Went round Cannock Chase on Sunday and half way round the Monkey Trail I broke my mech hanger. I carry a spare so replaced it, plus had to bend the cage back as it had warped/bent

Finished the Monkey Trail and was heading up the hill on Follow the Dog when I had the fatal mechanical. Don’t know what happened but the rear derailleur had ripped around, snapped, and locked the chain in place

The only way I could turn the rear wheel was to remove the chain. Then I had to walk/freewheel back to the car park

Was very disappointed at this point, as you might guess. I’m looking to upgrade from my current bike to a new bike. My current/old rear derailleur is a Shimano Alivio 9 speed, I can spec any rear derailleur I want on my new bike so I’m wondering what, if anything, might be more robust?

On the new bike I was originally thinking I would go for a Deore groupset with a clutch rear derailleur as I didn’t think I’d notice the difference going to XT. Does a more expensive rear derailleur mean it can take more punishment or are the chances that I would have killed any rear derailleur?

I should point out the (2nd) mechanical might have been user error… but it was riding fine all the way round the rest of the Monkey Trail, including a good few ups

Also need to source a new derailleur for my current bike so should if you have an unwanted/unloved 9 speed SGS Alivio rear mech!

Second mechanical was caused by first. Whatever broke the mech hanger also bent the mech. You then shifted far enough that the bent cage of the mech went into the spokes and caused the subsequent destruction.

Would a more expensive one be stronger? Not in any meaningful way. SLX is a sensible compromise all round.

You can’t just buy any old mech.a lot of the new ones are 10spd and I don’t think they work with 9spd shifters.

If you want properly strong buy a Saint mech. Not sure if you will be able to find many new 9spd in the shops.

I would agree with you apart from the fact that I specifically checked this when I put it all back together. Its why I spent a while bending the cage back, I flicked through all the gears to check it was all OK

There was still a fair gap between the cage and the spokes, even on the biggest ring. I wasn’t on the biggest ring when the mechanical happened, the hill wasn’t that steep

Well, something did it, and it was probably the previous mechanical. Maybe a stiff/bent chain link got jammed in the cage. Or maybe it was jut more bent than it looked. I bent an X9 mech and it looked perfect, unill you held it next to a new one and realised the whole of the linkage was pushed up/back about 15mm!

IME SLX is better than Deore, but above that it’s more marginal to XT, but then XTR has substantialy nicer shifters.

Mech’s are unfortunately just disposable.

At least you’re not using SRAM, they cost 2x as much and die if a rock so much as looks at them funny. Might have been bad luck but on my SRAM equiped bike I went through 3 mechs in 2 months (at £75 each!)having only bent one shimano in 10 years previously. Gone back to Shimano SLX at about £25 and not bent another touch wood.

Second mechanical was caused by first. Whatever broke the mech hanger also bent the mech. You then shifted far enough that the bent cage of the mech went into the spokes and caused the subsequent destruction.

agree and i had the exact same thing happen to me, also on Cannock!

Would a more expensive one be stronger? Not in any meaningful way.

Disagree, the two parts that hold the jockey wheels in place are significantly thicker and better the money you spend I find. I had an slx mech that got bent and then broke much like yours so I bought an XT mech and the difference is very obvious, the XT is much thicker, chunkier and just feels better. If you hold the two up together the difference is clear, So yes imo the more expensive the mech the less likely it is to break.

Disagree, the two parts that hold the jockey wheels in place are significantly thicker and better the money you spend I find. I had an slx mech that got bent and then broke much like yours so I bought an XT mech and the difference is very obvious, the XT is much thicker, chunkier and just feels better. If you hold the two up together the difference is clear, So yes imo the more expensive the mech the less likely it is to break.

Might just be the materials, XT tends to have more aluminum whereas SLX still uses some steel parts. Aluminium is about half the strength and weight for the same vaolume, so it used twice as much to do the same jobs.

My mate who trashed his XTR mech at Cannock earlier this year is delighted with its Deore replacement and has sworn never to buy anything better than SLX again !
I’ve broken XT mechs and lesser ones too, myself , tempting fate here, haven’t had an issue with my three year old SLX.
It’s all about how they get broken, what hits it, or it chews up. Too many variable to say that one will be better or less breakable than another I’d say. A good enough rock strike or big enough piece of tree in any and it could trash it.

How the hell do you lot break so many mechs? What are you doing to them? Do you not look where you are going or what?

To the OP – more expensive rear mechs are not going to be any stronger when you hit things with them, no.

How the hell do you lot break so many mechs? What are you doing to them? Do you not look where you are going or what?

Riding Stainburn, Skiddaw Hause and Cavedale in back to back weekends did for mine, a mix of speed, bad luck and too used to the singlespeeds clearance!

I would agree with you apart from the fact that I specifically checked this when I put it all back together. Its why I spent a while bending the cage back, I flicked through all the gears to check it was all OK

Drivetrains can behave a bit differently when they’ve under real load to how they do when you’re fettling them on the stand (or checking them by the side of the trail). So agree with njee and TINAS that it was most likely a consequence of the previous problem.

SRAM’s X9 is considered by some as as robust if not more than the more expensive X0. The X0 is just lighter and massively more expensive. I read something from SRAM somewhere that they don’t recommend the even more expensive XX for DH duties. At the very least it’s just expensive to replace.

I had X0 originally on my Nomad after changing my mind about XX. On changing to Type 2 and on stepping up to Alps riding I dropped to X9 considering the cost. Was advised to go cheaper and durable especially if I ever do the Mega as there’s a high risk of the mech being smashed into by some crazy French dude. And to carry a spare mech and hanger or two 😉