Is Ford about to change derailleurs forever?

Ford's patent for bicycle derailleur apparatus for controlling bicycle speed
(Image credit: United States Patent and Trademark Office)

Ford Motor Company has registered a US patent for what it calls a ‘bicycle derailleur apparatus for controlling bicycle speed’, and it is a genuinely intriguing idea that was first reported by Wheelbased.com. Filed on 22nd April 2019 and finally made public in late September, the patent depicts a front derailleur for a bicycle, devoid of cables, and instead, uses two Nitinol wires to provide the movement needed to shift gears. 

Mildred Locke

Mildred joined as Reviews Writer for Cyclingnews and BikePerfect in December 2020. She loves all forms of cycling from long-distance audax to daily errand-running by bike, and does almost everything on two wheels, including moving house, and started out her cycling career working in a bike shop. For the past five years she's volunteered at The Bristol Bike Project as a mechanic and session coordinator, and now sits on its board of directors.

Since then she's gone on to write for a multitude of cycling publications, including Bikeradar, Cycling Plus, Singletrack, Red Bull, Cycling UK and Total Women's Cycling. She's dedicated to providing more coverage of women's specific cycling tech, elevating under-represented voices in the sport, and making cycling more accessible overall. 

Height: 156cm (5'2")

Weight: 75kg

Rides: Stayer Groadinger UG, Triban RC520 Women's Disc, Genesis Flyer, Marin Larkspur, Cotic BFe 26, Clandestine custom bike

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