Originally Posted by
Tourist in MSN
I also have some slop in many of my rear derailleurs, but by not trying to shift too fast the springs in the derailleur usually hold the derailleur in the right place. I generally only shift one gear at a time, but when I say one at a time, the next shift might be only a half second later. Both of the photos I posted have 1990s vintage rear derailleurs, even with some slop they work very nicely. I like the looks of them, thus use them on several bikes.
A hanger should not be the source of play, it should be firmly attached to the frame. And the derailleur mounting bolt should not have any play in the hanger.
Not necessarily a source of 'slop'. If you tweak your hanger and don't notice, carefully set limits won't prevent you from inadvertently shifting into the spokes.