My rear derailleur just snapped off !

[Topdonkey]

Just off on my dog walk (or dog bike) and about 2 miles into the walk my bike grinds to a halt with a horrible grinding clattering noise, I was doing about 25mph off road at the time and quickly stopped then looked down to find my rear derailleur was resting inside my back wheel !!!

Its done vast amounts of damage, 4 snapped spokes, 5 bent spokes, dented rim (big dent where the derailleur pushed through a gap it couldnt fit) snapped gear hanger, twisted mangled chain, and completely mangled xt rear changer.

I'm pricing up parts now to get it back and working, but am thinking this might be a good time to upgrade to a better bike, I currently ride a Giant AC1 full sus mountain bike with elderly marzochi bombers that have a little play in the bushings now, so i'm thinking what would anyone recommend for a £600 budget a better bike, secondhand, and hopefully a 29er full sus, although i am quite tempted by the fatbike craze at the moment and thinking that with tyres that size you dont need suspension !

Whats anyones thoughts ?

 

[digiman]

Just off on my dog walk (or dog bike) and about 2 miles into the walk my bike grinds to a halt with a horrible grinding clattering noise, I was doing about 25mph off road at the time and quickly stopped then looked down to find my rear derailleur was resting inside my back wheel !!!

Its done vast amounts of damage, 4 snapped spokes, 5 bent spokes, dented rim (big dent where the derailleur pushed through a gap it couldnt fit) snapped gear hanger, twisted mangled chain, and completely mangled xt rear changer.

I'm pricing up parts now to get it back and working, but am thinking this might be a good time to upgrade to a better bike, I currently ride a Giant AC1 full sus mountain bike with elderly marzochi bombers that have a little play in the bushings now, so i'm thinking what would anyone recommend for a £600 budget a better bike, secondhand, and hopefully a 29er full sus, although i am quite tempted by the fatbike craze at the moment and thinking that with tyres that size you dont need suspension !

Whats anyones thoughts ?

 

[digiman]

I think what probably happened was that a spoke broke which then jammed into the derailleur, I had the same experience. The hanger snapped off, the chain was u/s and the derailleur itself was bent and twisted. Nothing a £100 couldn't fix!! I think some of these chinese wheel/motors are a bit on the flimsy side. I got the 5 miles home on just the hand throttle and pedalling a non connected chain wheel!

 

[Woosh]

but am thinking this might be a good time to upgrade to a better bike,

why not? take a look at this fatboy, just under £1k:

http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?rio-fb

hydraulic brakes front and rear, Bafang G06 fat motor, 13AH or 15AH battery

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I think what probably happened was that a spoke broke which then jammed into the derailleur, I had the same experience. The hanger snapped off, the chain was u/s and the derailleur itself was bent and twisted. Nothing a £100 couldn't fix!! I think some of these chinese wheel/motors are a bit on the flimsy side. I got the 5 miles home on just the hand throttle and pedalling a non connected chain wheel!

Much more likely, the derailleur end stop hadn't been set, so when OP tried to engage first gear, he pulled the derailleur into the spokes. I've seen that loads of times and rescued two riders with it. It's a very simple, but critical adjustment. You'd be surprised at how many people are riding around without it being set properly.

 

[Topdonkey]

I've spent my budget now ! and repaired my bike

Bought some Rockshoxx Bomber triple clamp forks with 20mm axle, and new wheels front and rear, downhill specific ones that are massively overbuilt, double width rims and really thick spokes and beefy hubs.

Also bought a better spec rear duaralier (sp) and new chain and rear cassette, fitted some of it today, but the forks havent turned up yet, so should be back on the road in a few days, I've missed my ebike, its suprising how much i use it each day