DISRAELI GEARS

Shimano Nexave (T400)

Shimano Nexave (T400) derailleur main image

The first derailleur to bear the 'Nexave' name, the Shimano Nexave (T400) was introduced for Model Year 1998. This was the same model year as Shimano's XTR (M951) derailleurs. The Nexave (T400) was frighteningly similar to the XTR (M951), but constructed from less exotic materials. Together the two were the first examples of Shimano's low-normal, 'Rapid Rise' technology. A technology that was much lauded by Shimano, but much loathed by bicycle shop mechanics around the globe.

Like its more esteemed brother, the Shimano Nexave (T400) featured pulley wheels with 11 teeth and a fantastically complicated, sprung, articulating, cable roller to reduce cable friction. Unlike the XTR (M951) the Nexave (T400) also had a 'Light Action' sprung cable clamp. Add in two sprung knuckle pivots and the main parallelogram spring and you have a total of 5 springs in the whole mechanism - possibly a record.

When clean and new, with a well lubricated, and not too flexible chain, tight derailleur rivets and smoothly flowing cables, the whole system worked like a dream. Add in a ladle-full of neglect and a shed-load of filth and you were soon yearning for a little less, low-normal, silky, sophistication and a little more, top-normal, brute, simplicity. The first task of a derailleur is surely to change gear reliably - and no amount of 'Light Action', 'Tap Fire', 'Optical Gear Display', 'Megarange' or any other Shimano buzz-word can substitute for that.


  • Derailleur brands: Shimano
  • Categories: Shimano - Nexave, the way the future used to look
  • Country: Japan
  • Date of introduction: 1997
  • Date of this example: A silver foil sticker on the inner parallelogram plate has the letters KE YG. The YG might indicate July 2000
  • Model no.: T400 (possibly sometimes called T400-S, where I think the 'S' means silver - although I have never seen any other colour)
  • Weight: 349g
  • Maximum cog: 34 teeth (Source: Shimano)
  • Total capacity: 43 teeth (Source: Shimano)
  • Pulley centre to centre: 96mm
  • Index compatibility: 8 speed
  • Chain width: 3/32”
  • Logic: low normal
  • B pivot: sprung
  • P pivot: sprung
  • Materials: largely aluminium with a steel inner parallelogram plate and a steel pulley cage.
Shimano Nexave (T400) derailleur additional image 01
Shimano Nexave (T400) derailleur additional image 02
Shimano Nexave (T400) derailleur additional image 03
Shimano Nexave (T400) derailleur additional image 04
Shimano Nexave (T400) derailleur additional image 05
Shimano Nexave (T400) derailleur additional image 06
Shimano Nexave (T400) derailleur additional image 07
Shimano Nexave (T400) derailleur additional image 08
Shimano Nexave (T400) derailleur additional image 09
Shimano Nexave (T400) derailleur additional image 10
Shimano Nexave (T400) derailleur additional image 11
Shimano Nexave (T400) derailleur additional image 12
Shimano Nexave (T400) derailleur additional image 13
Shimano Nexave (T400) derailleur additional image 14
Shimano Nexave (T400) derailleur additional image 15
Shimano Nexave (T400) derailleur additional image 16