in Beginners, Newbies, Noobz, etc (Moderators: imwjl, TheMayor1)

I read that he bent the derailleur itself, not the hanger. A good mechanic should be able to tell you what you need done, I'm not sure I could tell the difference if it's not obvious. Could be both were bent.

You're right, the OP states bent derailleur, not hanger. The two times I've trashed a derailleur, the hanger has bent too.

"I've ridden road bikes for years and never had a bent der. hanger."

The OP is asking about his mountain bike.

Walt

I read that he bent the derailleur itself, not the hanger. A good mechanic should be able to tell you what you need done, I'm not sure I could tell the difference if it's not obvious. Could be both were bent.

You're right, the OP states bent derailleur, not hanger. The two times I've trashed a derailleur, the hanger has bent too.

"I've ridden road bikes for years and never had a bent der. hanger."

The OP is asking about his mountain bike.

Walt

and so was I; right after the one sentence you mentioned.  I was trying to illustrate- that when it comes to mountain biking, the gauge is worth it.

I really appreciate all the advice fellas, it has already been helpful in my decision making.  I have gotten more information from this one post than similar posts on reddit and other large community based forums.  I think that says a lot about the community here.  I used a ruler to check the chain wear and it is definitely longer than 1/16'' off.  The cassette has many rounded and worn teeth as well.  The reason I was thinking Chris King hubs was because I have a CK set on my single speed and as Nate pointed out it made a huge difference on the single speed.  I was assuming I would need similar engagement for racing but less weight makes much more sense.  I did notice that the CK hubs are a little heavier than some of the other similarly priced hubs, so maybe DT swiss would be a better option for racing like people pointed out.

I saw that there is a shop down the road from where I work on Willy street.  I believe it was called Revolution Cycles.  I plan on stopping in there to see what is up with the rear derailleur and to see about a new cassette/chain.  I have a chain tool but its for dirt bikes maybe it works the same way.  As I type this I am curious as to if the pins in the chains are the same size, probably not.  I decided to just replace what I need as the time comes with slight upgrades.  My end goal would be to have a bike decent enough to where I don't have to worry about hammering on the pedals.  I kickboxed and wrestled for many years and I have extremely strong legs for someone my size.  When I really start to hammer the chain pops off.  Hopefully new chain/cassette will help.  I don't have this problem on my single speed, but my single speed is a steel frame Gunnar.  Maybe its possible the aluminum frame is flexing from the torque on the pedals?  I didn't plan on switching any parts from the Gunnar to the treck because I am selling the Gunnar in a week or so to my brother.

Thanks again for all the advice.  I look forward to seeing some of you on the trails.

I saw that there is a shop down the road from where I work on Willy street.  I believe it was called Revolution Cycles.  I plan on stopping in there to see what is up with the rear derailleur and to see about a new cassette/chain.

We just had a social event at that shop. They're among a few who support what we do. There's another social event and fundraiser for a new riding spot next weekend.

I'm glad the posse here was able to help you, and again, I hope we see you on the trails.

Speaking of help, we post our work days here and always need a hand so maybe we can meet at a work day prior to the riding season moving along.

Good luck and have fun getting everything fixed up for the season.

Thought I would update the post just in case anybody was curious what I ended up doing.  I actually ended up just buying a Treck 2013 X-caliber that was marked down quite a bit.  The Mamba frame was a little too large for me anyways.  I have gone to Cam Rock and Quarry multiple times since my purchase and I can honestly say the difference between the two bikes is huge.  Maybe it is a mixture of increased confidence and easier handling from a bike that fits better.  The weight difference was around 8lbs.  I actually weighed the two bikes with wheels and all and was surprised by the difference.  I realize the frame on the X-caliber is smaller but 8lbs still seems like a lot.  The air shock on the X-Caliber makes me feel like I am floating on a cloud.  Thanks again for all the input.  See you on the trails and stay upright.

Thought I would update the post just in case anybody was curious what I ended up doing.  I actually ended up just buying a Treck 2013 X-caliber that was marked down quite a bit.  The Mamba frame was a little too large for me anyways.  I have gone to Cam Rock and Quarry multiple times since my purchase and I can honestly say the difference between the two bikes is huge.  Maybe it is a mixture of increased confidence and easier handling from a bike that fits better.  The weight difference was around 8lbs.  I actually weighed the two bikes with wheels and all and was surprised by the difference.  I realize the frame on the X-caliber is smaller but 8lbs still seems like a lot.  The air shock on the X-Caliber makes me feel like I am floating on a cloud.  Thanks again for all the input.  See you on the trails and stay upright.

Look forward to seeing you and your new ride on the trails!