Best Tool

[screenman]

Here is another way I just found on Google,

Try this... Thread an axle (use a full wheel with the QR pulled out) into the derailleur... Make slight adjustments to retune the hanger till the two wheels are completely parallel.

 

[PaulSecteur]

I reckon that, with one of them, the quest for perfection would meet the issue of metal fatigue sooner rather than later.

I thought the same, but having used one you are only bending the hanger by a few degrees - if you are trying to get better shifting. I think it would take a lot of tweaking to get it to a point of fatigue.

If you are trying to straighten a hanger that has been bent out of shape by a drop or bikeshed damage then its way more likely to go twang.

 

[screenman]

Expensive bit of kit (at least for me)
If I suspected a bent hanger I'd just buy a new one.

They only need to be slightly out to make a difference, doubt you could see it by eye. The difference to the way the drive train reacts to the slight tweak is incredible.

You can get a version for only £22 Google rear mech alignment tool.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I don't think testing on 5 bikes is enough, if you make your way to Leicester, I can offer you access, totally free of charge, to five other bikes to further your quest on proving this tool is indeed the best.

 

[Hip Priest]

I wish you were closer to Newcastle because my rear mech hanger definitely needs a bit of TLC!

 

[screenman]

I don't think testing on 5 bikes is enough, if you make your way to Leicester, I can offer you access, totally free of charge, to five other bikes to further your quest on proving this tool is indeed the best.

That is incredible generous of you

 

[screenman]

I was hoping by this post that others may have joined in with what tool they thought worked well and made a difference, I suppose a big hammer and an adjustable to save the cost of having more than one spanner.

 

[screenman]

Just an adjustable to get drop outs and hanger more in line on a cold set frame. A hammer would be a touch crude.

Would you bet your idea of aligned against what this tool can do? honestly Adrian you are talking about something you have not tried and have no experience of. There is no way you can get alignment this good by guesswork, and it does not take much intelligence to work out why good alignment makes for a better drive train.

 

[screenman]

So wanting your gears changing well and your chain nicely aligned is perfectionism, just seems like good sense to me.

Thank you for pointing out you do not know what you are talking about on this post about a good tool.

 

[screenman]

Something that was working just fine now works a little bit better. In what way do I not understand?

I posted earlier some of the benefits in using this tool, whilst you persist in well I will stop there.

 

[screenman]

I am not the one writing about something I have no experience of, whilst you of course are.

 

[screenman]

Of course you wish for the last word on a subject you have no knowledge of.

 

[Boris Bajic]

The best tool is a set of yellow, plastic Michelin tyre levers.

The other best tool is a 15mm combination spanner.

The stand-by best tool is a neoprene assembly mallet.

You are both wrong.

 

[screenman]

And the tool that does the most damage is the tool that is holding the tool.

 

[screenman]

Sorry Screenman I really don't understand what you are arguing about here, or what you are wanting.
The thing worked before but it can work a little bit better. I understand that perfectly well and am very happy for you in your joy of a new tool.

Thank you Adrian, you now are starting to get the point that this tool is indeed useful, just think if you will how many posts there are on here about gears not working smoothly.