How to choose a front derailleur for a road bike?

The front derailleur is one of the few relatively straightforward components to choose — here is how to select one.

Standards

The number of speeds, today: 9, 10, 11 or 12
The number of chainrings, today: 1, 2 or 3
The attachment type: clamp-on or braze-on

Types of front derailleurs

Even though SHIMANO and SRAM theoretically operate under the same standard at the front — suggesting you can mix these two brands — this claim is becoming less and less true with the latest generations of drivetrains. To such an extent that some components within the same brand are designed to work only within the same series, such as the 4700 range from SHIMANO or Yaw from SRAM.

For the attachment type, the traditional system uses a clamp with a diameter of 28.6 mm, 31.8 mm or 34.9 mm. However, if your frame has a braze-on tab for the derailleur, you will need a "braze-on" derailleur.

Which front derailleur should you choose?

The choice will depend mainly on the standard required by your bike frame. Simply make sure you choose a derailleur compatible with your frame and, ideally, from the same brand and same range as your gear lever to avoid any incompatibility.

If you already have a braze-on front derailleur but a frame designed for a clamp-on fitting, please note that "braze-on adapters" exist to allow you to fit your derailleur.

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