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whats a derailleur hanger?


hydrobum

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Noob here so what is the derailleur hanger used for?? Googled pics of it and the only use I see is a beer opener?? Hehe

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Derailleur hangerEdit

 

A semi-horizontal dropout on a steel frame road bicycle converted to a single-speed. The non-replaceable derailleur hanger (below the axle) and an eyelet (above the axle) for mounting a fender or rack are now unused.

 

A vertical dropout on an aluminum frame mountain bike. The silver part is the replaceable derailleur hanger.

 

Replaceable derailleur hanger

The derailleur hanger or mech hanger is the part of the dropout that the rear derailleur attaches to.

 

Most non-steel framed bikes have a separate removable derailleur hanger, generally made from aluminium which is bolted to the dropout. These are intended as a cheap replaceable part so that in the event of an accident or mechanical problem that could damage the derailleur or frame, the derailleur hanger breaks or deforms instead. Sometimes a shear bolt which is designed as a weak point will also be used. There are dozens of different derailleur hangers available and one model is seldom interchangeable with another.

 

In general, steel-framed bikes do not have a removable derailleur hanger, because a steel dropout and hanger is stronger and therefore less likely to be damaged, and also it is more malleable and less likely to work harden during deformation and generally can be bent back into shape without breaking.

 

It is important for proper indexed shifting for the derailleur hanger to be properly aligned. The rear derailleur bolt hole must be close to parallel with the rear axle. If it is out of alignment, the rear derailleur will not move far enough, with respect to the rear sprockets, with each click. A special tool exists to measure and correct misaligned hangers.

 

On frames with no derailleur hanger, a direct mount derailleur or derailleur with a hanger plate is used. These only fit bikes with horizontal dropouts, and are held in place by a small bolt and the rear wheel axle. These have now been effectively superseded by the derailleur hanger. Since a derailleur designed to be fitted to a separate hanger will be aligned lower on the bike than one that bolts directly onto the frame, it follows that a derailleur must be selected firstly with the mounting method in mind.

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In short. It is used to bolt the derailleur to the frame. The hanger is made of a soft material so in the event of  an impact the hanger will snap and no damage will occur to the more expensive derailleur.

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Sometimes you also need to read what stands next to the pictures...

That is true,but with such a long disription I might also just look at the pictures.[emoji4]

 

Edit:The name does speak for itself though,derailleur hanger - the part from wich the derailleur hangs.

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That is true,but with such a long disription I might also just look at the pictures.[emoji4]

Edit:The name does speak for itself though,derailleur hanger - the part from wich the derailleur hangs.

 

Seeing that he is a noob, i thought it is better to give a full description so that he can have indepth knowledge going forward, we might just make a mtbiker out ofmhim yet :P

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In short. It is used to bolt the derailleur to the frame. The hanger is made of a soft material so in the event of an impact the hanger will snap and no damage will occur to the more expensive derailleur.

It protects both the derailleur and the frame/dropout. A typical example is when you are riding in forest and a stick gets kicked up by the wheels and goes through the spokes or into the gears. I have had this a few times.
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It's a small thingie that you don't know you need, until you do. It's also something that most bike manufacturers use to "differentiate" themselves from one another, thereby giving them an opportunity to rape cyclists by charging ridiculous amounts of money for. You see, everyone is literally different, which makes very little sense to most of us mere mortals. Hipsters and hardcore men, don't bother with them though, as they see it as an opportunity to boast about how they finished "the race" on a single speed, making them superior in their own lunchtime...

 

The moral of the story is, rather negotiate with your lbs to include one of these with your shiny new bike, than other crap that you never use.

 

Now I need coffee, as I feel so much better after that.

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Thanks for the looooooong description which made no sense to me till I saw the pic. So its not just a bottle opener!

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