Why are derailleur based drivetrains maintenance heavy and prone to failure?
Since all components of a derailleur drivetrain are externally mounted, they are always exposed to full contact with the elements. Water, dust, dirt, debris, etc. will always find a way to infiltrate the mechanical parts of such a drivetrain. Constant maintenance in form of cleaning, washing, etc, is of great importance in order to maintain the overall efficiency of the system. Keeping all parts clean and properly adjusted is essential – yet, each time you ride the bike, most adjustments become undone and need to be attended to frequently. As a result, the total cost of ownership for any given bicycle is always increasing with use.
