chain hanger

What is it? How do you know if you have one? How do you use it?

It's a nub brazed onto the right seatstay just above the dropout. The chain can be hung from it when the rear wheel is off. This keeps the chain under tension and more under control if you transport your bike with the wheel off.

Here are a couple pictures from one of my bikes. The second picture shows the chain on the chainhanger (though it isn't normally used with the rear wheel on).

Thanks, Deb! The pictures really helped. It looks like the only two bikes in my basement that have chain hangers are the MTBs from the 1990s, mine (Xtracycle) and my neighbor's that I'm storing for her.

Any reason that you know of why more modern bikes don't have them?

I guess it's just one of those fads. Got popular in the 80, hung around in the 90s, now it's gone. I imagine that most people who have them never use them.

I always wondered what that funny little knob was. Had it on the Look I just sold...

You never stop learning on TE

For all those bikes that don't have a chain hanger, a Pedro's Chain Keeper works nicely any time you need to remove the rear wheel:

http://www.pedroscatalog.com/images/250/6400560.jpg