From the "How was your commute today" thread.
My chain popped off as i began my ascent up the 59th st bridge.
I thought I could push the derailleur forward, throw the chain over the smallest front gear, and pedal forward until things aligned themselves....
there was some grinding when i began to pedal and i realized something was terribly wrong.
i look back to see my derailleur twisted up in what would almost be a mirror image of how it should be.
i walked my bike back off the path on the bridge and turned her over on her seat and handlebars.
i tried twisting it back into position with my hands and the whole derailleur popped off from its threads, dangling by the chain.
extremely upset with myself for destroying my derailleur i begrudgingly carried my bike up to the queensboro platform and loaded my bike on to the N train.
google search for Shimano Altus 8 speed derailleur shows they go for 15-22$, thankfully.
I'm going to call and visit the LBS near my office and see if maybe they can either fix the derailleur I have or install a new one to ride home tonight.
I would really love to have the same exact brand and model put back on....
And my drivetrain had been running so nicely lately!!!
In retrospect I guess I should have flipped her over and put the chain on nicely, turning the pedals with my hands until things were back they way they should be, but hindsight being 20/20 I now find myself in a position where I likely need a new derailleur and could use some advice.
My bike is a 2010 Giant Escape 2. I'm sorry but the camera on my phone recently died, or I would have a pic of the damage so that you all may assess whether the derailleur I have is repairable or not (it look pretty badly bent in more than one place). Also it looks as if I may have stripped the threads that the derailleur was seated in though I'm not 100% sure of that.
Anyway, I believe the chances of the LBS near my office of having a Shimano Altus 8 speed rear derailleur waiting for me, is slim to none. Though I'm guessing they may have other brands on hand, ready to be installed.
Can you reccommend another comparable, or possibly even better brand derailleur that I should consider if the LBS does not have a Shimano Altus on hand?
If it won't make a big difference in performance, I do not absolutely HAVE to have the exact derailleur my bike came with though I always felt it performed well.
Your feedback is greatly appreciated, thank you.