Hawk Racing Derailleur Pulley Set

The Univega's old but worthy LX mech might seem an odd recipient of Hawk Racing's Derailleur Pulley Set characterised by super smooth stainless steel bearings and 7075 construction but shifting tag-alongs, trailers and full to the brim expedition panniers day in, day out calls for plenty of gear changing. Oh and they coordinate perfectly with the tubby tourers' red and black livery.

Retailing at a cool 35 quid and available in two alternative colours (green/black or plain black) they're very nicely executed but more interestingly Hawk shun the trend for ceramic bearings in favour of stainless steel-ABEC3 certified Foher Technologies types chosen for the last words in precision and longevity. Machined to Shimano and Sachs patterns, I feared we'd be on a hiding to nothing with an eight-speed mech but a quick wander round the Hawk website assured compatibility with 8,9,10 and even 11 speeds.

Installation is simply a question of splitting the chain (leaving it to marinate in some solvent) and unbolting the existing models from the rear mech, remembering to hang on to the bolts since the Hawk's aren't supplied with any. Take this opportunity to purge residual grime from the derailleur cage before treating those retaining bolts to a quick lick of grease. Snug the Hawk in position with the lazer etched detailing facing the hub; refit the chain and check shifting across the block.

With a fresh drizzling of wax based lube we were ready to go. Don't be surprised if you need to tweak the barrel adjuster slightly and there seemed a very brief bedding in period of around 20 miles and ours haven't skipped a beat since.

Despite high mileages, there's nothing worn or sloppy about the host mech but the Hawks' refinement was immediately obvious. Deliberately leaving down-changes late on the climbs and provocatively shifting under load, shifts were snappier in both directions-even with my full weight dancing on the pedals.

The song remained the same through town, approaching the lights in that gear or so too tall before powering away with a deft flick of the Ultegra bar con. It wasn't long before we felt the call of the wild but I'm pleased to report machined edges churn out gloop and grime with consumate ease, boding well for the not so gentile sport of mud plugging. Ultimately, while they've transformed the persona of an old but worthy mid-range derailleur, in the real world 35 quid would be better invested in a replacement. That said, I wouldn't hesitate to ship them aboard a Dura Ace, Sram Red or similarly top-drawer groupset.

Verdict

Superb aftermarket jockey wheels for top-flight rear mechs.