Is this normal? (rear derailleur shape)

[MattyK]

Per pics... Wife's bike has been like this since we got it. (Might have been bent by dropping it though) Doesn't have any shifting problems but just looks odd. I don't have another bike handy to compare to.

Ultegra 6700, on the small front ring. Is the outer cage plate supposed to be flat or not?

[Mulger bill]

The cage don't look right but neither does the hanger

[Duck!]

Some of the newer derailleurs have some funky shaping of the cage; if you look closely, although the outer cage plate looks munted, the chainline through the derailleur is straight, as is the inner plate, so I'd say the derailleur itself is OK.

The hanger is definitely bent though. However that's not all that unusual. Some can be knocked around in transit from the factory, but sometimes they can be bent from new. That was certainly the case with every single 2009-'11 model Giant road bike - the hangers were bent from new, even the spares that were supplied with the bikes!

[trailgumby]

Hanger's bent. RD cage should be parallel to the rim when viewed form the rear. Can be straightened using either the correct tool, or the TG trailside bodge method.

I had a habit of bending them a few times a year out on the trail, either by kissing rocks and logs, getting sticks caught in the drive train, or falling on my butt to the right, so got some practice at straightening them out in the field. The new "Shadow Plus" mtb deraileurs by the Big S seem to be better tucked out of harms way so havent had to do it for awhile.

The TG Trailside Bodge(TM) is to unfold the appropriate sized allen key from your multitool (M5 I think), unfold the rest form teh opposite end to make the lever longer, and stick it into the derailleur pivot bolt with the tool pivot bolt pointing to the ground. Be sure to drive it all the way home. Gently but firmly pull up on the tool until the derailleur cage hangs straight, being careful not ot apply too much force. If it takes 2-3 tries to get it right, you're doing it right. You want to avoid going to far and then having to bend back - that *will* start fatigue cracks.

The hangers are relatively soft so the risk of frame damage is minimal. The only time I ever broke one with this method was a suspect unit on a bike that I bought as an ex-demo. It came apart in my hand the first time I had to do it and the shiny parts of the fracture showed it had been cracked most of the way through for awhile before I got my hands on it.

[MattyK]

Thanks guys!

[jasonc]

and your cassette is dirty

[MattyK]

* Feel free to come over and clean it.

* If only my wife was that dirty...

[biker jk]

I just checked my Ultegra 6700 rear derailleur and the cage of the photo you supplied isn't bent (it should be wider at the top than bottom with the outer plate skewed). However, the derailleur hanger is certainly bent in the photo.

[MattyK]

Awesome, thanks.

[ValleyForge]

I'd advise treating the "symptom" not the picture. If the significant other's RD is shifting fine, I doubt that improving the photo will help.

So if it's not clocking the spokes and the hanger isn't loose, I'd be tempted to leave it alone. I think it's unlikely to wear anything out if you leave it the way it is.

[MattyK]

Too late, I already bent the hanger out a bit... Looks much more aligned along the chain now.

[ValleyForge]

Too late, I already bent the hanger out a bit... Looks much more aligned along the chain now.

We have a saying at work - "The enemy of good is better".

[MattyK]

and I have a saying too: "What you talkin'bout Willis????"

???

[Homo Suburbiensis]

Unless you are out on the trail/road and need to get home, bending the derailleur hanger should really be done with a proper derailleur alignment tool.

Check your limit screws now that you have bent it back.

[biker jk]

You may induce total failure of the derailleur hanger since they are aluminium and not designed to be bent back into shape. Buy a new one.

[Dragster1]

Its best to bend them as least as possible but It takes a few bends to break one as per the amount on the OP pic. I have MTBs with god knows how many re straightens I have done without any problems.

[geoffs]

Hanger doesn't look like it's bent to far to straighten
when you buy a bike with a replaceable hanger - buy a spare one just in case