Derailers

The wonderful thing about modern derailers, true since about 1982, is that  cheap ones work 98 to 100 percent as well as the expensive ones. Shimano doesn't want you to start off on a cheap bike, not knowing how to shift, and hate its cheap derailer, so they make sure they work as well as their expensive ones. Front and rears. Nobody here has an XTR derailer, for instance. Several of us ride the humble Altus. Mostly, though, we pick something Deore-like and just make sure it works with the rest of the drive train. We are happy to get you any Shimano derailer, and if you like the appearance or finish of a top-ender or you want to save some grams, that's a good way to go.