Gotta new tool!!!

[FatBloke]

I have recently started riding again and most of my bikes have been suffering from drive line issues; phantom gear changes, missing gears, basically just ruining the ride. Despite much fettling (and I have fettled successfully for quite a few years) these problems continued. I'd think I'd retuned the gears and in a few miles back to square one!   

Anyway, I decided to bite the bullet and buy a new tool. I got one of these and it's been a total eye-opener!!  I never realised my derailleur hangers were so out of line.  After about 15 minutes on each bike with this tool  the bikes all seem to be shifting brilliantly.

Should've got one years ago! IMO there's no point in trying to fine tune your derailleur unless you've used one of these first!

[Basil]

Coo.  Thanks Fattersbeshifting. I think I may need that. 

[frankly frankie]

Alignment is corrected by applying pressure to the arm of the tool at multiple intervals

in one word, bending.

[zigzag]

it should be the first step when adjusting rear derailleur/gears. a spare cup&cone wheel does the same job just as well.

[De Sisti]

Could you not just use a small spirit level to check the alignment of the gear hanger
and then make any necessary adjustments?

[DuncanM]

Could you not just use a small spirit level to check the alignment of the gear hanger
and then make any necessary adjustments?

This uses the wheel as a reference point an therefore allows you to adjust it for vertical alignment and also for twist. I'm not sure how you could do that with a spirit level?

[quixoticgeek]

It does rely on your wheel being as close to true as possible.

One of these is on my top of my shopping list for next payday.

J

[bludger]

The boss babes at my LBS straighten my DHs with one of these for free great tool. I have tended to leave the 'straightened' one on the bike and carry a spare around in the frame bag on a big ride as I expect inevitably the part will fail.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

It does rely on your wheel being as close to true as possible.

Not really. If you reference against the same point on the wheel (e.g. valve hole) at all orientations of the tool, the wheel's truth or dish is irrelevant.

[quixoticgeek]

Not really. If you reference against the same point on the wheel (e.g. valve hole) at all orientations of the tool, the wheel's truth or dish is irrelevant.

Fair point.

J

[Kim]

I don't think anyone's said that these are really intended for straightening integrated steel hangers.  Most bikes have sacrificial hangers made of cheesy aluminium, which are supposed to be replaced when damaged.  Which isn't to say that the tool isn't useful as a diagnostic, or that there's much to lose from attempting to straighten a bent hanger.

(You can improvise this tool by attaching spare wheel in place of the derailleur.)

[FatBloke]

What about integrated titanium hangers?   

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Same as steel.

[De Sisti]

This uses the wheel as a reference point an therefore allows you to adjust it for vertical alignment and also for twist. I'm not sure how you could do that with a spirit level?

I was thinking of the use of the spirit level to check the gear hanger without the wheel in.

[Brucey]

quite often the hanger flexes when the QR is done up, so the alignment isn't correct unless a wheel is fitted. 

It is necessary to set the toe setting as well as the vertical setting and a spirit level won't help with that.

One of the few things that can mess up the alignment process is a bent axle; this will cause the readings to be out of kilter.

cheers

[De Sisti]

quite often the hanger flexes when the QR is done up, so the alignment isn't correct unless a wheel is fitted. 

It is necessary to set the toe setting as well as the vertical setting and a spirit level won't help with that.

One of the few things that can mess up the alignment process is a bent axle; this will cause the readings to be out of kilter.

cheers

It would be interesting (for my knowledge) to see one in use.

[pdm]

I have one such (similar) tool.
All my bikes were a bit awry when I used it - the shifting has improved since truing the hangers on those that were the worst.
Very easy to use.

[Sea of vapours]

Fine demonstration of how to use one from Park Tools' Calvin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXfvW0L3iLM

Also features how to bend a hanger by employing a sizeable rock

[De Sisti]

Fine demonstration of how to use one from Park Tools' Calvin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXfvW0L3iLM

Also features how to bend a hanger by employing a sizeable rock

Thanks for the link.  I may well splash out on one of the tools.

[Paul H]

Thanks for the link.  I may well splash out on one of the tools.

Or search youtube for how to make one, mine is a bit of 1" box with a bolt and spacers, I just use a metal rule to measure against the rim.

[quixoticgeek]

Thanks for the link.  I may well splash out on one of the tools.

Or search youtube for how to make one, mine is a bit of 1" box with a bolt and spacers, I just use a metal rule to measure against the rim.

What thread does the derailleur attachment screw use?

J

[Tim Hall]

Thanks for the link.  I may well splash out on one of the tools.

Or search youtube for how to make one, mine is a bit of 1" box with a bolt and spacers, I just use a metal rule to measure against the rim.

What thread does the derailleur attachment screw use?

J

M10 x 1. Or the thread found on most rear wheel spindles. This allows the cheapskate fix of screwing a second rear wheel into the mechanical attachment hole and eyeballing the gap between the two wheels. Use the second wheel as a lever to tweak the mount as required.

[Paul H]

Thanks for the link.  I may well splash out on one of the tools.

Or search youtube for how to make one, mine is a bit of 1" box with a bolt and spacers, I just use a metal rule to measure against the rim.

What thread does the derailleur attachment screw use?

J

10mm X 1mm Not the most common, but my local fixings shop had a choice of length and heads.

[The French Tandem]

Bloody Internet! Yesterday I was curious enough to click on the link in the original post above. Now every time I open a random webpage, I see images of your tool everywhere. I know people have to earn a living, but it's getting really annoying! Anyone knows how to get rid of unwanted ads? I tried deleting the cookies, but it seems to be a little more complicated.

A
P.S.: Sorry for going OT/ posting in the wrong place.

[drossall]

Which cookies did you delete? It's probably some third-party ones. Try nuking all cookies? Bit of a nuisance though because you'll probably lose existing sign-ins etc. Could even be Facebook or similar.