My bike's rear derailleur snapped clean off on the bridge yesterday

It happened right on the middle of the Steel Bridge path during the evening rush. The whole thing just gave out, chain went slack, and I had to walk the last mile and a half to work. I'm stuck between two minds now: is it worth trying to fix a seven year old commuter bike with a new derailleur and hanger, or is this the sign to just replace the whole thing? The repair quote I got was around $120, not including labor if I can't do it myself. For those of you who bike daily, what's your breaking point for fixing versus replacing a trusty ride?

3 comments

3 Comments

verawhite3d ago

Fix it. My old beater's still running after a similar snap.

jackson.matthew3d ago

Right? It's wild what those old cars can live through. My buddy's truck had a belt snap clean in half, and he just tied it in a knot to get home. Made it another six months like that before he bothered to fix it right. Those engines just don't care sometimes.

the_hayden1d ago

I mean, my breaking point is when the repair costs more than my last three takeout orders combined. That $120 quote would have me trying to fix it myself first, maybe watching a few shaky YouTube tutorials. Could be a fun weekend project if you don't mind getting a little greasy.