[Dictatorsaurus]

I bent my derailleur hanger today.

Is it worth trying to bend it back or will that compromise reliability?

Is there a standard for hangers so I know which one to replace it with?

 

[[email protected]]

Take it off and try to restraighten it in a vice
Had to do that with mine, the metal will crack and fracture to a certain extent, mostly on what is now the inside of the bend, but it shouldnt be enough to cause you any problems (ive had none). It will make it weaker, but should be ok, theres not a huge amount of stress there.
Or if you feel like it, get a new one, it shouldnt be expensive.
I think each frame has a specific deraileur hanger, have a look on google for one for your frame

 

[Dictatorsaurus]

My frame is a 2001 Trek4500. It's kind of old so it's hard to find info on it.

What material is the hanger made of?
How hard is it to bend by hand using vice?

 

[heff®]

Should be an aluminum hanger. Bend it back VERY slowly, and it shouldn't crack. TBH, though, that looks more like the frame itself is bent, not the hanger.

 

[Dictatorsaurus]

Should be an aluminum hanger. Bend it back VERY slowly, and it shouldn't crack. TBH, though, that looks more like the frame itself is bent, not the hanger.

If the frame is bent will Trek warranty it?

I'm the original owner. I don't know how the hell it happened. I went for a 6 mile ride today and didn't fall or go over anything. All of a sudden I felt the gears not engaging and saw the bend.

 

[Dictatorsaurus]

Update.

The frame doesn't seem to be bent.

I was able to bend the hanger a little bit and is better than before. However the derailleur is still not 100% perpendicular to the floor. Does it have to be or a slight tilt is acceptable?

Here a new pic:

 

[jgerhardt]

I was able to find a hanger for my '95 Stumpjumper last month, so you should have no problem finding one for your '01. Just google around I was able to find one that was half the cost of what the LBS was offering...

Oh and from past experience, if you don't replace that hanger, it can very easily shear off at the EXACT wrong moment...

 

[veritechy]

Update.

The frame doesn't seem to be bent.

I was able to bend the hanger a little bit and is better than before. However the derailleur is still not 100% perpendicular to the floor. Does it have to be or a slight tilt is acceptable?

Here a new pic:

Park tools sell a tool to align the hanger if you still can't get it aligned. Check out their website. Or, hopefully you can buy a new hanger ...

 

[Dictatorsaurus]

I was able to bend it back more and it's much better now. Shifting fine.

Thanks guys.

 

[4slomo]

The derailleur hanger is supposed to be the weak link in the system. Bending yours back will just make it a weaker link. In addition, now is the time to buy the spare hanger you should have been carrying with you since you started riding that bike. That way, when your original one breaks you'll be prepared to replace it in the field, rather than convert to single speed to get back out off the trail.

 

[Dictatorsaurus]

The derailleur hanger is supposed to be the weak link in the system. Bending yours back will just make it a weaker link. In addition, now is the time to buy the spare hanger you should have been carrying with you since you started riding that bike. That way, when your original one breaks you'll be prepared to replace it in the field, rather than convert to single speed to get back out off the trail.

I did not even know what a derailleur hanger was until I bent mine today.

I'll look on the web for a spare.

 

[jgerhardt]

Right now I have 4 smashed up derailleur hangers hanging on my wall (morbid trophies maybe?) from the last 14 years on my bike. As a general rule I always keep an extra one in my camelback. They are extremely light and just the added mental security of knowing I have one is worth it!

 

[Dictatorsaurus]

Park Tool disgrees with some of you guys. I'm guessing they know what they are talking about. This is straight from their website:

"It is often possible to repeatedly re-bend many derailleur hangers. This is because there is very little stress from riding the bike or shifting gears. As a rule of thumb, if a hanger survives a repair by bending, it will survive use."

 

[dan0]

the park tool is about $40, your shop shold charge that or less. as long as it isnt cracked it should be fine. I would straighten it and buy a new one, keep one in your camelback.
you can try and straighten it yourself, either take it off the bike and make it flat or sometimes you can do it on the bike, put an allen wrench in the mounting bolt and use it to bend

 

[Dictatorsaurus]

the park tool is about $40, your shop shold charge that or less. as long as it isnt cracked it should be fine. I would straighten it and buy a new one, keep one in your camelback.
you can try and straighten it yourself, either take it off the bike and make it flat or sometimes you can do it on the bike, put an allen wrench in the mounting bolt and use it to bend

Already done my friend. I bent using vice grips.

 

[Hangingchads]

http://derailleurhanger.com/ should have what you need. You can also try ebay... maybe after market CNC made hangers. You bike may not be listed so just match up your hanger with the web and good to go. Mine was not listed for one of my bikes and I just matched up the look and it works perfect.

 

[heff®]

That's probably about as far as I would go with it. You can ride with it that way, it'll just jump gears on you occasionally. Ask your shop, I got a hanger for my 2000 Jamis without an issue, Trek should be even easier.

 

[23mjm]

If you "straightened" with vice grips, I would have it checked out by a bike shop. It might look straight to the eye but might still be out of alignment. Just because it shifts fine now doesn't mean it will shift fine under load out on the trail. The hanger straighting tools let you align the hanger so it is parallel with the cog/wheel, very very important for good shifting.