Derailleur Clearance

The front door stood ajar by two inches—sufficient clearance. I crossed the threshold and descended onto the sunlit wooden porch deck. Outside air felt distinctly cooler against my casing. Leaning against the railing was a road bicycle, its rear wheel hub ticking faintly as the morning breeze nudged the pedal. Approaching the lower cassette, I noted a mechanical irregularity. A brittle twig was wedged tight between the rear derailleur pulley and the chain link, causing unnecessary friction. Extending two metal digits, I calculated the angle of leverage and extracted the fragment with a steady tug. The chain snapped cleanly back into alignment with a crisp click. Porch perimeter: surveyed.