Simplex derailleur damage

[Clementsmanic]

I live in a building with communal access to where I keep my bike.

When I went to get my bike out of the shed, I noticed the top circular inner fender (wheel facing) of the bit that holds the jockey wheels had been bent outwards i.e. towards the wheel by about two centimeters.

There was a mark on it as if a tool had been used.

It is not a lightweight derailleur, it is a Simplex derailleur and it took considerable time and effort to bend it back, with a spatula and then a pair of pliers.

I thought that it was criminal damage with intent to kill and I rang the police because if I had set off like that I could have had a serious accident.

They are not impressed so far.

When I was last out on the bike , the gears did jam once perhaps caused by a rusty chain then, but I didn't notice any such damage as I cycled further on.

When I put the bike back in the shed it looked OK as far as I can remember, because I would surely have noticed the damage as natural observation and care when putting my bike in the shed.

I can't imagine, given the toughness of the steel piece, that a gear jam could do that because the piece is made to withstand such things, I presume.

I'm writing this to see if anybody else has had or seen similar damage, so I can confirm to the police either way.

 

[Spiderweb]

You seriously called the police???

 

[Cycleops]

Can't see the true extent of the damage but it looks seriously bent, Id buy a replacement.

 

[weareHKR]

You seriously called the police???

👮‍♂️..POLICE "what's your emergency?"

🤡..Someones bent my derailleur officer... "ho no... we'll send round the flying squad immediately" 😂😂

TBH it doesn't look like it's something you meticulously look after, after each ride! if you've straightened it out & it works it's the end of the matter.
If it doesn't work properly, bend it some more!

 

[iluvmybike]

You did say on your "last ride the chain did jam once ". That is quite probably when that damage occurred

 

[Paulus]

I live in a building with communal access to where I keep my bike.

When I went to get my bike out of the shed, I noticed the top circular inner fender (wheel facing) of the bit that holds the jockey wheels had been bent outwards i.e. towards the wheel by about two centimeters.

There was a mark on it as if a tool had been used.

It is not a lightweight derailleur, it is a Simplex derailleur and it took considerable time and effort to bend it back, with a spatula and then a pair of pliers.

I thought that it was criminal damage with intent to kill and I rang the police because if I had set off like that I could have had a serious accident.

They are not impressed so far.

When I was last out on the bike , the gears did jam once perhaps caused by a rusty chain then, but I didn't notice any such damage as I cycled further on.

When I put the bike back in the shed it looked OK as far as I can remember, because I would surely have noticed the damage as natural observation and care when putting my bike in the shed.

I can't imagine, given the toughness of the steel piece, that a gear jam could do that because the piece is made to withstand such things, I presume.

I'm writing this to see if anybody else has had or seen similar damage, so I can confirm to the police either way.

I'm not surprised the police aren't impressed.

Even Simplex rear mechs can be bent by a chain jamming, there is quite a force when pedaling. Bend it back in shape and carry on.

From the photo it looks like the whole thing needs a good clean up.

 

[Clementsmanic]

You seriously called the police???

Yes. It'

I'm not surprised the police aren't impressed.

Even Simplex rear mechs can be bent by a chain jamming, there is quite a force when pedaling. Bend it back in shape and carry on.

From the photo it looks like the whole thing needs a good clean up.

That is a common damage is it?

I've been cycling for 50 years and had chains jamming and never anything remotely like that.

Incidentally, some very flippant answers.

A fatality could result from that damage.

I didn't have any problems after the jam and one looks down when one adjusts the gears and I never saw that damage after.

 

[iluvmybike]

If it is a simplex derailleur it is prob old and weary and (unless you have changed them) the jockey wheels are probably wobbling about on worn bushing.s Judging from your photo it looks as though it hasn't had much tlc - the whole thing looks disgustingly corroded & gummed up. By your own admission you said the chain jam was probably due to a rusty chain. So although you have been cycling for 50 yrs or whatever it would appear you haven't gained any basic maintenance skills - you asked a question on here and people have replied that this is common damage but you don't seem to believe them as you seem know better - so you won't get a lot of sympathy. And I'd imagine that that wasting Police time like that won't either - so expect more 'flippant' comments! If everyone rang the police because their chain had jammed and caused damage they wouldn't have much time to be arresting criminals

 

[Clementsmanic]

Obviously you know nothing about bikes yourself. I keep the bike well maintained and the only rust on it, is a slight pitting on the wheels. The rest is just dried muck from one day's winter use and is entirely superficial.

I put new jockey wheels (the right ones) on the derailleur a few months ago and lubricated the system and had no problems with it.

In winter the chain can rust overnight nearly.

I was having a few problems with the gear jumping out of 4th before the incident but still able to ride the bike.

When one has such problems, one takes a look at the derailleur constantly and makes small adjustments to the gear lever whilst looking down and riding on (at the time a single track road not in busy traffic) the bike.

I am an artist with good observation skills. I think would have noticed such extreme damage and I would surely have struggled to ride it home in that condition after a jam of some sort.

I have enemies.

When I was at school someone once undid my center pull brakes in a communal bike lock-up and only a very quick response to a total brake failure save my life.

People do mess with other folk's stuff and there is communal access to the shed via a communal key although only I use the shed.

I didn't ring the police 'because my chain had jammed' but because when I went to get my bike out of the shed, I saw what looked like a malicious and careful and technical twisting of the jockey wheel fender.

When I made an attempt to put it back (i.e. I wasn't thinking of calling the police but overcoming a potential intimidation act) the metal was so tough, it took a great effort to fix it.

Therefore the notion that it was caused by jamming seemed to me to be highly improbable.

Far from wasting police time in fact my first reaction was to 'get on with life' and just ignore it.

It was only upon reflection that I considered an even darker reason than mere intimidation and decided to report it.

 

[Ajax Bay]

to the OP
The OP's conclusion (and action!) seems a classic (wanting to believe a) 'conspiracy theory' rather than a cock-up.
Who knows how that happened - we could offer theories - all 'things that go wrong with RDs' type.
But the idea that an outside agent with malevolent intent would bend an RD cage suggests to me that the OP has been reading detective stories or lock-down overdosing on Midsommer Murders.
I suggest some 'luvmybike' action is required (along the lines implied by @iluvmybike ), especially after a ride when you've experienced a 'gear jam'.
ETA (cross-posted with the OP):

Obviously you know nothing about bikes yourself.

I think you need to sit down and calm down. I reckon there's at least 200 years of experience combined among those who have taken the trouble to comment.
To your exam question: "has anybody else had or seen similar damage?" my answer is no, not seen, but I can see how it could have happened. Bear in mind the forces a heavy boot on the pedal transmitted through a chain (2000N+) can exert.

 

[boydj]

Looks like that damage could have been caused by the chain coming off the jockey wheel when the chain jammed. Seems like an unlikely way to sabotage a bike.

 

[fossyant]

You call that looked after. Good god. Looks like its clipped the spokes.

 

[Chris S]

I assume you've got an older bike with a quill stem? If somebody wanted to do you harm then they would just loosen it. You wouldn't notice until your forks and handlebars suddenly pointed in different directions.

 

[Cycleops]

Sorry @Clementsmanic but as others have said your ‘infamy, infamy, someone’s got it in for me’ theory doesn’t hold water.

 

[Clementsmanic]

Really really poor replies.

I joined expecting proper expert opinion not the drivel posted above.