Why don't my gears work properly?

[BrundonBianchi]

They all do that sir. I have a Boardman Pro Carbon which I bought way back in 2014. It’s always done what you describe there. I’ve never had it actually go into the spokes to the point it wrecked the mech, but it seems to be a bit of a ‘quirk’ with those frames.

That rather suggests the "direct power transfer"* stays are as stiff as wet spaghetti!

*Boardman bikes are absolutely covered in naff logos and acronyms

I’d agree with you on that. I think it’s a mixture of using fairly ( relatively ) low modulus CF, for economic reasons and not using enough to make it stiff, to ensure the weight doesn’t go up too much, and trying to make it comfortable enough for the ‘target market’.

[rogerzilla]

Compared it to an identical TC.  The hanger is clearly not right - the mech was leaning the other way on the other bike.  It's never been dropped or crashed so it must be a factory defect.  A new one is on its way.  Still a massively flexible rear end!

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Do I win a prize?

[zigzag]

it could have been bent during delivery or had a knock - it doesn't take much to bend a hanger. it takes a lot of force to flex a rear triangle in opposite directions (one side up, another one down), much more than to flex a wheel sideways.

[Davef]

Hangers are designed to be weak so that they bend or break easily to protect the frame. You may well have not witnessed the knock at a coffee stop. I carry a spare one now.

[Torslanda]

Hangers are designed to be weak <SNIP>

Unless it's a Trek Marlin 5 [SPIT!] which snap as soon as you look at them and hint at getting the alignment tool out...

[rogerzilla]

The new one turned up but I straightened the old one.  It wasn't out by much but a long steel rule eyeballed against the seat tube showed it was bent in by about a degree (which is about -2mm of mech cage clearance).  Tiny bit of skew as well.

[rogerzilla]

All happy now.  Also fitted a s/h but immaculate Dura-Ace mech with a shorter cage and it's transformed the bike.  Well, it's still a dull ride but it changes gear nicely!

[Torslanda]

Shiny thing make it all better...