> But now curiosity is killing the cat > (me), and I am trying to figure out > what on earth would a circlip and a > flat cage have to do with safety. > Which circlip anyway? On later models there's a circlip on the end of the outside pivot shaft. On the earlier models without a cirlip, the pivot arm is held in place (i.e. fore and aft) by the end of the derailleurs spring. I suppose that someone, somewhere may have had a pivot arm slide backwards on the shaft. As for the cage, the allegation was that the leading edge of the fully flat cage could cut the rider's leg. Best regards, Fred Rednor - Arlington, Virginia (where my water bottle froze on this morning's ride)