soysos

I have been having a lot of issues with my bike lately. I works great with my hard training rides and I had no issues in a triathlon with it. the problem is this bike is also my primary means of transportation, and every time I ride downtown something goes wrong. so far the only issues I've had were pinch flats which I solved with a new set of bigger tires (from the original 20mm to new 23s) but on todays ride I had a catastrophic failure of my rear derailleur. both gears and the bracket that holds them fell off, completely, I couldn't even find them as I was already loosing light. thankfully I have a good multitool and was able to set up a single speed, but what the hell could have happened? now I don't think this is at all repairable so I need to find a source for a new one. it's an old alpine road bike with a really nice chromally frame, and a shimano 105 drive train. it's a 2x8 configuration so I think it is an RD 1056. does anybody know where I could get one reasonably.

rpenmanparker 

Your description doesn't make sense. Gears don't fall off the rear. There is no bracket that holds them. If they did unscrew from the freehub, they would be trapped in place and couldn't be lost. Derailleur may fall off the frame, but is attached to a cable, so how could you not find it? Please be more specific about what happened to you. Your post makes no sense.

shoota 

Yeah that is a confusing description.

B. Carfree

I think he means the pulleys.

StephenH

I think he means the idler gears that are part of the derailleur. Check your local bike shop for parts, if they don't have it, try Ebay, or replace the bike. If a bike is our primary means of transportation, it would sure make sense to have a backup or two.

soysos

sorry I meant the pulleys. I changed gears heading into a downhill and my chain rattled, I pulled over and found I lost my idler pulley, I walked back the way I came but couldn't find it, I was in a hurry as I was loosing daylight and din't bring my lamps. so I just rigged it for single gear and headed home. at some point along the way I lost the other pulley and the part of the cage that holds them on. I didn't realize that part until I got home.

soysos

I really wish I could afford a new bike, unfortunately I cannot justify the expense without getting rid of my car completely. right now my day to day commutes are on the bike but I do have places to go out of my range, plus I haven't quite figured out grocery shopping.

rpenmanparker 

Sorry to have misunderstood. Replacement idler pulleys are readily available both at the LBS and on line. Often the qualify is better than what you are replacing. You should be in good shape in no time. If you lost the bolts, you may have to search for those.

RoadMike

Replacing the bike is ridiculous advice. You can just buy a new derailleur. any 8 speed shimano road derailleur should do. ebay or your LBS can hook you up on the cheap.

jrobe

I suspect your derailleur hanger broke. Maybe the low limit screw wasn't adjusted properly and you threw the chain inside your lowest gear which tore off the derailleur hanger. If your frame is still fine, you probably need a new RD and hanger.

soysos

the derailleur is still mounted secure, it's the cage that failed.

I'll just single speed it to work tomorrow and take it to the bike shop after, or maybe monday I haven't looked at their hours. just knowing I can get a replacement for a part so old has taken a load off, I was kind of freaked out earlier. I know this bike is old but I really like it, and besides its still nicer than anything I could afford new.

buffalowings

Buy a new derailleur, replacing the cage and pulley gears probably costs as much as a replacement derailleur. I think the screws holding the cage failed, so the whole thing went flying away, usually those screws are threadlocked in place by shimano.

rpenmanparker 

Bes sure to get a replacement pulley with the same number of teeth as the original. Some are 11 teeth, some 12 I think. This is important.

achoo

Just get a new derailleur. Just about any Shimano road derailleur for 10 speeds or less should work (I'm not sure about 11-speed ones), although it's probably a bit better to keep the speeds the same, or at least close. A 10-speed one might be too narrow for a 7-speed chain, for example. And an 8-speed one might have too much side play on the top pulley to work well with a 10-speed setup.

StephenH

That depends on exactly what went wrong, which he clarified right after my post. IF the frame is undamaged and IF the bike is reasonably worthwhile otherwise and IF parts are available at reasonable cost, then replacing the bike is ridiculous. If this amounts to putting $200 worth of parts/service on a bike worth $150, if it's a derailleur-into-the-rear-wheel deal, or if it's some obscure part not readily available, that's different.

soysos

This bike is 15-20 years old. It's the old 2x8 version. It looks like I can get a used derailleur on eBay for $60 there about. The good news is if I can find the cage I can get new pulleys bushings and bolts for $15. I guess I'm going hunting this afternoon.my lbs doesn't open today till noon and I'm at work till 2 anyway I'll give them a call and see what my options are.

Kai Winters

You might also want to do some "googling" about care and maintenance...checking parts to make sure their nutz and boltz are tight is important as you have just learned.

blacknbluebikes 

Wife's bike lost a jockey wheel a few weeks ago, blame the gods, gone for good. Went with the full RD replacement because the new old stock RD wasn't much more expensive than the "likely match" parts, which gets confusing when you start looking at 8/9/10 ring compatibility, etc. Actually got the best match from chainreactioncycles in england, and the shipping & everything worked out about the same. Might think about a new cable, too, while you're doing the work.

ThermionicScott 

$60 is a ripoff for a 1056 RD, and since your old RD fell apart, it may not work properly even if you do find all the parts. Just about any Shimano road RD from that time period will work, and if you must have an exact replacement, it should cost more like $30. The C&V "For Sale" section may have one: https://www.bikeforums.net/forumdispl...-Vintage-Sales

canam73

It makes perfect sense.

Obviously someone stole his baby bike bolts.

rpenmanparker 

Yeah, but what he lost wasn't his "gears" as in cogs. It was a jockey wheel.

canam73

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...osing-temper!!

soysos

well I took it to the LBS today. apparently shimano still makes this derailleur, or close enough to it. $35 for my shiny new claris derailleur. went ahead and got a new cable and I lost the pin to reattach the chain so I went ahead and got a new one. while its there figured I'm about due for new bar tape. all in it came to $65 I'd call that a bargain.

blacknbluebikes 

A bargain, and the satisfaction of a good fix, self-applied, fairly priced.
p.s. always put new pin in chain.

soysos

I've come to the conclusion that my bike shop kind of sucks. I called them last sunday explained my situation and was informed that I would need a new derailleur, what my options were what it would cost, they told my they would go ahead and order it it would be in by thursday, and I could go ahead and bring it in Wednesday night it would be ready thursday afternoon. it sounded great to me until I brought it in. I bring the bike in on wednsday came back after work thursday, they tell me the part still wasn't in yet. I called again on saterday and was told the part wasn't ordered until thursday and won't be in until the following thursday. the person I spoke with said that the manager would call me that afternoon, never did. I called again yesterday and was told the part came in and it would be ready today after 12. I just got back and still no bike.

I have now missed out on overtime hours because I had no way to get to work. I have had extra transportation expenses. not to mention the training I've missed out on.