NoWhammies

Having had my derailleur adjusted this summer, and then looking at the number of bikes we have hanging around our place, I am wondering if purchasing the Park Tool DAG 2.2 would be a worthy investment? Or is it a bit overkill for home use? After all, how often do derailleur hangers need adjusting? Thoughts/feedback?

Rick

I don't believe it is overkill. Just remember it is not for checking alignment on bikes made from something other than steel.

Badger6

Agreed it isn’t overkill. As for bikes it works with, why wouldn’t it work with steel? I don’t have steel bikes and have never worked on one…but it doesn’t make sense that it can’t check alignment on steel if it works on aluminum, carbon, titanium, and probably bamboo.

pdlamb

Buying the older version has paid off for me, home use only.

OTOH, I think I got it for $30 on sale. Don't guess I need to replace it with a newer one for $80!

TiHabanero

We use the Park tool on all frames, including steel. Always have, and have been doing so for many decades starting with the original up to and including the 2.2.

bikeaddiction1

I have used mine on numerous steel bikes. The tool does not care what the frame material is.Why do you feel this can't be done?

gearbasher

I bought one and checked the alignment on all my frames. Then I thought: what am I gonna do with this tool, now? A month later, one bike was knocked over by a gust of wind. The hanger was bent. I was glad I still had the tool.

JohnDThompson 

The Park DAG-2.2 is a fine tool, but less expensive hanger alignment tools can work just as well. I have one from X-Tools that cost about US$30 and works fine. More accurate, in fact, than the Campagnolo "R" tool in my Campagnolo tool kit.

Crankycrank

Where did you get that info? I've used mine on more steel bikes than I can remember.

Barry2 

I don’t recall which tool I purchased, but it has allowed me to fix my bike quickly 2-3 times it’s needed it.
Good News travels fast and my buddies soon discovered I had one.

Overall, not too expensive, won’t wear out, good for bike karma.

Barry

Iride01 

How often do you have bent hanger issues or shifting issues that you can't solve?

It's great to have tools. I just have too many that take up space and many that haven't been used in 40 years. Despite fixing my own bikes all my life and the kids bikes and neighbors too, I haven't needed a derailleur alignment tool.

woodcraft

Definitely worth having IMO.

Pays for itself in one or two uses in saved time, $, and frustration over mystery shifting issues.

veloz

Somebody recently posted the method of using 2 all-thread rods. I learned that method in a LBS over 40 years ago and have used it many times (didn’t have a DAG 2.2 back then). Just don’t bend the all thread. Wolf Tooth makes a tool that functions the same way as the rods.

https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-m...alignment.html

Russ Roth

Used the same park DAG for 5 years in a shop that was old when I got there and at the time most bikes below 500 were steel though aluminum was becoming popular. Thing easily did 100 bikes a summer between UPS and their treatment of boxes and regular repairs, steel is unimportant as others have mentioned.

For home use it depends but I bought a decent 40.00 version from one of the online shops, the park is obviously better but this has been adequate. Personally my bikes almost never seem to need it but the one time I had to use it on my own, the repair would have been half the cost of the tool. Now my kids are a different issue. Having young kids that like to mtb and cyclocross has meant semi-regular use of the tool. Just remember, if you can see a stress line in the hanger after straightening it, order a new one and replace immediately. Lots of small bends can be straightened though it will weaken the hanger in time but if you see a line that goes across the hanger its a stress riser that can cost you a derailleur and chain which can be 40-50 more than a hanger and a couple hundred more on a nice bike.

BHG6

I use mine quite often - I find it to be a very useful tool to have when building/working on bikes. Even right of the box, many new bikes come with bent derailleur hangers and the DAG makes it very easy to adjust

shelbyfv

I think some posters have missed what was meant here. The tool has full functionality with steel, both check and correct. Check only for bikes made of other materials.

goldfinch

I use mine a lot. Mostly on other people's bikes in the neighborhood that seem to have a propensity of falling over on the derailleur side.

Rick

I mixed up my words. Yes you can only check alignment on other than steel.

djdelarosa25

I have mild OCD (not diagnosed). If I had the money, I'd definitely buy a derailleur alignment tool.

shelbyfv

Maybe get another job? If you have time on your hands....

djdelarosa25

Still in college, and after that, probably med school

bikeaddiction1

I have used mine many times to straighten a hanger on aluminium and carbon bikes, not just as a check. If the hanger is bent too far you may not be able to "bend" it back without cracking or breaking it, but on higher speed rear ends (say, 8 or 9 speed and up) it is often necessary to do some truing to alleviate shifting issues. I have straightened hangers that have stayed in service for a long time.

You can use this tool to straighten hangers on any bike regardless of frame material.

bitpuddle

The spacing on 11 and 12 speed groupsets is so tight that hanger alignment is important. If you have more than a few bikes and you do your own work, it is a good tool to have. If you’re building bikes up from a bare frame, it is crazy not to correctly align the hanger; it takes a minute and makes a big difference in shifting smoothness.

shelbyfv

SJX426 

You can get by with less. Second from the top.
P1040553 on Flickr