Not sure which part is your derailleur hanger? It’s the small, thin, slightly L-shaped metal piece that connects to your derailleur—the small transmission system that moves the chain to different cogs when you shift gears. Do an online image search for “derailleur hanger” or “rear mech hanger. ” If you can’t remove the current hanger for some reason, don’t worry—you still have options! Either take a high-quality photo of the installed hanger or bring your whole bike to a bike shop.
Do a web search for “replacement derailleur hanger” or “replacement rear mech hanger” to get results from numerous online hanger retailers. Popular retailers include derailleurhanger. com, derailleurhangerstore. co. uk, wheelsmfg. com, and elanusparts. com, to name but a few. There’s no clear “best” online retailer for derailleur hangers. Check out several options and compare their search interfaces, inventory results, prices, shipping rates and times, customer reviews, and so on.
You’ll get the best results if you remove the hanger first. If that’s not possible, aim to get as complete a shot of the whole hanger as you can. [4] X Research source Give the retailer 24 hours to get back to you before trying one of their competitors. Or, try several retailers at once and see which one provides you with the best results.
If you can’t find a shop that sells your bike brand, there’s still a good chance that you can find a matching hanger at a good-quality bike shop in your area. If you don’t have any bike shops in your area, call nearby sporting goods stores and general retailers that sell bikes and ask if they carry derailleur hangers.
If you’re taking a photo, make sure there’s good lighting and focus so the details of the hanger are clearly visible.
Ask if you can watch the install happen and get some pointers along the way. Replacing a derailleur hanger is a great skill to learn if you ride your bike regularly. Go ahead and get a bike tune-up while you’re at it—doing so improves your bike’s performance and supports your local bike shop![8] X Expert Source Jonas JackelOwner, Huckleberry Bicycles Expert Interview. 18 February 2020.
Just to be sure, though, make sure the retailer has a good return policy! While prices vary, the average hanger costs around $30 USD.
By having a backup for your backup, you’ll save yourself the trouble of searching all over again for a matching hanger in the future.
Even if you carry a matching replacement hanger with you, it’s not a bad idea to also carry an emergency hanger. Hangers are small and lightweight, after all, and the emergency hanger may prove especially useful if you ever bike with others. As an added bonus, some emergency hangers also double—intentionally—as bottle openers!
The installation process varies somewhat based on your bicycle and the type of hanger it uses. Generally speaking, though, replacement involves popping off the rear tire, using a hex (Allen) wrench to disconnect the derailleur and then the old hanger, and then reversing the process to attach the new hanger. [13] X Research source The best way to learn how to do the job right is to watch someone with lots of experience do it, then get some hands-on experience yourself under their supervision. If that’s not possible, watch several how-to videos online and follow along. [14] X Research source
If you buy your bicycle at a good bike shop, they should have matching replacement hangers in stock. Alternatively, see if a shop associate can help you track down a match or contact the manufacturer for one.
