Little Things Mean a Lot
It's a small part. A tiny, unassuming part that most people don't think much about. Until they do.
They can snap far from home and normal supply chains. They are made from cheap metal, and are designed to break- purportedly to prevent more expensive damage. A fusible link. Since there are so many variants out there, finding a replacement locally is usually impossible- especially if it's older than a couple years.
The slightest bend in this part can have serious negative effects on the performance of the entire system. A larger bend can lead to expensive component damage. TSA loves bending them. I think they have a jig designed expressly for this purpose.
It's obvious to those that have experienced my pain that I'm talking about the derailleur hanger. They're evil.
I pulled down my race bike last night to get it ready for a small stage race. Nothing major- a quick wash and lube it should have been good to go. Since It had been hanging on the ceiling, nothing should have been wrong with it, but I ran it through the gears and quickly noticed something was off. I pulled out my well-used Park Tool derailleur hanger alignment gauge, which has paid for itself several times over the past few years, and immediately noticed the hanger was flexing. While the hanger itself was straight, one of the threaded bolt holes was stripped- likely due to my ham-handed wrenching skills.
I rummaged through my disorganized parts bins for anything that might replace it, and of course I had every one of the 200-odd Wheels Manufacturing derailleur hangers... except for the one I needed. When I break one or bend one excessively (which I do on a regular basis), I buy two so I can throw one in the travel box. When they arrive, three weeks after the event I needed it for, I immediately sell the bike so that I will have no conceivable use for the part. That's just how I roll.
This time I couldn't figure out exactly which one of two almost identical hangers I needed, so I ordered four. Go big or go home.
Then I proceeded to clean up my backup race bike and get it ready. This bike doesn't have a replaceable derailleur hanger. It's never bent out of alignment, and I check it periodically. If the hanger breaks, the frame is dead, but that hasn't happened yet. I love this bike more every day.
Today, despite having four hangers on order, I might cruise the local shops to see if they have one on-hand. Not because I expect them to, but because I look for any excuse to rummage through their parts bins. You never know what you'll find, and I can always use another overpriced piece of aluminum.
They can snap far from home and normal supply chains. They are made from cheap metal, and are designed to break- purportedly to prevent more expensive damage. A fusible link. Since there are so many variants out there, finding a replacement locally is usually impossible- especially if it's older than a couple years.
The slightest bend in this part can have serious negative effects on the performance of the entire system. A larger bend can lead to expensive component damage. TSA loves bending them. I think they have a jig designed expressly for this purpose.
It's obvious to those that have experienced my pain that I'm talking about the derailleur hanger. They're evil.
I pulled down my race bike last night to get it ready for a small stage race. Nothing major- a quick wash and lube it should have been good to go. Since It had been hanging on the ceiling, nothing should have been wrong with it, but I ran it through the gears and quickly noticed something was off. I pulled out my well-used Park Tool derailleur hanger alignment gauge, which has paid for itself several times over the past few years, and immediately noticed the hanger was flexing. While the hanger itself was straight, one of the threaded bolt holes was stripped- likely due to my ham-handed wrenching skills.
I rummaged through my disorganized parts bins for anything that might replace it, and of course I had every one of the 200-odd Wheels Manufacturing derailleur hangers... except for the one I needed. When I break one or bend one excessively (which I do on a regular basis), I buy two so I can throw one in the travel box. When they arrive, three weeks after the event I needed it for, I immediately sell the bike so that I will have no conceivable use for the part. That's just how I roll.
This time I couldn't figure out exactly which one of two almost identical hangers I needed, so I ordered four. Go big or go home.
Then I proceeded to clean up my backup race bike and get it ready. This bike doesn't have a replaceable derailleur hanger. It's never bent out of alignment, and I check it periodically. If the hanger breaks, the frame is dead, but that hasn't happened yet. I love this bike more every day.
Today, despite having four hangers on order, I might cruise the local shops to see if they have one on-hand. Not because I expect them to, but because I look for any excuse to rummage through their parts bins. You never know what you'll find, and I can always use another overpriced piece of aluminum.
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