I noticed that the discussion of downsides of clutches in this article seems to be all about interference with rear suspension. So are these points specific to mountain biking? Might there also be interference with frame flex on hardtails? (I recently got a bike with double diamond / gliding diamond geometry, so I’ve had frame flex in mind.)
Do you think the double spring thing will make clutches irrelevant? Or are you inclined to stick with a clutch for bikes without rear suspension?
I imagine frame flex is smaller than the slack in the derailleur system. Even with the clutch engaged there’s play in the chain and the derailleur (through bending and joints). I imagine whatever frame flex occurs should be within the play in the drivetrain system. Rear suspension swingarms move a lot in comparison.
I had not even heard of it and now it’s being relegated to the history books.
I have yet to try these new Shimano derailleurs, but reviews I have seen seem to indicate that that amount of chain slap is a definite step backwards.
I am inclined to think that the damping added to the suspension system by a derailleurs is fairly minimal compared to the actual forces involved, and worth the trade-off for systems with a reasonable amount of chain growth.
