nice idea.

I build on for my 970 XTR RD 😉

http://fotos.mtb-news.de/f/ke/ve/kevefuu5rk2r/large_IMGP2710.JPG

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