Today is a tricky one in cycling tech, deciphering fact from fiction. But Ratio offers a bit of both in a silly April Fool’s crankset setup that spins backwards to go forwards. And then, they curiously attached that to a bright blue prototype Ratio direct full mount mechanical derailleur!
So pick the Ratio Reverso Spider if, like these Lake District tinkerers, you think “The Future of Cycling is… Backwards?”
Or read on further for a few close-up sneak peeks at that beautiful blue anodized derailleur, and some speculation as to what it all means!
Ratio Reverso Spider – spin backwards to win!
Ratio Technology hypes their Reverso Spider as “a groundbreaking drivetrain innovation that flips the script on pedal power—literally“. It comes with an out-there 41% power boots claim. “By engaging the less fatigued muscle groups in your legs, the Ratio Reverso Spider allows cyclists to generate more power with less effort, making climbs easier, sprints faster, and wheelies incredibly confusing.”
All that comes from the Head of Reverse Kinetics at Ratio Technology, a Dr. April Erste. Get it?
“A further benefit of the Ratio Reverso is that, when installed on a full suspension bike, pedal kickback is completely eliminated. Any spikes in chain tension arising from suspension action are simply translated into harmless pedal kickforwards.” #groan.
Ratio doesn’t let the bit die, giving the Reverso Spider some legit-looking specs, while we have to speculate about the derailleur.
A weight claim of 140g with bolts thanks to carbon composite construction; compatibility with SRAM 3-bolt, 8-bolt & Hope direct mount crank standards; spinning on low-friction bushings; and a surprisingly reasonable £95 / $99 / 92€ pricetag considering it is made in the UK.
Try to order yours (and entertain the lads at Ratio) before they expire at midnight tonight. Presumably, just spam their email and social media comments sections, since they’ve strangely not listed the Reverso in their web shop.
Onto more serious business….
Prototype Ratio full mount mechanical derailleur!
Yes, look at it!
That is a pretty real-looking direct mount mechanical rear derailleur. And what looks like a ground-up new derailleur design from Ratio.
It’s no surprise really, that Ratio is working on their own derailleur to take advantage of the Full Mount standard ushered in by SRAM’s UDH. We already saw Ratio testing a rapid prototype conversion of an old XX1 mechanical derailleur to a Full Mount several months before SRAM debuted their own electronic AXS Transmission derailleurs that bolt directly to your frame without a derailleur hanger.
Plus, from the start, Ratio has been a big fan of the pure simplicity of mechanical shift systems. And of course the versatility they allow, letting Ratio tweak the ratchets in a shifter or the cable fin at the derailleur to change cable pull ratios for SRAM shifter compatibility with virtually any mechanical rear derailleur or cassette setup.
Tech details?
What we can see here is an all-new design from Ratio. The blue anodized parts are pretty clearly CNC-machined aluminum. But we can’t really tell what those black B- & P-knuckles are made of from these screengrabs.
There does appear to be a clutch for off-road chain retention.
And the fact that the anodized parts are so visually distinct from the black body suggests some modularity, like we also just saw in SRAM’s new mechanical Eagle 90 launch last week. Again, not a big surprise from Ratio who are all about DIY service and repair.
The derailleur’s cage itself looks very similar to their latest replacement cage for SRAM Transmission 10-52T derailleurs, suggesting a similar layout of pulleys offset from the clutch to clear really wide range cassettes.
Really this looks like a perfect example of the Ratio modular compatibility ethos.
This gravel bike combines the latest 13-speed SRAM Red XPLR gravel cassette (introduced in August 2024) with a decidedly older set of SRAM shifters. I’m not exactly sure which these are (possibly old Force HRD of some sort). But they are definitely more than 10 years old, from back in the day when SRAM road hydraulic discs were mated to mechanical 11-speed drivetrains.
But of course, Ratio already makes conversion kits to match those shifters to Eagle 12-speed MTB, road 12sp, or even Campagnolo 13sp cassettes. You just have to pick what combo you want.
Anticipated public release?
When we spot a prototype like this in the wild, it’s often hard to tell how long we’ll have to wait before it comes to market. But when a brand itself sends out a teaser revealing as much as this, it’s probably not far off. This Ratio full mount mechanical derailleur looks refined and production-ready.
Now, we just have to wait and see when.
Just to be clear, we reached out to Ratio for more details and a release timeline, and they responded with no official comment at this time. But they didn’t deny that Ratio are working on their own derailleur. And they promised to keep us updated, if-and-when it would become a commercial product in their line-up.
My interest is piqued!
