Top swing front derailleur

[scuzzy]

I was just browsing through some parts and saw that you get 2 kinds of front derailleurs, top swing and conventional.  Can anyone tell me what the difference is between these?

 

[AndreZA]

Top swing = cage swings above/next to the clamp

 

Bottom swing = cage swings below the clamp (conventional)

 

 

 

http://bike.shimano.com/publish/content/cycle/seh/nl/en/technical_service/faq_s/general_faq_s/what_is_the_difference0.MainContent.0002.Image.gifMampara2009-09-08 00:22:28

[Johan Bornman]

Mampara's sketches omit a subtlety.

Often, the decision to get top or bottom swing has to do with available space on the seat tube, for the derailer clamp.

 

Some bikes with rear suspension don't allow a long section of free seatpost for the clamp and therefore only one type of derailer will fit in there.

 

Futher, many derailers nowadays can be converted to top pull or bottom pull. In other words, the cable can approach from the top tube side or from the bottom bracket side. Usually the swing arm has a convoluted pulley that allows the two different cable routings.