DISRAELI GEARS

Shimano Light Action (L532 SGS)

Shimano Light Action derailleur (L532 SGS) main image

Shimano’s Light Action design involved mounting the cable clamp bolt on a short lever that was independantly sprung, allowing some ‘give’ before the parallelogram was shifted. It was the direct descendant of the ‘cable saver’ on the Shimano Lark and Eagle designs.

I liked it a lot. Combined with well made, affordable, slant parallelogram derailleurs it gave a slick, fluid shift - tangibly nicer than SunTour’s comparably priced offerings of the time.

This example is a (very) long pulley cage version of the workhorse of the Light Action range - with a steel outer parallelogram plate and a hanger plate that looks as though it is removable, but in fact is not (the allen bolt is not a standard 10mm fitting).


  • Derailleur brands: Shimano
  • Categories: Shimano - weirdness
  • Country: Japan
  • Date of introduction: 1986
  • Date of this example: 1987 (two letter date code is LF stamped on the inner parallelogram plate)
  • Model no.: L532
  • Weight: 326g including hanger plate
  • Maximum cog: 34 teeth (Sutherland’s 6th edition)
  • Total capacity: 40 teeth (Sutherland’s 6th edition)
  • Pulley centre to centre: 86.5mm
  • Index compatibility: friction (Sutherland’s 6th edition says the SGS version is not SIS compatible)
  • Chain width: 3/32”
  • Logic: top normal
  • B pivot: sprung
  • P pivot: sprung
  • Materials: aluminium knuckles and outer parallelogram plate, steel pulley cage and inner parallelogram plate

Browse associated documents.



Shimano Light Action (L532 series) exploded view - #U802 12/1986

Shimano Light Action (L532 series) exploded view - #U802 12/1986

Shimano Bicycle Parts - 1987 scan 12 thumbnail


Shimano Bicycle System Components (08/1986) scan 21 of 24

Shimano Bicycle System Components (08/1986) scan 21 of 24

  • Publisher: Shimano
  • Date: August 1986
  • Derailleur brands: Shimano
  • Derailleurs: Shimano Light Action (L525 GS), Shimano Light Action (L525 SGS), Shimano Light Action (L523 SS), Shimano Light Action (L523 GS), Shimano Light Action (L523 SGS), Shimano Light Action (L532 SS), Shimano Light Action (L532 SGS)
Shimano Bicycle System Components (1986) scan 21 thumbnail


Shimano Bicycle System Components (12/1986) scan 25 of 28

Shimano Bicycle System Components (12/1986) scan 25 of 28

Shimano Bicycle System Components (1987) scan 25 thumbnail


Shimano Bicycle System Components (12/1987) scan 31 of 36

Shimano Bicycle System Components (12/1987) scan 31 of 36

  • Publisher: Shimano
  • Date: December 1987
  • Derailleur brands: Shimano
  • Derailleurs: Shimano M 531 (M531 GS), Shimano Light Action (L541 SS), Shimano Light Action (L541 GS), Shimano Light Action (L541 SGS), Shimano Light Action (L532 SS), Shimano Light Action (L532 GS), Shimano Light Action (L532 SGS), Shimano Z (Z501), Shimano Z (Z501 GS), Shimano Z (Z501 SGS)
Shimano Bicycle System Components (1988) scan 31 thumbnail


Shimano Spare Parts Catalogue - 1987

Shimano Spare Parts Catalogue - 1987

  • Publisher: Shimano
  • Date: 1987
  • Derailleur brands: Shimano
  • Derailleurs: too many to list here!
Shimano Bicycle Parts - 1987 scan 01 thumbnail