Shimano

XT FD-M786D Direct Mount Double Front Derailleur

Component installation doesn't get any easier than this. The Shimano designed direct mount is simple and foolproof. This Shimano XT Direct Mount Double Front Derailleur FD-M786D is a traditional styled (bottom-swing) front derailleur. It's nearly identical to the clamp-on FD-M786 part, save for the lack of a clamp. Instead, this one has a flat surface with an upright rib on the back that corresponds to the groove in the flat Direct Mount you'll find on your seat tube. One bolt holds it all together, and your only adjustment will be up and down in relation to the chainrings. Since there's no way to twist the derailleur around the seat tube, it goes on lined up perfectly with the chainrings, and your shifting should be spot on once the cable tension and limit screws are set.

It has been designed to optimize its function with two chainrings. To this end, the cage length and shaping is specific to the smaller diameter differential between the big and little rings on a 2x10 DynaSys drivetrain. Whether you run a 26/38t or a 28/42t crank, this is the changer you'll want. The limit screws are angled outward to facilitate adjustment for convoluted rear suspension designs as well.

The Shimano XT Direct Mount Double Front Derailleur FD-M786D is specifically designed for use with Shimano's XT Double Crankset and directional 10-speed HG-94 chain, and the maximum chainring size is 42 teeth. The big difference between this derailleur and the triple-compatible version is that this one has a shorter cage. Using it with an XT triple crank would result in the chain dragging across the bridge at the bottom of the cage in many of the rear cogs when you ride in the 24t small ring. It can be used with top- or bottom-pull cable routing.