Set out to do a 35 mile ride today, but only made it 31. I was about four miles from home when something went wrong. I was going up a slight grade, and shifted from high to low range on the front derailleur. In a split second, the chain made a loud grinding sound, and a split second later, there was a loud BANG from the rear derailleur. The bike ground to a halt. The rear derailleur broke off the hanger and hung in the rotating wheel. The wheel was jerked out of true, and the shift cable was jerked so hard it broke through its housing. And the chain slightly damaged the frame in a couple of places. I wonder what else is out of alignment, or otherwise screwed up!

It's off to the bike shop tomorrow to test that warranty! Has anyone seen anything like this, and if so, what might have gone wrong.