Abstract: A front derailleur that includes a derailleur housing having a tubular clamp and a chain guide coupled to parallelogram arms. A pivotal transfer element transfers the shifting motion through a pull cable to the chain guide. The shifting momentum is supported by a derailleur housing having a support extension extending in a support direction along the bicycle frame beyond the hinge of the tubular clamp. The transfer element is pivotally mounted to the derailleur housing by a pivot pin. The return spring is disposed around the pivot pin and is supported on a spring stop of the derailleur housing. The return spring is partially surrounded by a spring cover, which is integrated into the derailleur housing, all of which is protected from dirt by a second covering. The bores for accepting the adjustment screws, which are inclined relative to the frame tube in order to improve accessibility, are located in the spring cover.

Abstract: A chain guide for a front derailleur includes inner and outer guide plates. The outer guide plate includes an interior surface having a guide surface that protrudes toward the chain. During the shifting from a larger chainring to a smaller chainring, the chain grazes against the guide surface and is shifted to an adjoining chainring by the guide surface. Viewed in a chain travel direction, the guide surface has a width at least equal to a distance between consecutive outer chain links or a width at least equal to the distance between the link pins. So configured, the noise generated by the dipping of the chain guide into the space between the outer chain links and/or between any protruding link pins is minimized during the shifting process.

Abstract: A front derailleur that includes a derailleur housing having a tubular clamp and a chain guide coupled to parallelogram arms. A pivotal transfer element transfers the shifting motion through a pull cable to the chain guide. The shifting momentum is supported by a derailleur housing having a support extension extending in a support direction along the bicycle frame beyond the hinge of the tubular clamp. The transfer element is pivotally mounted to the derailleur housing by a pivot pin. The return spring is disposed around the pivot pin and is supported on a spring stop of the derailleur housing. The return spring is partially surrounded by a spring cover, which is integrated into the derailleur housing, all of which is protected from dirt by a second covering. The bores for accepting the adjustment screws, which are inclined relative to the frame tube in order to improve accessibility, are located in the spring cover.

Abstract: A rotatable handgrip shifting device (10) that is mountable on a bicycle handlebar and connected to a bicycle gear changing mechanism by a cable within a tube and reversibly operable at discrete shift points corresponding to the gears of the bicycle gear changing mechanism. The shifting device (10) includes a handgrip (34) rotatable about the handlebar, a spool (30) rotatable with the handgrip (34) and a housing (12) that secures the shifting device (10) to the handlebar. The housing (12) includes a gear display (18) denoting a plurality of discrete shift points of the gear changing mechanism. A flexible member (40) includes at one end a pointer (44) and a spool tab (42) at another end. The pointer (44) is reciprocally displaceable along the gear display (18) in response to rotation of the handgrip (34).

Abstract: A rotatable handgrip shifting device (10) that is mountable on a bicycle handlebar and connected to a bicycle gear changing mechanism by a cable within a tube and reversibly operable at discrete shift points corresponding to the gears of the bicycle gear changing mechanism. The shifting device (10) includes a handgrip (34) rotatable about the handlebar, a spool (30) rotatable with the handgrip (34) and a housing (12) that secures the shifting device (10) to the handlebar. The housing (12) includes a gear display (18) denoting a plurality of discrete shift points of the gear changing mechanism. A flexible member (40) includes at one end a pointer (44) and a spool tab (42) at another end. The pointer (44) is reciprocally displaceable along the gear display (18) in response to rotation of the handgrip (34).

Abstract: A device for switching a chain on different sprockets of a pedal bearing mounted to a seat tube of a frame of a bicycle. The chain switching device includes a cage which can be economically manufactured in a plurality of constructions and readily mounted on different bicycle frames with different angles between a seat tube and a chain brace in order to achieve optimum operating angles with appropriately modified cages. The different cage constructions are manufactured from a single sheet metal blank and have brackets arranged at different positions and of different lengths which are formed by appropriately positioning their bending edges to attach the cage to a parallel guide device.