Learn how to make a derailleur hanger that will work on almost any bike. If you keep it in your CamelBak long enough, it will come in useful.

Ride single track long enough and you will probably break a derailleur hanger. Ride single track with a large group of people and you can be guaranteed of it. This modified derailleur hanger will fit on almost any bike and allow you (or someone else) to recover from an otherwise crippling mechanical.

Start with a “Department Store Bike” derailleur hanger. You’ve probably seen these, they look like a claw and they usually are bolted on to a “semi horizontal” dropout on a disposable bike from a department store. You can buy one at your local bike store for about five bucks, or just keep your eyes peeled for an abandoned junker, they’re not hard to find if you look.

This particular hanger is made by Pyramid. It has the same size and thread hole as any normal hanger.

Remove the bolt and positioning nut. Clamp the hanger in a vise and use a hacksaw to trim off the divot protruding from the back side of the hanger.

Now that the hanger is flat you’ll be able clamp it to the dropout with the quick-release.

First unscrew the derailleur from the old bent or broken hanger:

Then unscrew the quick-release nut about 3mm, enough to slide the universal hanger in:

Slide the universal hanger into place. Position the new hanger turned slightly clockwise compared to the original so that the derailleur pivot bolt won’t be obstructed by the original hanger. Tighten and close the quick release as normal:

Screw the derailleur into the new hanger you’re ready to roll. Your shifting will be off by half an index or so, so be mindful of that.