Just over four years ago I wrote a glowing review of my then-new Nashbar CR4 carbon road bike. It has been a very good bike, but after 13,606 miles I am putting it on the shelf. I still stand by the statements I made about the bike in that review, but I can now add that the frame has one fatal flaw -- a flaw that, sadly, might be quite common on newer road bikes.
The CR4 has a "replaceable" derailleur hanger. And that part is made out of light-weight aluminum. I am not a powerhouse sprinter by any means, yet I have broken that hanger three times. One time there was little damage -- just the cost of replacing the hanger. The next time it broke when I was pedaling up a hill and the force of the pedal stroke bent the rear derailleur. The third time I was cruising downhill at more than 20 mph. The hanger broke. The rear derailleur swung down into my spokes. And I was left with a broken derailleur hanger, a wrecked derailleur, four broken spokes on my rear wheel, and (perhaps) a broken chain stay on the carbon frame! All this -- plus coming close to a very dangerous crash -- because the bike is specced with an aluminum derailleur hanger! Please! I understand that a broken hanger might be better than a broken frame, but in this case the broken hanger probably caused the broken frame as well as considerable additional damage.
Not all innovations are improvements. Give me a strong derailleur hanger. Maybe something steel!
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