Bit of a duff start with my new bike

[Rich_W]

Happy Ending, but why invent some story about Grit. Just ruins what would have been a 100% customer experience.

[Mars]

Well, there may have been grit there, and it *could* have caused the hanger to rip off in theory although I suspect you'd need a reasonable amount of force to do so IF it didn't just roll through the derailleur mech anyway.


Loving the bike anyway. Got a 30+ miler planned for tomorrow. If you'd have asked me last year if I could ever do that, I'd have definitely said no.

We're planning a 130 miler over 3 days in May/June. At the moment it looks impossible to me but I'm going to continue riding throughout the winter and I'll see how much better I get.

[zebedee]

Session said:

Something could have easily gone into the chain/spokes and cause that, like a stick or anything similar. Those parts simply don't break on their own whilst you are riding along.

I'd be very surprised if that broke a mech hanger. Aren't they there to bend with lateral forces, so that the frame isn't bent and therefore needing to be bent back which would either be impossible or leave the frame substantially weakened. Must be a serious manufacturing fault.

[Poloding Along]

zebedee said:

Session said:

Something could have easily gone into the chain/spokes and cause that, like a stick or anything similar. Those parts simply don't break on their own whilst you are riding along.

I'd be very surprised if that broke a mech hanger. Aren't they there to bend with lateral forces, so that the frame isn't bent and therefore needing to be bent back which would either be impossible or leave the frame substantially weakened. Must be a serious manufacturing fault.

The mech hanger is made of a much softer metal than the frame, basically to protect the frame if you take a hit on the mech or if the chain properly jams and you try forcing it. They do also occasionally protect the mechs.

You'd be amazed at the number of drivetrains that got ripped up in a similar way to the OPs once winter had finished this year. A lot of people had ran their bikes over the winter through the grit and salt then left them to rust in the shed, end result being a solid chain that ripped the mech hanger and mech to bits when they next jumped on and tried to power. So my point being you can destroy a hanger with the force from the chain, not just laterally. That's probably where the mechanic's idea of a piece of grit jamming the chain has came from, just take grit to mean a perfectly sized stone to wedge its way in between the chain and jockey wheels. Personally I'd say damage from couriers or manufacturing defect.

On the upside, you bought from a LBS that you were happy with, got great customer service and have your bike back already, not waiting for a part to arrive from an online company.

Also you seem to be really enjoying your cycling, great to hear, good luck with your 130 miles.