Choosing the Right Derailleur Hanger for Your Bike
A derailleur hanger may be a small component, but it plays a major role in keeping your drivetrain running smoothly. It acts as a protective link between your frame and rear derailleur, designed to bend or break in an impact to prevent serious damage. Choosing the correct hanger for your bike is essential for precise shifting, proper alignment, and long-term drivetrain reliability.
1. 1. Know Your Frame Brand and Model
Derailleur hangers are not universal: each bike brand, and often each specific model or year, can require its own unique design. Before ordering, check your bike’s make, model, and year; if you’re unsure, our expert team are on hand to provide any assistance. Using the wrong hanger can lead to misalignment, poor shifting, or even derailleur damage.
2. 2. Match the Shape and Fit
Even within the same brand, hangers can look similar while fitting very differently. Compare the shape, bolt holes, and thickness of your current hanger with the replacement you’re considering. If your original hanger is bent, lay it flat on a table to better inspect its overall profile.
3. 3. Choose a High-Quality CNC-Machined Hanger
A precision-made hanger ensures accurate derailleur alignment and increased durability. BETD’s derailleur hangers are CNC-machined from high-quality aluminium, giving them exceptional strength and an exact fit. This helps restore crisp, reliable shifting performance, especially on modern 11, 12, or 13-speed drivetrains.
4. 4. Carry a Spare
Because hangers are designed to fail in a crash, having a spare ready is one of the smartest upgrades any mountain biker can make. Keeping an extra hanger in your toolkit can save a ride, and prevent a long walk home.
5. 5. Order In Time for Christmas
If you're planning maintenance or gifting bike parts during the holidays, be sure to order your derailleur hanger early. Christmas delivery cut-offs can approach quickly, and having the right hanger ready for festive-season rides or New Year upgrades is always worthwhile.
Shop Derailleur Hangers
At BETD, we stock over 400 precision-engineered derailleur hangers, covering an enormous range of bike brands. We also offer a wide range of UK-made mountain bike components built for performance, reliability, and long-lasting ride quality.
Shop our extensive collection of hangers today; if you’re unsure which hanger you need, contact us today and we’ll help you to help identify the right fit.