Comments on: How to Align a Rear Derailleur Hanger http://bicycletutor.com/derailleur-hanger-alignment/ Bike repair videos show how to fix your own bike. Bicycle maintenance and repair instructions by Alex Ramon. Fri, 29 Apr 2011 09:46:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Andrew Lawry http://bicycletutor.com/derailleur-hanger-alignment/comment-page-1/#comment-4894 Andrew Lawry Fri, 11 Mar 2011 10:36:34 +0000 http://bicycletutor.com/?p=153#comment-4894 I'm a pro cycle mechanic 25 years experience. I have a tip. I usually remove the Q/R skewer knob and the spring, and put on a thick washer, or two washers. Think they called a panel washer. 6mm hole about 25mm washer. Then clamp back up with the skewer. Then, when i bend the hanger with an alignment tool, it is less likely to bend where it is weakest, under the knob. When I'm done, I refit the spring and save the washer on the same nail the tool lives on. Don't bother on a late model Giant trance or anthem, they have the hanger mounted on the inside and seem much stronger. Good tip abouve using a rear wheel - hanger thread is M10 X 1, very cloce to Q/R Axle thread Good Luck I’m a pro cycle mechanic 25 years experience. I have a tip. I usually remove the Q/R skewer knob and the spring, and put on a thick washer, or two washers. Think they called a panel washer. 6mm hole about 25mm washer. Then clamp back up with the skewer. Then, when i bend the hanger with an alignment tool, it is less likely to bend where it is weakest, under the knob. When I’m done, I refit the spring and save the washer on the same nail the tool lives on. Don’t bother on a late model Giant trance or anthem, they have the hanger mounted on the inside and seem much stronger. Good tip abouve using a rear wheel – hanger thread is M10 X 1, very cloce to Q/R Axle thread

Good Luck

]]> By: Roger http://bicycletutor.com/derailleur-hanger-alignment/comment-page-1/#comment-4359 Roger Mon, 01 Nov 2010 01:08:13 +0000 http://bicycletutor.com/?p=153#comment-4359 If you don't have the proper tool to hand, as might happen if you fatally bend a hanger on a family day out, you'll find that a solid axle fits the hanger perfectly (sorry, I can't remember if it was a front or rear wheel) You also have the very big wheel attached to the axle to give you plenty of leverage, and also to help you judge when the hanger is in the right plane - just get the extra wheel parallel to the wheel on the bent bike. I was very pleased when this worked a treat for me on a sunny family ride after junior pranged his bike. I think I tightened the track nut onto the back of the hanger to spread the load, but I can't remember. Necessity is the mother of invention, and of all good bodges! If you don’t have the proper tool to hand, as might happen if you fatally bend a hanger on a family day out, you’ll find that a solid axle fits the hanger perfectly (sorry, I can’t remember if it was a front or rear wheel) You also have the very big wheel attached to the axle to give you plenty of leverage, and also to help you judge when the hanger is in the right plane – just get the extra wheel parallel to the wheel on the bent bike. I was very pleased when this worked a treat for me on a sunny family ride after junior pranged his bike. I think I tightened the track nut onto the back of the hanger to spread the load, but I can’t remember.

Necessity is the mother of invention, and of all good bodges!

]]> By: CHRISTOPHER http://bicycletutor.com/derailleur-hanger-alignment/comment-page-1/#comment-4300 CHRISTOPHER Mon, 04 Oct 2010 05:06:21 +0000 http://bicycletutor.com/?p=153#comment-4300 Hi, Nice tutorial. As all ways a first class video. It taught me how to use the tool. Thanks. Hi, Nice tutorial. As all ways a first class video. It taught me how to use the tool. Thanks.

]]> By: Jesse http://bicycletutor.com/derailleur-hanger-alignment/comment-page-1/#comment-4250 Jesse Mon, 13 Sep 2010 18:12:20 +0000 http://bicycletutor.com/?p=153#comment-4250 Thanks for the fantastic videos. I am a volunteer mechanic at a non-profit educational shop. I wish I had watched your video on derailer hanger alignment earlier. We have that same tool in the shop and I never knew how to use it... until now! Thanks for the fantastic videos. I am a volunteer mechanic at a non-profit educational shop. I wish I had watched your video on derailer hanger alignment earlier. We have that same tool in the shop and I never knew how to use it… until now!

]]> By: Brent Parker http://bicycletutor.com/derailleur-hanger-alignment/comment-page-1/#comment-4173 Brent Parker Sun, 01 Aug 2010 19:48:52 +0000 http://bicycletutor.com/?p=153#comment-4173 One thing that you may want to do when aligning the hanger, is to line up the tool with the valve stem on the tire. So you place the hanger tool, at 6 o clock and the valve stem at 6 o clock. Position the hanger tool so that its almost touching the wheel.... Then move the wheel so that the valve stem is at 12 o clock, and then move the hanger tool with it. Then do the same with 3 o clock and 9 o clock etc. Always keeping the tool in line with the same spot on the tire/ wheel ensures that any bit of wobble in the wheel is a non issue. Also someone below said that for the price of a tool you can buy 5 hangers. That may be true, but many bikes do not come with a replaceable hanger, especially older models. Also the tool is very handy to have on a sunday morning when your buddy shows up complaining that his shifting keeps jumping around. Ill buy you breakfast if your spare hangers fit the same bike for everyone you ride with. One thing that you may want to do when aligning the hanger, is to line up the tool with the valve stem on the tire. So you place the hanger tool, at 6 o clock and the valve stem at 6 o clock. Position the hanger tool so that its almost touching the wheel…. Then move the wheel so that the valve stem is at 12 o clock, and then move the hanger tool with it. Then do the same with 3 o clock and 9 o clock etc. Always keeping the tool in line with the same spot on the tire/ wheel ensures that any bit of wobble in the wheel is a non issue.

Also someone below said that for the price of a tool you can buy 5 hangers. That may be true, but many bikes do not come with a replaceable hanger, especially older models. Also the tool is very handy to have on a sunday morning when your buddy shows up complaining that his shifting keeps jumping around. Ill buy you breakfast if your spare hangers fit the same bike for everyone you ride with.

]]> By: dave http://bicycletutor.com/derailleur-hanger-alignment/comment-page-1/#comment-4141 dave Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:18:49 +0000 http://bicycletutor.com/?p=153#comment-4141 AWESOME! Now i can salvage this 05 Marin Mill Valley that someone curbed a couple years ago (been sitting in my shop). Lets just say that this seems a whole lot easier, more accurate and safer than taking a mallet and anvil to the hanger and attempting to bang it straight. My friend has been having a lot of problems with the hanger on his specialized m2 and i can vouch that $50 is less than hes already spent having the LBS fix this problem. This may be the next tool to order! THANKS! Dave AWESOME! Now i can salvage this 05 Marin Mill Valley that someone curbed a couple years ago (been sitting in my shop). Lets just say that this seems a whole lot easier, more accurate and safer than taking a mallet and anvil to the hanger and attempting to bang it straight.

My friend has been having a lot of problems with the hanger on his specialized m2 and i can vouch that $50 is less than hes already spent having the LBS fix this problem.

This may be the next tool to order!

THANKS!
Dave

]]> By: Chris http://bicycletutor.com/derailleur-hanger-alignment/comment-page-1/#comment-4035 Chris Wed, 02 Jun 2010 05:38:31 +0000 http://bicycletutor.com/?p=153#comment-4035 Hi Alex, thanks for the sterling video - very clear and informative to the point I resolved to have a go with doing the repair myself. I went to my local bike shop ( in Munich ) for a replacement hanger and perhaps to purchase an alignment tool. My German language is far from fluent but by the time I described/shown the fellow what I wanted, he simply asked me to hold my bike firm. He then manually (no tools) pulled and twisted the existing fitting back into alignment... there! It looks ok to my eyes and it took him barely 60 seconds. Saved me a lot of money - but I wouldn't recommend it. He said himself it requires a lot of experience, I'm sure if I did the same, the bracket would have snapped off. Anyway, just thought you guys might find the story amusing... it's been 2 weeks now since the "repair" so looking good... Hi Alex, thanks for the sterling video – very clear and informative to the point I resolved to have a go with doing the repair myself.

I went to my local bike shop ( in Munich ) for a replacement hanger and perhaps to purchase an alignment tool. My German language is far from fluent but by the time I described/shown the fellow what I wanted, he simply asked me to hold my bike firm. He then manually (no tools) pulled and twisted the existing fitting back into alignment… there!

It looks ok to my eyes and it took him barely 60 seconds. Saved me a lot of money – but I wouldn’t recommend it. He said himself it requires a lot of experience, I’m sure if I did the same, the bracket would have snapped off.

Anyway, just thought you guys might find the story amusing… it’s been 2 weeks now since the “repair” so looking good…

]]> By: Bill http://bicycletutor.com/derailleur-hanger-alignment/comment-page-1/#comment-3905 Bill Sun, 04 Apr 2010 19:36:30 +0000 http://bicycletutor.com/?p=153#comment-3905 Wow Alex you are indeed an awesome guy tuning up my bike there. Hahaha Just joking another great video! Wow Alex you are indeed an awesome guy tuning up my bike there. Hahaha Just joking another great video!

]]> By: Anthony Dacko http://bicycletutor.com/derailleur-hanger-alignment/comment-page-1/#comment-3897 Anthony Dacko Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:50:13 +0000 http://bicycletutor.com/?p=153#comment-3897 Hi, I would like to point out if people are on a budget and would like to buy the Park Tool DAG 2 they can get a similar item that is made by Cyclus Gear Hanger Alignment Tool will do the same job at much lower cost: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Cyclus_Gear_Hanger_Alignment_Tool/5300003490/ .This tool has a very good write up also they do ship international as well or you may be able to get it from your own Country. Hi,

I would like to point out if people are on a budget and would like to buy the Park Tool DAG 2 they can get a similar item that is made by Cyclus Gear Hanger Alignment Tool will do the same job at much lower cost: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Cyclus_Gear_Hanger_Alignment_Tool/5300003490/ .This tool has a very good write up also they do ship international as well or you may be able to get it from your own Country.

]]> By: PeteF http://bicycletutor.com/derailleur-hanger-alignment/comment-page-1/#comment-3856 PeteF Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:39:57 +0000 http://bicycletutor.com/?p=153#comment-3856 You do a great job on the tutorials I've seen, congratulations. To Jaap, just because you replace the hanger doesn't mean it's necessarily properly aligned for that particular frame. A replaced hanger should always be checked for correct alignment after replacement. It SHOULD be correct but there's the difference between theory and practice. Providing the wheel is rotated to the same position eg the tool is aligned with the valve stem at each position, it's not necessary for the wheel to be especially true as the point out of true will rotate with the tool. That is the reason to rotate the wheel and measure at the same point on the wheel. It IS however essential that the wheel is correctly fitted into the frame. For this reason whenever I refit a rear wheel I always remove the bike from the stand and do up the QR with the wheel resting on the ground and the bike held vertically. While it's possible to "pinch" the wheel into the correct position in the stand with one hand while doing up the QR with the other, dropping the bike out of the stand takes only fractionally longer and you can be absolutely certain the wheel is installed correctly. Nevertheless I still confirm by sighting down the stays from behind. It sounds more time consuming than it is in practice but be aware that each time to bend an alloy drop out you're fatiguing it and bringing it one point closer to death. Replacements may be cheap, but they rarely crack at convenient times, and I've seen the results of Mr derailleur becoming intimately acquainted with Mrs Spokes; not pretty! You do a great job on the tutorials I’ve seen, congratulations.

To Jaap, just because you replace the hanger doesn’t mean it’s necessarily properly aligned for that particular frame. A replaced hanger should always be checked for correct alignment after replacement. It SHOULD be correct but there’s the difference between theory and practice.

Providing the wheel is rotated to the same position eg the tool is aligned with the valve stem at each position, it’s not necessary for the wheel to be especially true as the point out of true will rotate with the tool. That is the reason to rotate the wheel and measure at the same point on the wheel. It

IS however essential that the wheel is correctly fitted into the frame. For this reason whenever I refit a rear wheel I always remove the bike from the stand and do up the QR with the wheel resting on the ground and the bike held vertically. While it’s possible to “pinch” the wheel into the correct position in the stand with one hand while doing up the QR with the other, dropping the bike out of the stand takes only fractionally longer and you can be absolutely certain the wheel is installed correctly. Nevertheless I still confirm by sighting down the stays from behind. It sounds more time consuming than it is in practice but be aware that each time to bend an alloy drop out you’re fatiguing it and bringing it one point closer to death. Replacements may be cheap, but they rarely crack at convenient times, and I’ve seen the results of Mr derailleur becoming intimately acquainted with Mrs Spokes; not pretty!

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