Product Description
Paul Price of Paul Components in Chico, California released the first version of the iconic Powerglide derailleur in 1995. This version had a flat face plate, with "Paul USA" engraved in it. The second and final version came out in 1996 (see catalog scans in photos), with the main visual difference being an attractive decal in place of the face engravings. It proudly flies the American Flag on it's face, which represents the small boutique parts makers of the era perfectly. The Powerglide sold for about $250, while the XTR RD-M900 sold for only $85. It was a pure work of art in form, function, and performance. EVERY single piece of the derailleur was replaceable, down to the bushings. It was made completely of aluminum, brass, and stainless steel. A completely rebuildable, smooth shifting, lightweight, and otherworldly attractive derailleur...what more could you ask for?
Shimano had the answer to that. In late 1996, they released the XTR RD-M950. It was a dull grey and quite plain looking compared to the Paul. BUT, it freaking worked! The shifting performance was five steps above anything else out at the time. Sure, you couldn't rebuild a single piece of the derailleur. But then again, it never needed to be rebuilt! It was a gigantic middle finger to the whimsical and fun parts that ruled the 1990's from the likes of Paul, Ringle, Kooka, and many others.
Condition
New old stock, never installed. Very slight signs of shop wear, but ZERO signs of installation/use. The decal has a bit of a wrinkle in the middle, like it was poorly placed or started to peel and then put back down. (Need it more perfect? get a new decal sticker made! It's just a clear sticker, and will peel off easily). There are little pinpoint spots of ano wear on some of the edges (the photos show these well, and maybe even make them look worse than they are). Jockey wheels and hardware are pristine.
Details
- Mid cage (going off Shimano standards, this is a GS mid/long cage)
- Black anodized
- T6 aluminum plates
- Brass bushings
- Stainless steel hardware
