After 3 tries I finally got a Campagnolo rear derailleur to index properly on an old steel frame

Honestly, it was just a bent hanger that I kept overlooking - straightened it with a $15 Park Tool alignment gauge behind the shop in Chicago and everything clicked into place. Has anyone else had a simple fix like that turn a 2-hour headache into a 5-minute job?

3 comments

3 Comments

hart.sage1mo ago

You know, I used to be one of those people who thought alignment gauges were kind of a waste. Figured you could just eyeball it or use a spoke wrench as a makeshift tool like I did for years. But after spending two hours chasing a ghost shift on a 90s Bianchi, I finally caved and bought one. That little $15 tool turned out to be the exact fix for a hanger I swore was straight. It made me feel stupid for not buying one sooner.

faith_thomas1mo ago

Bruh, I totally feel you on that. My buddy Dave spent three whole weekends fighting with his old Raleigh because he swore the hanger was fine. He finally borrowed my gauge after I told him to stop being stubborn, and guess what? It was bent like 4 degrees. He texted me later just saying "I hate that you were right." @hart.sage, the ghost shift thing is so real, you think it's cable tension or something fancy but it's literally just a bent piece of metal. Those cheap gauges are the best money you can spend, no cap. Dave still brings it up every time we ride, mad he wasted all that time.

the_grace1mo ago

Ngl I felt that Bianchi comment in my soul. I spent a whole Saturday chasing a ghost shift on a beat up Trek once and almost threw the bike into a bush. Turns out the hanger was bent less than 2 degrees but it was enough to make the shifting act possessed. Ordered a gauge that night, never looked back.