Derail It!

The Washington Post recently featured an article on derailleurs, the gearing mechanisms that vary the ease with which we pedal. While we have all seen gears since we rode our first three speeds, we've probably asked ourselves, "Self. How do these things work?" By using a combination of gears with specially shaped teeth, cables and springs, derailleurs force the chain from one gear to the next. This allows you to fight those steep uphill climbs without dismounting your bike and achieve another personal best as you push the limits on the downhills.