Help: repairs following sheared mech hanger...

[mrmacmusic]

My rear mech hanger sheared on my commute home last night – it's the first time this has ever happened to me, and I'm surprised by the amount of resulting component damage!

The bike is a Ridgeback Flight 01 (2010) which I've owned for almost exactly 1 year, and covered 4500 miles on. Damage is as follows:

1) Hanger – obviously needs replaced
2) Rear Derailleur (Shimano Sora, 8-sp) – twisted, bent mess!
3) Wheel (Shimano RM30 hub, Alexrims R450) – two spokes bent, big buckle
4) Chain (Shimano HG50) – severely twisted (several links), plus one link broken
5) Pannier Rack (ALDI) – bent lower support
6) Mudguard (SKS Thermoplastic) – stay bent and snapped off at guard

My questions are twofold. Firstly, regarding the drivetrain – can I upgrade the rear mech to a Shimano 105 10-speed, whilst still retaining my 8-speed cassette and shifters? At £45 here I think this would be a worthwhile upgrade. From the listing detail, it looks like it should be OK as my cassette is 12-25 and chainset 32-42-52. If I upgrade the mech though, should I just use the same HG50 chain, or would I need (or is it advisable) to get something different?

Secondly, apart from the wheel damage, my rear hub sounds a bit 'grainy' when rotated (well, it has seen 4500 miles commuting through the winter), so perhaps this would be a good time for an upgrade? The RM30 hubs do look cheap and plasticky, but I have no idea what to look at for a budget upgrade – would something like this be lighter/stronger, or much the same as what's on now? Oh, and what's the difference between a wheel designated as "clincher" and one that's not?

The ALDI rack was great to start out, but it's quite heavy and not worth repairing IMHO... I'm considering a seat-post rack bag, but I'll not bog down this thread with questions on that! As for mudguards, well I think I'll go for black this time instead of silver.

In an ideal world, I'd use this as an excuse for the n+1 road bike I've been lusting after, but even if I could find the money to treat myself to a whole new bike, the Flight still needs sorted anyway.

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[accountantpete]

Sounds awful - I'd also take a look at the lines of the stays as there has been quite an energy dispersal.

The 10spd rear mech won't work an 8spd as the pull ratio is different - it doesn't move as far with the same amount of pull.

(BTW - always get the google shopping results these days as the sales mean that the majors are cheaper than ebay independents - you can get that rear mech for £39 posted at CRC).

Clincher wheels are where you lever the tyre on as opposed to gluing them on etc - unless stated assume all wheels are clincher.

Have you got disc brakes? as that wheel is for rim brakes.

 

[mrmacmusic]

Thanks Pete

Sounds awful - I'd also take a look at the lines of the stays as there has been quite an energy dispersal.

They look straight to me... but I guess I'll get a professional to check them over.

The 10spd rear mech won't work an 8spd as the pull ratio is different - it doesn't move as far with the same amount of pull.

Really? Bummer... why does it state that it'll work with 8, 9 or 10 speeds then?

Clincher wheels are where you lever the tyre on as opposed to gluing them on etc - unless stated assume all wheels are clincher. Have you got disc brakes? as that wheel is for rim brakes.

No, it's rim brakes, although come upgrade time I was seriously considering discs for the Scottish Summer weather

 

[mrmacmusic]

Just have a thought – would a sheared mech hanger normally be covered under warranty?

What about if I'm 5 days over the year...

 

[PpPete]

The 10spd rear mech won't work an 8spd as the pull ratio is different - it doesn't move as far with the same amount of pull.

(BTW - always get the google shopping results these days as the sales mean that the majors are cheaper than ebay independents - you can get that rear mech for £39 posted at CRC).

I beg to differ. The amount of pull is dictated by the shifter, not in the mech.
The pull ratio is the same across 8/9/10 speeds mechs.
see halfway down this page: http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3946

only £33 at Ribble if you spend £35 total - and as they are usually the cheapest on mudguards that should be no problem.

But to be honest whilst 105 is very nice - it's probably overkill on an 8 speed system. Tiagra maybe ?

 

[mrmacmusic]

I beg to differ. The amount of pull is dictated by the shifter, not in the mech.
The pull ratio is the same across 8/9/10 speeds mechs.
see halfway down this page: http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3946

only £33 at Ribble if you spend £35 total - and as they are usually the cheapest on mudguards that should be no problem.

But to be honest whilst 105 is very nice - it's probably overkill on an 8 speed system. Tiagra maybe ?

Thanks PpPete

I guess I thought, hey, I wanted a 105-equipped road bike as my upgrade, so I'll just stick a 105 rear mech on seeing as (a) my "n" needs repaired; and (b) I can't afford "n+1" right now... Just noticed though that a Sora 9-speed rear derailleur is less than £15 at Ribble (if I spend over £35).

 

[mrmacmusic]

Now that PpPete has put me onto Ribble, they do seem to have some nice prices... coming back to my second question regarding my existing wheels, would Shimano R500 (or RS10) be a worthwhile upgrade?

I'm still confused about the chain... with a 9-speed Sora mech and 8-speed 12-25 cassette, should I be buying an 8-speed or 9-speed chain?

 

[PpPete]

Match the chain to the cassette rather than the mech.
For a hybrid, even a fast one like the Flight I'd personally not put on low-spoke count road wheels... it might improve your speed a bit, but will just look wrong.
Get some nice 32 spoke handbuilts instead - maybe Open Pro or DT Swiss RR465 rims if you can afford them, won't be any slower than R500 or RS10 and much more robust.

 

[potsy]

I got one of those Sora mechs to replace a broken Tiagra one on my Secteur, great price and works perfectly well.
Decided to 'downgrade' as the bike is so battered and abused that I have my eye on replacing it early next year, so didn't want to spend too much on it if I didn't have to.

 

[mrmacmusic]

Match the chain to the cassette rather than the mech.

Most helpful – cheers PpPete

 

[mrmacmusic]

I got one of those Sora mechs to replace a broken Tiagra one on my Secteur, great price and works perfectly well.
Decided to 'downgrade' as the bike is so battered and abused that I have my eye on replacing it early next year, so didn't want to spend too much on it if I didn't have to.

Thanks Potsy... I'm in two minds (can you tell?) whether to put money into the flight or not. £200 covers the 105 rear mech plus Shimano R500 wheelset (and of course the other bits and pieces I need to get rolling again). Despite the fact that PpPete thinks it'll look wrong, it should improve the Flight until such times as I can afford a full upgrade (£1k outlay).

Question now is whether or not that 9-speed Sora mech will work with my 8-speed shifters and cassette? I see that the 105 states clearly it is compatible with 8, 9 or 10-speed systems – the Sora only mentions 9-speed, and an 8-speed Sora mech doesn't seem to be available anywhere.

 

[PpPete]

Question now is whether or not that 9-speed Sora mech will work with my 8-speed shifters and cassette? I see that the 105 states clearly it is compatible with 8, 9 or 10-speed systems – the Sora only mentions 9-speed, and an 8-speed Sora mech doesn't seem to be available anywhere.

It will be fine

 

[fossyant]

It will be fine

+1 Only Dura Ace 8 speed is incompatible with other 'speeds/shifters'. Any 8-9 or 10 mech will work !

 

[ushills]

Thanks Potsy... I'm in two minds (can you tell?) whether to put money into the flight or not. £200 covers the 105 rear mech plus Shimano R500 wheelset (and of course the other bits and pieces I need to get rolling again). Despite the fact that PpPete thinks it'll look wrong, it should improve the Flight until such times as I can afford a full upgrade (£1k outlay).

Question now is whether or not that 9-speed Sora mech will work with my 8-speed shifters and cassette? I see that the 105 states clearly it is compatible with 8, 9 or 10-speed systems – the Sora only mentions 9-speed, and an 8-speed Sora mech doesn't seem to be available anywhere.

Fitted a tiagra mech to replace my broken sora one, no problems.

 

[guychisholm]

@mrmacmusic

I've just sheared the hanger on my Ridgeback Flight 01 (2010), but I'm really struggling to match a replacement. Can you remember where you sourced your replacement? I've attached an image of the broken one.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/wheels-manufacturing/derailleur-hanger-dropout-41-ec040637 seems to be a pretty good match, but I don't know how reliable a visual match is going to be.

Many thanks