Can a new rear meach cause a mech hanger accident?

bails1310

Talk about bad timing..........4 miles into todays last 100 ready for http://www.justgiving.com/HozelockCycle something gave way rather badly at the back end. I was seated on a ralatively easy climb, no pot holes, not over/quickshifting, all rather inconspicious, the hanger has pretty much folded in half, but not all together

Not being very DIY like, I took back to LBS for them to have a look.

I purchased a Focus Cayo from Wiggle last Oct, the rear mech gave in last week and the same LBS fitted a new one. All seemed to be OK until today's outing.

Not knowing, I asked the guy what would cause the hanger to fold, a wrong fitted mech being one of his reasons, not knowing they they had fitted it a week ago until I told them.

Is this true? At the moment, I'm left with the needing another new mech, new hanger [not avalibale on Wiggle as discontinued] new chain and having just called them, possibility of a new frame as the mech has hit the frame and they beleive has gone a little soft.

Any advice would be great, including where I can get a suitable bike from before the 08th Aug!

A year of route planning, training, motivating others now looks like its in fooking tatters - very very peeved.

Garry H

Sounds like the rear mech went into the spokes,causing the hanger to bend. the hanger is designes to bend relayively easy,the alternative being a damaged frame. Poorly fitted/adjusted rear mech is usually the most likely culprit.

bails1310

Thanks, just a second before it went it did sound like something was catching on the spoked but didnt get chance to stop and see what it was.

Any thoughts on the likely hood of LBS taking ownership of any of this re cost of parts and possible frame?

I went in there as was looking about upgrading to the new Kuota Kharma - slightly worried about having another carbon?!

Monty Dog

Yes, either impact damage or badly adjusted rear mech - Why did the old mech fail? If it was crashed, then it could have weakened the gear hanger which caused it to fail. If you just asked your LBS to fit the rear mech without mentioning any impact damage, I doubt you have much of a claim.

bails1310

Never been crashed or dropped so can't beleive it was previously weakened, I purchased bike from new.

Mech failed as internal spring inside was faulty I was told.

Surely if mech fitted incorrectly which has now caused chain, mech & frame damage, should the LBS take some of the fault or is it the proof & making it stick?

Are the hangers designed to snap or bend as this is pretty much 180 degrees folded over.

Wirral_paul

Sounds very much like they failed to set the low limit screw on the new mech - and they should be 100% liable to the damage caused by shoddy workmanship!! If they say not then dont mess about - tell them you're going straight to Trading Standards and will deal with it via there. Do you have a receipt for the mech and fitting??

bails1310

I do have a receipt so will see what they say tomorrow when they re-open. The 3 chaps working there were in a huddle whispering when I came back from browsing and looked very sheepish.

Neighbour has a 2011 Via Nirone 7 and kindly said I can borrow that for the France trip so all is not lost.

I wasn't in the lowest gear at the time when it happened, does this matter to my argument ''me lud?

Garry H

The shop could argue that the chain snapped first,jamming up the mech and then bending the hanger as it catches the spokes.

bails1310

Chain hasn't snapped, they said it was damaged and needs replacing but very much intact when I took it in.

amaferanga

bails1310 wrote:

I do have a receipt so will see what they say tomorrow when they re-open. The 3 chaps working there were in a huddle whispering when I came back from browsing and looked very sheepish.

Neighbour has a 2011 Via Nirone 7 and kindly said I can borrow that for the France trip so all is not lost.

I wasn't in the lowest gear at the time when it happened, does this matter to my argument ''me lud?

If you weren't in the lowest gear then it's got nowt to do with the low limit screws.

I'm not saying this is what happened to you, but I had a SRAM Red rear mech fail recently. The pulley part separated from the main mech body, jamming the chain and snapping the mech hanger. Luckily I stopped pedalling straight away and stopped pretty quickly so I didn't cause any further damage. So I needed a new rear mech (which was actually replaced under warranty) and a new mech hanger, but my frame and wheel were fine.

This may have happened to you, but it would be impossible to prove. I can't see how you could prove that the LBS were at fault at all actually so not sure what you can expect really. The frame could probably be repaired if it really is damaged. Thinking about it, it would seem strange that you had one mech fail and then another one. Unfortunately that does suggest user error in some way.

Garry H

didficult to prove, but i would get my kharma from elsewhere

Wirral_paul

Thats going to be a tough one to prove then. Still - seems a coincidence that a new rear mech fitted and then within a few days you have a huge issue with what really could only being the mech jamming somehow! Can you take the bike to another shop before the original one touches it??

Zingzang

Surely the lesson to draw from all this is learn to do your own spannering; it will save you a lot of ball-ache.

bails1310

Zingzang wrote:

Surely the lesson to draw from all this is learn to do your own spannering; it will save you a lot of ball-ache.

Totally agree, the shop offer a maintainence course when by the end you can take apart and rebuild a bike. One for e when I get back.

Thinking about it, it would seem strange that you had one mech fail and then another one. Unfortunately that does suggest user error in some way.

First mech gave in when I was putting a wheel back on, just lost it's resistance.

I've ridden bikes for years all be only road bike for the last 18 months and this is my first mechanical issue. While not wanting to go back to 'Beginners', is there anything I should be doing that I perhaps don't know about [I don't over shift, shift through many gears while not slowing / pedaling etc].

Pretty sure it's not user error but if I do need to borrow a bike for France, prefer to exclude even the simlpist of 'don'ts'

Thanks a lot.

Cleat Eastwood

I've had a mech/hanger collapse when the jockey wheels collided. Also saw a guy a few weeks back on slight incline suddenly drop chain and ended up having an off - the cause was QR's not tightened enough.