DISRAELI GEARS

Retroshift BURD CX

Retroshift BURD CX derailleur main image

The BURD CX was a cyclocross specific rear derailleur 'designed' in muddy ol' Portland, Oregon. The design process involved starting with a respectable microSHIFT derailleur, upgrading its pulley wheels (there was ) and increasing the tension on the p-pivot spring.

Because cyclocross is hard on parts, it was very important to the designers that the resulting derailleur should be inexpensive, and they even went so far as to promise to rebuild any derailleurs for $34.

Just for your information, BURD stands for 'Blatantly Upgraded Rebranded Derailleur' and CX stands for Cyclocross.

The BURD CX has been through a number of generations:

  • It started life, in 2013, as the Retroshift BURD CX, a 10-speed derailleur supplied with a choice of either Shimano Ultegra or FSA units with ceramic bearings.
  • In 2014, Retroshift was rechristened as 'Gevenalle'. This was simply a change of brand name.
  • Possibly in 2017, Gevenalle make two changes. Firstly they introduced an 11-speed version of the BURD CX. Secondly they offered both 10 and 11-speed version with an additional choice of pulley wheels - adding a top-end Kogel CX, CNC machined, sealed bearing option.

Whatever the variant, it's a likeable piece.


This particular, pristine, example is:


  • Derailleur brands: Retroshift, manufactured by microSHIFT
  • Country: USA, manufactured in Taiwan
  • Date of introduction: 2013
  • Date of this example: unknown
  • Model no.: unknown
  • Weight: 201g
  • Maximum cog: 28 teeth (source: Retroshift)
  • Total capacity: 33 teeth (source: Gevenalle)
  • Pulley centre to centre: 56mm
  • Index compatibility: 10 speed Shimano compatible
  • Chain width: 3/32”
  • Logic: top normal
  • B pivot: sprung
  • P pivot: sprung
  • Materials: Aluminium, commendably with no major steel parts
Retroshift BURD CX derailleur additional image 01
Retroshift BURD CX derailleur additional image 02
Retroshift BURD CX derailleur additional image 03
Retroshift BURD CX derailleur additional image 04
Retroshift BURD CX derailleur additional image 05
Retroshift BURD CX derailleur additional image 06
Retroshift BURD CX derailleur additional image 07
Retroshift BURD CX derailleur additional image 08
Retroshift BURD CX derailleur additional image 09
Retroshift BURD CX derailleur additional image 10
Retroshift BURD CX derailleur additional image 11
Retroshift BURD CX derailleur additional image 12
Retroshift BURD CX derailleur additional image 13
Retroshift BURD CX derailleur additional image 14
Retroshift BURD CX derailleur additional image 15
Retroshift BURD CX derailleur additional image 16
Retroshift BURD CX derailleur additional image 17
Retroshift BURD CX derailleur additional image 18