Originally Posted by
Kapusta
II find rear derailleur drivetrains brilliantly simple, work nearly flawlessly, easy to adjust, light, and efficient.
Road, gravel, MTB, commuting... they just work. Like someone else said, a silent partner.
I gather you do not share my thoughts on the matter
Yep. Pretty simple, imo. I have three derailleur drivetrains, on my three bicycles: 3x9; 2x10; and now 1x11.
They all work, flawlessly, and have done so over the years that I have had them. Light, efficient, and requiring only a modicum of maintenance: wipe off/lube the chains; change the chain when worn; change the cassette when worn; change the chainring(s) when worn, and keep the cables (inner and outer) in decent condition.
I'm sure that at some point someone will develop an internal gearbox system that is as light, reliable, and efficient as a derailleur system. If and when that day comes, I'll welcome it, but until then I'm perfectly happy with what works and has done so for decades.