# help! bent hanger derailleur!



## steve314 (Mar 15, 2007)

My rear derailleur ended up in my rear wheel spokes this morning a mile into my ride. I have a 2007 CR1 Team (the one with 105s). I took it to the LBS where I bought it (place I really like and trust), and when the guy there said the derailleur hanger was bent, I suddenly remembered all that I had read here about Scott's irreplaceable d.h. 

They're going to give it a good look on Monday and I'll find out what I'm in for—has anyone dealt with this? What do I do if they can't straighten it? Will Scott take care of this problem? Apparently the problem started with a 0 m.p.h. doofus fall over I had on Thursday morning before I started when I was first getting on the bike (I know, I know). Thanks for any help, advice, course of action anyone can give here.


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## mbcastle (Sep 28, 2008)

This topic has been discussed a few times, and from what I recall about those discussions it might be possible to straighten it if it's not bent too bad. Apparently, there are also specialty outfits that can repair a more seriously bent hanger. If that's not possible, I've heard Scott might give you a credit towards the purchase of a new frame.


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## MarvinK (Feb 12, 2002)

Normally manufacturers who are stubborn about making replaceable derailleur hangers are pretty good about fixing it for little or no cost. The only downside is if they have to mail it back, you're going to be out of a bike for WEEKS.


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## b24fsb (Dec 21, 2006)

if you cant fix it then scott has a crash replacement plan and a new frame and fork will cost you $800


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## steve314 (Mar 15, 2007)

Here's the update:

My derailleur hanger is too seriously bent to straighten. Bike is off to Calfee to replace it; $550 gets me the frame shipped to Calfee, returned, components put back on, and a new 105 rear derailleur. I guess it beats the $800 replacement frame plus new derailleur plus re-set up the bike, etc. Still, I'm without a bike for 4-6 weeks.

I'm interested in people's feedback regarding this issue:

The rear derailleur hanger ended up in my back spokes last Saturday a mile into my ride. That Thursday morning, I tipped over in front of my house after I stood up on the pedals to pull up the right side of my shorts. Stupid, space-out move, and I'm on the ground. I was going 0 m.p.h. 

At the end of that day's ride, I noticed a slight "ting" noise in my low gear. At the time, I thought it might by my trim adjust, though it sounded slightly more metallic than that sound. Of course, it turns out that was the derailleur hanger nicking the rear wheel spokes, but I didn't know that at the time.

Saturday morning I heard it again at the very beginning of my ride, went to do the trim adjust, and blam, shifted the rear derailleur into my rear wheel, and ruined the derailleur hanger in the process, hence all my current bike problems.

In my opinion, it would be good customer service for Scott to give me a loaner for the 4-6 weeks I'm without a bike. Yes, lots of people crash / damage bikes that they have to do without for a while, and if Scott or any manufacturer had to offer a demo bike for everyone in that situation they couldn't do it. My thinking, though, is that because of their d.h. design, a basic 0 m.p.h. crash led directly to the frame's being rendered useless without a $550 fix.

I realize, by the way, that falling in the first place was stupid, as was not distinguishing between the sounds of a derailleur about to end up in my spokes from the sound of the standard trim adjust. I'm also not asking or expecting Scott or the LBS to pay for the repairs or a new frame, etc. etc. I recognize that I made a few key mistakes, even if out of inexperience (this is the first and only road bike I've ever owned, I don't race, I saved for a year and a half to splurge and buy it while I rode a friend's '82 Schwinn Voyager).

Scott says they'd like to help, they just can't find a demo in my size. That sounds ridiculous to me. My problem seems like a 1 in 1000 deal where I happened to fall just right on a "basic," even expectable kind of fall--no 40 m.p.h. cornering on a descent or smash up in a race or anything like that. It's like I ran over the curb in my new car, and 2 miles later my axle is broken—what the hell? It seems like what I'm asking—help me out with a loaner in my size, doesn't even have to be a CR1 or carbon, just something to ride—is a simple matter of some basic customer service. 

Last detail: guy from the national (I guess) Scott office says he can't find a demo anywhere in the country my size that's available—also ridiculous sounding to me, admittedly an outsider. He does call LBS though and tell them he has a CR1 frame that was returned under warranty (decals peeling off) that he wants to sell me for $450. Why not just offer the frame to the LBS as a loaner to put my components on until I get my bike back? They've already eaten the warranty on that frame—why try to suck it back out of me?

Am I asking too much, or am I out of line?

I know this is a long post, but thanks for any feedback.


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## MarvinK (Feb 12, 2002)

What size frame do you need!?

I'm surprised they're still wanting to charge you $800... I've heard Trek was very generous with the hanger repair... since they were also stubborn about the hanger design for a long time. In 2009 they came to their senses.


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## steve314 (Mar 15, 2007)

MarvinK said:


> What size frame do you need!?
> 
> 54 cm—seems in the "medium-ish", i.e. not hard to find, range.


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## MarvinK (Feb 12, 2002)

I have a 52cm CR1... waiting for my new frame to arrive, then I won't need this one too badly. Guess I will need to sell it for less than $800.


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## b24fsb (Dec 21, 2006)

ok so you fell and you are upset that scott doesnt have a demo for you to ride, WTF! lets start with dont be a goof and fall then if you are fall so you dont mess your bike up, not hard really. a 52-54cm is what most people ride because thats the average height of the general population. scott's factory is in asia so fixing a frame is just not in there capacity in the USA. i am sorry that your frame is messed up, really i am but dont blame scott or any other manufacturer for that matter because of a mess up that you did. come on man just realize that you messed up and you are having to pay to have it fixed.


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## MarvinK (Feb 12, 2002)

I don't think Scott should provide a loaner, but I don't think they should charge $800 because of a bent hanger. Trek came around and now makes their hangers replaceable... Scott should do the same. If not, they need to consider a more generous repair/replacement policy.


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## b24fsb (Dec 21, 2006)

scott does make a replaceable der hanger bike, its called the addict and its a much smoother ride. this is all a moot point because the cr1 gets an overhaul for 2010 and is all changed up. on a side note non-replaceable der hanger bikes typically shift better because the aluminum joint doesn't flex under hard load shifts, the addict doesn't suffer from this because of the all carbon dropouts. if you read up the specialized sl2 is a replaceable der hanger but team saxo and quickstep gets bikes that have non-replaceable der hangers because its better shifting.


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## steve314 (Mar 15, 2007)

Thanks for the replies. b24fsb, I figured you'd chime in since you're usually in this forum. In fact, you helped me with some questions I had back in 2007 when I was deciding between the Scott and a LeMond; I found your comments helpful.

I do think your comment about "don't fall too hard" and that I'm a goof for falling missed what I'd said. Short version: I was a goof (early a.m., stood up on pedals at 0 mph, toppled), and the fall was exactly what I'd call "not too hard"—a silly fall-over at no speed. That's why I'm so bummed about the der. hanger (and I know about why it's on there; also didn't / don't have the jack for an Addict).

Anyway, all rendered moot by the news I got from my LBS on Saturday morning: Nat at Scott is going to send the 54cm CR1 frame they had from a warranty return (decals peeling) for the LBS to put my components on and use as a loaner while my bike is at Calfee. Big thanks to Nat at Scott and to Alex and Ron at The Hub in St. Louis.

Thanks for the feedback.


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