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Paul Front Derailleur

MSRP $
# of Reviews 28
Average Rating 2.43/5
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Submitted by Michael Glasgow a Cross Country Rider from Bloomington
Date Reviewed: May 24, 2008
Favorite Trail:Cathedral Rock, Sedona
Duration Product Used:More than 3 years
Price Paid: $15.00
Purchased At:Here
Strengths:Rare and Beautiful. Cost 3 times as much as an XTR and works 1/2 as good. Every sport needs its elite parts that take alot of tinkering, look at the car world.
Bottom Line:Hey,
I still want one of these, front or rear, broken or not. I need some parts so let me know what you have. Call me at 1-812-606-5249 or email me smglasbiker@hotmail.com.
Thanks!
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Snowbird a Racer from Colorado Springs, CO
Date Reviewed: January 12, 2007
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Strengths:I can say I'm the only one riding them in my neighborhood
Weaknesses:I can also say I'm an idiot for paying for this piece of $hit.
Similar Products Used:LX, XT, SRAM
Bike Setup:Santa Cruz
Bottom Line:Utter waste of money. My LX works better than this piece of junk and I can buy 8 of them for that price. Check out the reviews here. See a pattern? Too bad I can only give 1 chilli. Even that's too generous. Paul, you need to find another line of work.
Value Rating:1Overall Rating:1

Submitted by Anthony Paz a Cross Country Rider from Ramona CA
Date Reviewed: November 6, 2006
Favorite Trail:Noble Canyon, Stn Mtn
Duration Product Used:More than 3 years
Price Paid: $250.00
Purchased At:Some Bike Str in PQ
Strengths:Awesome engineering, completely disassemble, looks Bad Ass, made in USA, works well when dialed in

Weaknesses:Super finiky, adjustments can take some time on the rear, front has always worked perfect, rear needs a stiffer spring or you can push a little extra on your thumb shifter.
Similar Products Used:XT, XTR
Bike Setup:Zaskar LE, Crossmax, Red anodized Paul Frnt and Rr Derailleurs, SID worldcup, syncros everywhere, light XCountry Rig, climbs and Hauls Ass
Bottom Line:I have owned and used these Frnt and Rr Derailleurs for over 12 years now. I wouldn't sell them for a $1000. Everywhere I go people drool with awe because they are rare and beautiful peices of art. Yes the rear, for me, can be finiky when dialing in but when its set, its good. The front has been perfect since day 1. I will sacrifice and push the thumb shifter a little extra when shifting to keep this set running. I love them. Everyone has shimano or scram. Be different. Be true to what you enjoy. I like performance but astetics and functionality are important to me as well. Its too bad Paul couldn't continue building these.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Mike a Cross Country Rider from Alaska
Date Reviewed: March 5, 2001
Favorite Trail:Flume,Cohoe beach, Res
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $40.00
Purchased At:e-bay
Strengths:Nice to have top or bottom pull. Simple, elegant design- good engineering.
Weaknesses:Cranky set-up, gotta have those big rings with RAMPS`
Similar Products Used:Microsoft (Shimano)
Bike Setup:Pisgah with drop bars and racks
Bottom Line:Rode this thing almost all the way across Australia. Had to tweak it a bit: I was using drop bars and STI (those'r roadie shifters, mud puppies). I had to file a little groove in the pull arm on the close side of the pivot to get them to work, but it was pretty easy. I like the little bugger. Now that I'm home, back to the mud farm, it works just fine with the XT rabidfire stuff. The cage isn't quite the right shape for the big ring I'm running, but it works fine. The world isn't perfect, and I don't race anyway.
Although I understand that a small, independent business can't compete with a megacorp who has their stuff built at slave labor prices, the price is kind of daunting - even though I bought it used on E-bay (for about the price of a used XTR). Comes with parts to fit lots of seat tube sizes, top or bottom pull. (I didn't have the instructions - but it was a fun little puzzle - no worries).
Sigh.
Buy it if you just gotta be different. Do you drive a Lada?
Citroen? Saab? Vauxhill? This may be your derailleur.
It'll work. Probably for a long time.
Value Rating:3Overall Rating:3

Submitted by WILL a Cross-Country Rider from LAKE TAHOE, NEVADA
Date Reviewed: July 18, 1999
Favorite Trail:
JEDI'S VORTEX
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
DECENT SHIFTING, ON PAR WITH XTR. GREAT MACHINING THROUGHOUT, HIGHLY ADJUSTABLE.
Weaknesses:
HIGHLY ADJUSTABLE- WHAT A PAIN IN THE ASS TO DIAL IT IN. SPRING TENSION IS A LITTLE BIT TOO LOW. STOCK SPRING SHOULD BE REPLACED
Similar Products Used:
WHITE INDUSTRIES FRONT DERAILLEUR, XTR,XT, ETC.
Bike Setup:
MERLIN, SID, ESP9.0 SETUP
Bottom Line:WORKS WONDERFULLY- ONCE IT IS DIALED IN. THIS TOOK ME SO MANY FRUSTRATING HOURS TO DO, I ALMOST SCRAPPED IT. ONCE TUNED I LOVED IT. I HAVE HAD IT FOR QUITE SOME TIME, AND HAVE HAD NO SHOPWORK TO DO ON IT, SAVE FOR CABLE CHANGES. NOW I LOVE IT. I WILL NEVER GO BACK TO SHIMANO. PS. IT WIRKS PHENOMANALLY WITH GRIPSHIFT.
Overall Rating:4

Submitted by ricky martin a Weekend Warrior from latin america
Date Reviewed: June 14, 1999
Favorite Trail:
ghost town trail
Duration Product Used:
more than 3 years
Strengths:
it has everything a derailleur needs and more. it shifts perfectly and is the greatest thing ever made. 200% better than XTR, or any other shimano junk made.
Weaknesses:
your joking right? there are no weaknesses!!!! its the best thing made.
Similar Products Used:
shimano XTR, XT, stx, acera
Bike Setup:
trek 8000 Rock shox
Bottom Line:Buy this jem NOW. it is worth the $105 dollars i paid for it. be smart like me and never buy junky shimano components again.
Overall Rating:5

Submitted by cosmic ray a Cross-Country Rider from flagstaff, az
Date Reviewed: June 10, 1999
Favorite Trail:
little bear, flagstaff
Duration Product Used:
more than 3 years
Strengths:
shifts good, looks cool
Weaknesses:
way spendy,no parts available
Similar Products Used:
XT, XTR
Bike Setup:
merlin/rockshox
Bottom Line:Shifts ok if set up right. Too expensive, but bought it on Pauls promise that it would be rebuild-able with parts forever. I broke the cage, called Paul for a replacement and was told tough luck, no more parts. Paul sucks. XT rules.
Overall Rating:2

Submitted by M. Lounsbury a Cross-Country Rider from Norwich,CT
Date Reviewed: May 27, 1999
Favorite Trail:
da muffin
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Made in USA. Top notch machining.Works great w/ Grip Shift (I hope).
Weaknesses:
Alot of trash talk on this site. ??? Bought it for $50.00 (could be a clue considering the $100.oo plus retail.) Haven't used it yet on my M.Cycle CSX(waiting for my RF Next Crank Set ?????). Oh boy.????
Similar Products Used:
Japanese XT, relatively cheap, does granney to middle and visa versa very well but won't do big Race Face ring.
Bike Setup:
The CSX is waiting for da RF Next Crank (those Canadians, oye).Set up with a shwing for 1 1/8 bottom pull cabled w/ flak jackets to GS plasmas. ????? The XT has been kickin it on the middle and inner of a 1996 Raleigh M800 (don't laugh, da frame is da bomb, raced to a 7th place in 1997 and still no cracks in the welds).
Bottom Line:The bottom line......... Good question. When I get the RF Next Crank Set I'll let you know......... But then again there's a sale at a certain retail shop , selling Precision Billet front for fifty US. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you say credit cod? RATING: ?????????????
Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Michael Glasgow a racer from Purdue University
Date Reviewed: February 1, 1999
Bottom Line:

i want one, preferably black. Mike @ 1-765-743-3506, 10am-7pm mon-fri. i want it for my commuter bike. i am a mechanic and will modify it to work if necessary. don't laugh i've been running suntour since 95 on the commuter.
Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Ben a cross-country rider from ghetto (south side)
Date Reviewed: November 5, 1998
Bottom Line:

I got a brand-new rasta paul rear powerglide at the Trexlertown Velodrome flea market three weeks ago. I replaced my XT with it on my Jamis (mainly because it's the coolest-looking rear mech ever and, of course, looks is all that matters, right?). It took some adjustment and shifted okay (i guess), but I think the XT probably shifted better. Really slow shifts and sometimes required a little pressure on the shifter lever to get it into the next cog. Mind you, I had the mech set on the middle spring tension--it might have done better on the highest setting. I also used it with XT rapidfire (rapidfailure) and I've heard it really only works well with Gripshift. Now, you've probably noticed I've been talking about it in the past tense. Welp, that's because during a nite ride last w/e I bailed and the break-away bolt on the mech busted. Upon inspection of the busted Al bolt, I noticed it's like any other break-away bolt only it's drilled out in the middle to allow for an allen wrench... that's f__king smart. There was practically no metal holding the goddam derailluer on, and what little metal there was on the bolt was aluminum... I wouldn't mind half as much if the bolt hole was compatible with shimano or other bolts, but now if I want to replace it, I'm probably gonna have to spend $9,000,000 and wait thirty years for a replacement from paul...
I give the derailleur two flaming turds and that's assuming the price is $30 (what I paid), not the $225 list or whatever the f__k he expects you to shell out...
Overall Rating:2

Submitted by B.A. a cross-country rider from Crown Point
Date Reviewed: July 31, 1998
Bottom Line:

I traded an XTR derailleur that didn't fit my new frameset for this derailleur so I guess I couldn't go wrong. When I first installed it I quickly agreed with every bad thing said about these things. The shifting from middle to large ring was impossible untill I installed a Real large ring to go along with my Real middle ring. With a combination of excellently ramped chainrings and a lot of setup patience I finally got it shifting right. On the plus side, making a derailleur that will work in top or botton pull and any size mounting is great. Of course I'm saying all this without having to pay the $150+ they're asking for this thing. If Paul would put the same work into the cage design as the rest of it this derailleur could be excellent. 5 chillis for mounting and top/botom pull feature, 1 chilli for performance, and -1 chilli for price.
Overall Rating:2

Submitted by john a cross-country rider from waterloo,ne
Date Reviewed: June 8, 1998
Bottom Line:

Had both front and rear. Where to begin. Ah,the front piece of *#&%, never could get the damn thing to work right. Found it to be very tempermental with resect to upshift or down shift. Deepnding on how dialed my adjustment it would only do one or the other from the middle ring.
The rear was very stiff and difficult to upshift. I think it was just as big a pain in the ass as the front. Lots of money to spend on crap when I would have had more ride time and less repair/tweak time buying ALTUS.
Overall Rating:1

Submitted by scammed a cross-country rider from wa
Date Reviewed: June 3, 1998
Bottom Line:

This thing should be placed right next to the edsel. Better yet, they should have the Edsel run this damn thing over. Maybe it will shift better then. I have been a mechanic for over ten year and this is the worse der around. Ever. PLEASE DON'T BUY THIS PIECE OF SHIT!!!!!!!!!!! Since I can't give this thing a negative chili I give this der one smoking piece of shit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Overall Rating:1

Submitted by jesus a weekend warrior from widbey is wa
Date Reviewed: April 26, 1998
Bottom Line:

crap for big money wanna bee dirt phallus give me north shore proof shim ode to mud ,roots,rocks and barleywinos. best f der yet shim dx havn't broke or wore one yet . thank shimano my moantian bikin feind. would like to se a front der that is us version ov shim or sutour copy copy copy if they can we can too
Overall Rating:1

Submitted by Rotten Rob a racer from idaho
Date Reviewed: December 23, 1997
Bottom Line:

I have both front and rear Paul derailleurs, The rear works well, the front does not shift from the middle to the small very well, especially going uphill. This product came with my bike and I would not reccommend buying it. I rode 14
races with the product and reccommend Shimano or Grip Shift.
Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Chris a racer from Parma, OH
Date Reviewed: December 13, 1997
Bottom Line:

DO NOT BUY THIS PIECE OF SHIT UNLESS YOU WANT TO WASTE MONEY AND HAVE A DERAILLEUR THAT SHIFTS LIKE GARBAGE This hunk of junk is best uesd as a sinker on your dipsy-diver when you go bass fishing it would be more of a loss not to have the Dipsy -diver
Overall Rating:1

Submitted by Paul is for posers a racer from California
Date Reviewed: November 18, 1997
Bottom Line:

Paul is poser ware. Stick with Shimano, not the poser shit.
Overall Rating:1

Submitted by Jason a cross-country rider from Maryland, USA
Date Reviewed: November 5, 1997
Bottom Line:

These riding style categories bite...(they better not put in freerider)
So about the der. It's light and it works great, but then again what wouldn't with Suntour Thumbshifters. Glad I got it at cost though! And I'm glad it will fit any frame so I don't have to buy another one.
Overall Rating:4

Submitted by No Pauls fan a from racer
Date Reviewed: September 26, 1997
Bottom Line:

I tried to get my Paul's front derailleur to shift down onto the smaller rings. I could not get that pile of crap to shift when under even the slightest load. I called and asked for a stiffer spring and never received it. These guys could learn something at the races if they would go. The derailleur had a ton of play even if it shifted it would still be an inferior product. I left it at my local bike shop and haven't been back for it.
Overall Rating:1

Submitted by PAUL IS GAY a from shut up
Date Reviewed: September 6, 1997
Bottom Line:

THIS UGLY PIECE OF SCRAP METAL MAKES ME WANT TO KEEL OVER AND PUKE ALL OVER PAUL AND HIS PIECE OF SHIT SCAM ARTIST ENTERPRISE.
HE EXPECTS LOSERS TO GO OUT AND BUY SHIT WITH HIS DUMB NAME ON IT FOR OVER $100
WHAT A DORK!!!
Overall Rating:1

Submitted by Bodie a racer from Bend, OR
Date Reviewed: August 24, 1997
Bottom Line:

I don't understand how the people who reviewed this came up with good things to say. For the price, you would expect this thing to be right on. But the truth is that is is the biggest pile of shit I have ever ridden. My friend has this on his bike which he told me to take out to see if I could get it to shift better. I couldn't. I've been working in a bike shop for nine years now, and take it from me, this derailleur sucks. His rear derailleur works great but is still overpriced. People who are trying to go with American made products should get precision billet. I highly recommend them. Their brakes and derailleurs work flawlessly. American made parts tend to get pricy so for those of you looking at saving money, stick to shimano, it does the job.
Overall Rating:1

Submitted by robert a downhiller from sydney/australia
Date Reviewed: August 4, 1997
Bottom Line:

total pile of junk.I am very displeased my deralalar is contantly dropping the chain and shiftin inacuratly.I have a a local bike shop look at it and readjust it made no differnce
Overall Rating:1

Submitted by Paul a from racer
Date Reviewed: July 21, 1997
Bottom Line:

I am not Gay! just cause I sell overpriced shit does not mean I suck cock or take it up the anal love path. Paul
Overall Rating:1

Submitted by Your mom a downhiller from somalia
Date Reviewed: June 27, 1997
Bottom Line:

PAUL IS GAY!!!!!
Overall Rating:1

Submitted by Colin a cross-country rider from Saybrook, CT.
Date Reviewed: May 22, 1997
Bottom Line:

Take it from a shop mechanic, even this years upgrade is weak. Spring tension has been nothing but a nightmare with down shifting. Not a problem if you only spin the granny. You would be better off evn with Acera X!
Overall Rating:1

Submitted by AL a racer from US
Date Reviewed: March 9, 1997
Bottom Line:

The sweetest thing I've ever seen. Rear works perfectly as well. Interacts
great with Gripshift.
Overall Rating:5

Submitted by DANIEL BLANCHARD a cross-country rider from SACRAMENTO CA
Date Reviewed: December 13, 1996
Bottom Line:

THIS LIGHTWEIGHT GEM WORKS LIKE SWISS WATCH, FLAWLESSLY!! VERY EASY TO GET SET UP
& AFTER 700 MILES HASN'T NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED!! MY WIFE ALSO HAS ONE & HAS HAD
IDENTICAL RESULTS.
Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Bo Offenhauer a racer from Bradenton, FL U.S.A
Date Reviewed: June 18, 1996
Bottom Line:

very smooth action works like a charm and is easily fixxed
Overall Rating:4






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