Hanger snapped - you know the rest!!

BigDaddyG

I picked up new recently rebuilt Wilier from the LBS boy did it look the business!!! I went for a new set of Hope Pro3's on Mavic open pro rims (Im a big lad) new DA hollow pin Chain, 105 shifters to match the stock crank + a few carbon bits as I like shiney things :P .

I set off last night on it's first ride and whilst the shifting didn't feel like my old bike I just put it down to new shifters and drive train and cracked on with the useal hike out of home and into the lakes http://app.strava.com/activities/62578574

Just as I hit a small incline I dropped it a gear, got out of the saddle and with no warning a snap and then a crunch, followed by my b****cks boucing of the top tube . I came to an abrupt stop looked down to see my rear mech had sheered off the hanger and been depositied through the rear wheel, and my new chain had made some lovely marks and chipped the lovely paint on the crank arms.......I could of cried!! I checked the wheels and that seemed to be undamaged. I took it straight back to the LBS who is now looking into the cause and fixing it as we speak.

Has anyone ever had this happen and is there any reason why this would happnen?? The hanger was in perfect condition, the chain was new as was the cassette and the rear mech had only seen 250 mile and was transplanted off my old bike.

I am loathed to blame the LBS as they have been fantastic in the past (and I am sure they will be over this) but I am not sure what to do or expect them to do in terms of replacement parts and labour/responsibility??, I can't prove it was poor workmanship as it all looked fine but it seems more than a coincidence that it happened on the first ride of a new build??

Any advice would be appriciated??

nicklouse

the shifting didn't feel like my old bike

explain. in what way?

djm501

Happened to me with my first bike last year - similar scenario I was pushing a big gear up a short incline. They replaced over £100s worth of rear mechanism for free as 'it just shouldn't happen' as they said in the shop.
I also am a big guy with powerful legs and I still think I was just giving it too much as a total newbie at the time. I've learned to ease off a lot - change gears before an incline and ease off when you do - that minimises damage if there is something wrong.
The hanger is deliberately made of cheese so it breaks first rather than your frame. Probably was caused by poor indexing and/or badly adjusted limit screws. Should be fully fixable under warranty if its a new build although given some of the bits seem to be second hand off an old bike - did they fix this stuff on or you?

BigDaddyG

I had gone from Sora with the thumb shifters to 105 shifters, the 105 shifts felt graunchy and not very complient, almost like they didn't want to shift smoothly and it was hardwork for them, this was exagerated on the down shifits, I expected them to me almost seamless.

Like I said I thought it was just the new shifters/cables bedding in as this is the first change of shifters I have ever experienced.

BigDaddyG

djm501 wrote:

Happened to me with my first bike last year - similar scenario I was pushing a big gear up a short incline. They replaced over £100s worth of rear mechanism for free as 'it just shouldn't happen' as they said in the shop.
I also am a big guy with powerful legs and I still think I was just giving it too much as a total newbie at the time. I've learned to ease off a lot - change gears before an incline and ease off when you do - that minimises damage if there is something wrong.
The hanger is deliberately made of cheese so it breaks first rather than your frame. Probably was caused by poor indexing and/or badly adjusted limit screws. Should be fully fixable under warranty if its a new build although given some of the bits seem to be second hand off an old bike - did they fix this stuff on or you?

Sounds a similer story, I had just free wheeled down an short down hill and dropped the gear so I could pick it up when I needed to pedal, as I went for the pedal stroke..........bang!!

Yep LBS had frame set, new bits and old bike, they transplanted the parts of the old bike onto the new bike and built the rest with the new parts. As stated I have never had a problem at all with LBS, fantastic service and great job in the past.

Monty Dog

I suspect the transmission momentarily jammed prior to the mech hanger giving way. Were you in the big chainring and try and shift into the big sprocket? If this was the case, then the top jockey wheel probably clashed with the cassette and the force from the chain did the rest.

styxd

BigDaddyG wrote:

Any advice would be appriciated??

Get a contract with Vodafone, then you'll have no problems calling for a lift!

nicklouse

BigDaddyG wrote:

I had gone from Sora with the thumb shifters to 105 shifters, the 105 shifts felt graunchy and not very complient, almost like they didn't want to shift smoothly and it was hardwork for them, this was exagerated on the down shifits, I expected them to me almost seamless.

poor set up. sounds like they did not even do a test ride.

Pross

Summer - Trek 1.2
Winter - Trek 1.2
Turbo bike - Trek 1.2
I love my Trek 1.2

Maybe your Trek 1.2 was upset at being cuckolded and undertook some sabbotage? :twisted:

Sounds nasty but hopefully the shop will get it all sorted out and at least you didn't get injured (other than temporary damage to the plums!).

BigDaddyG

styxd wrote:

BigDaddyG wrote:

Any advice would be appriciated??

Get a contract with Vodafone, then you'll have no problems calling for a lift!

styxd.....really???

If it was you pal then you were a life saver!!! Mrs was not impressed but only half as p1ssed off as I was!!!

keef66

My 105 has been slick and flawless for the 6 years I have been using it, so it sounds like something was amiss from the start.

Twice I have had close shaves though.

Once the chain seemed reluctant to snake through the rear mech and was jamming. Then it freed itself and I finished my ride. When I got home I took off the chain and it turned out that my missing link was losing one of it's pins.

More recently I fell off while clipped in, and didn't realise I'd whacked the rear mech till I reached the first hill, at which point I heard the distinctive tinkling of derailleur hitting spokes :shock:

On both occasions I imagine if I'd been really mashing the pedals at the time I could easily have dragged the rear mech into the cassette / rear wheel.

thejimmymethod

Happened to me 5 miles in to London to Brighton the other week. Dropped down a gear and clunk BANG screech, mech went through the spokes and I came to a sudden stop so shocked that I had a clipless moment as well. Hope you get it sorted alright and maybe think about carrying a spare or an emergency hanger in future, just in case.

styxd

Glad you got back alrite! Been in that situation a few times before myself, it's a nightmare. Saying that, Nibthwaite isn't the worst place in the world to wait for a lift.

Hope you get it sorted out.

BigDaddyG

Cheers guys for all the responses. I am more than confident LBS will sort it and I will be happy with the outcome. Over all the sense I am getting is appears to be incorrect set up /lack of proper test which is the most likely cause.

Sun is shining and both bikes are in bits.......sums my week up really!!

BigDaddyG

styxd wrote:

Glad you got back alrite! Been in that situation a few times before myself, it's a nightmare. Saying that, Nibthwaite isn't the worst place in the world to wait for a lift.

Hope you get it sorted out.

It is funny as that was what I was thinking as I sat on the wall watching the outward bounds guys teaching kids how to sail and the sun was beaming through the trees.

Still didn't stop my nuts from throbing though!!

savethemamil

Had a similar incident on my old winter bike a couple of years ago -- was a steelie with the mech hanger being an integral part of the frame (ouch .....). Changing onto the big ring and all of a sudden back wheel locked up sharp, luckily I managed to control it as I could have got splatted by a white van that was passing me very close. I could have cried to see what a mess it had made. Took me ages just to get the wheel to turn again. The best bit was when I realised my phone battery was dead. It was a 6 mile walk home in cleats, during which time I learned that whatever payphones there are left, don't work. Sadly the cost to fix the frame was more than the bike was worth.

BTW make sure you replace any spokes in your rear wheel that have had any abrasion from the chain or mech. I failed to do this and it nearly cost me another long walk in cleats when a spoke later snapped. Fortunately a good samaritan cyclist passing in his SUV took pity on me and gave me a lift home.

BigDaddyG

Well it's great to hear other people have had the same issues, and I was REALLY glad of my good samaritan as I was really not looking forward to carrying my bike whilst ruining a pair of cleats!!

Nearly the weekend and with a bit of luck out giving the new machine another good going over, my pal and I have a beast of a ride planned just hope the bike has the same idea as we do!!

Grill

Did your LBS straighten the hanger as they're rarely straight from the factory...

BigDaddyG

Hanger was already on the frame so I assume by attaching the donor rear mech the alignment would have been checked??

poppit

You know the plastic disc that you get on a new bike, between the wheel and the spokes, would this have prevented the wheel damage?

hstiles

Useful piece of advice for the future. Drop your bike into the smallest cog then push the rear mech right across to the largest cog to check the amount of travel.

slowbike

poppit wrote:

You know the plastic disc that you get on a new bike, between the wheel and the spokes, would this have prevented the wheel damage?

Not in my experience. It tends to be the bottom part of the rear derailleur that catches the wheel first and that's usually outside the area protected by the (dork) disk. I have seen some larger (dork) disks on bikes recently and they may do a better job.

Providing the bike is set up correctly the (dork) disk is superfluous.