Silca launches new titanium 3D printed derailleur hanger

Bicycle part manufacturer Silca is introducing its newest titanium 3D printed product, the derailleur hanger. Improving stiffness in the shifting system, this product has already won Tour de France stages and resisted crashes, the ultimate sign-off by any pro cyclist and team. Initially, it will be offered in fitment for Shimano DirectMount across 9 brands of frame as well as both UDH and UDH Direct Mount. Additional models will be added based on demand.

This is not the first Silca 3D printed product however it is certainly the one that is going to generate larger production requirements, with several different models already available. While it ensures increased strength and stiffness to this often overlooked component, so critical to quick and precise shifting, one of the most interesting aspects is that it costs just like traditionally manufactured ones of comparable quality.

This project was initiated by WorldTour teams, who for years have been making custom hangers from steel or higher-grade aluminum alloys in an attempt to improve durability and shifting performance. Modern electronic derailleurs shift so fast and with such force that conventional hangers from low-grade aluminum plates flex up to 4 degrees during a shift, resulting in less precise, noisier, and slower shifting. Traditional hangers also bend easily, even in minor incidents, resulting in unnecessary bike changes and additional workload for mechanics.

Using advanced 3D modeling with AI-generated structural infill, SILCA 3DP Hangers for SRAM and Campagnolo fitment are 5-6x stiffer than aluminum hangers and 2-6 grams lighter (depending on the model). For Shimano Direct Mount compatibility, the SILCA 3DP Direct Mount Hangers offer 8-10x higher stiffness with 4-12 gram weight savings by eliminating the use of the direct mount link from the assembly.

Already in use at the World Tour level, SILCA 3DP Hangers were utilized in 2 stage wins of the 2023 Tour de France and are credited with maintaining derailleur alignment across numerous crashes. SILCA 3DP Hangers can be aligned by hand and are designed with an internal fracture notch, which allows the hanger to fracture and bend below the point of damage for the carbon frame to eliminate the risk of frame damage under the hardest impacts.

SILCA 3DP Hangers will initially be offered in 11 different versions that cover 9 of the top bike manufacturers and UDH and UDH direct mount. Benefits include improved shifting speed and precision with reduced noise, a reduced need to align hanger or adjust derailleur after minor impacts and 2-12 gram weight savings depending on model and fitment. A frame-saving fracture notch design allows the hanger to become sacrificial under the hardest of impacts.