Rear derailleur - can I ask a favour?!

[Riotsloth]

Evening all

So my stereo hybrid 120 pro isn't shifting into top gear and will come right off the top of the highest gear if I push the shifter again. I have tried adjusting the limit screws but both are at their limit and it still happens.
Looking at the derailleur from behind, it looks like it's leaning in towards the wheel at the bottom to me - ie isn't perfectly vertical.

I don't suppose if someone has the same bike they could take a photo from behind for me so I can see what it's supposed to look like?

 

[Frankieboy]

I had a similar problem earlier this year, invested in a derailleur alignment tool, amongst the best £20 I’ve spent.
Now if I ever have problems with shifting its the first thing I’ll check. Haven’t needed to adjust anything else since. I’ve found even new mech hangers need tweaking.

 

[Jackware]

Sounds like a bent hanger to me, does it shift badly/run noisily on the other gears?

I keep a spare for those unexpected drops/knocks where the hanger does it's job of sacrificing itself to save the frame or the DR.

 

[Riotsloth]

Here's a photo, does it look a little bent to you guys at all? It runs fine in 2nd to 11th pretty much, it's just the top and bottom.

I will look up derailleur alignment tools, thanks.

 

[lumpy]

That's bent big time dude! Hard to say but it looks like both the hanger and the derailleur.
FWIW I end up having to straighten my hanger at least a couple times a month and carry a spare with me

 

[iXi]

Definitely bent. Another option is ditch the 12sp and go 10sp, it's move forgiving to knocks. But really do what they said above and get a derailleur alignment tool.

 

[willeco]

A little bent ??

 

[Riotsloth]

Okay, thanks chaps. The bike is brand new so hopefully I can get it sorted. To be honest, I would prefer a ten speed, the twelve looks incredibly tight to me, but I’ll try and get this sorted first. And yes, even the derailleur looks a bit twisted at the bottom.

 

[Jeffw]

Check the hanger. Mine snapped on 4th ride and ended up replacing both hanger and chain (which was supplied stock). Like yours, mine was bent to one side. Mind you, it took some abuse on a trip to Scotland

Three of the heads on the chain links were also damaged, presumably due to the hanger being snapped. New one fitted and a spare in the bag, plus a KMC 12-speed chain fitted now

 

[steve_sordy]

When I got my first 12-speed I was always getting shifting problems that I couldn't fix. After the third visit to the LBS where each time they diagnosed the mech hanger was bent and charged me £10 to fix it I bought a Parktool mech hanger alignment tool. I used it once and got the wheel rim spot on instead of +/- 3mm and I never had another problem. I also bought a spare mech hanger, as I was sure all that bending and straightening would have weakened the original. But it never failed and I gave it away with the bike when I sold it.
I now always carry a spare mech hanger in my pack.

 

[Riotsloth]

Thanks for the answers guys! I’ve ordered another hanger in case it can’t be straightened and taking it to the LBS next week. I sent him a photo and he said it deffo looks bent too.

 

[scjgreen]

Hanger is bent, my 140 was the same.

Replace the Hanger and get 2 Spares because they are made of Chocolate.

 

[Riotsloth]

Hanger is bent, my 140 was the same.

Replace the Hanger and get 2 Spares because they are made of Chocolate.

Thanks. Got one on order.

 

[scjgreen]

Thanks. Got one on order.

Good Stuff! I carry 2 in my Toolkit ???

 

[Riotsloth]

Good Stuff! I carry 2 in my Toolkit ???

Wow, are they really that fragile! I'm fifty, I'm hoping I'm not going to be doing crazy stuff that threatens them generally!

 

[GMLS]

Does look bent but always check the bolt is tight before anything else.

 

[Riotsloth]

Does look bent but always check the bolt is tight before anything else.

if you mean the 5mm bolt holding the derailleur on then yes it is, although there is a fair bit of play in the derailleur where it attaches (2mm?) even though the bolt is tight

 

[Spanner Monkey]

its worth buying the alignment tool, I replaced my hanger the other day after destroying my original NX deurraileur the brand new one and it still needed a little tweak of adjustment to get all the gears selecting properly, even the slightest misalignment plays havoc with setting the gears.
if your hangar is aligned properly and your mech is straight then the setup is a doddle