Ask any mechanic about derailleur hangers and you’ll get the same weary sigh. Every bike, every year, every batch seems to use something different. Break yours on a ride and good luck finding the right one before next weekend.

That absurdity is exactly where SOS Hangers has found its niche. The small distribution company, run out of a warehouse in Granby, Que., has quickly become a relied-upon resource for Canadian bike shops.

“We have about 1,400 to 1,500 references in stock just for hangers,” says part owner Felix Côté Bouvette. “It’s ridiculous sometimes. We counted everything the other day and found hangers for brands we’d never even heard of.”

SOS Hangers launched at the end of 2022, taking inspiration and guidance from a long-running French distribution company that shares part ownership. By combining that experience with a uniquely flexible business model, the tiny Quebec operation is growing steadily.

No minimum orders, no strings attached

Traditional distributors come with conditions: minimum order amounts, minimum quantities and complicated approval processes. SOS Hangers stripped all of that away.

“Our format is a little different,” Côté Bouvette says. “We have no minimum order quantities, no minimum amount. If a shop needs one bolt, we’ll ship it out.”

That simple approach has made the company a favourite among shops, especially as more retailers move toward leaner inventory and just-in-time parts ordering.

Registering for a business account is equally simple. “It’s basically us going on Google and verifying that you’re actually a shop,” he says. “That’s it.”

CNC-machined hangers for the bikes nobody else supports

At the heart of SOS Hangers’ catalogue is a partnership with Pilo, an Israeli family-run machine shop that produces CNC derailleur hangers and chainrings. The parts are an upgrade from the cast hangers that come stock on most bikes.

“They’re very good on R&D and their catalog is huge,” Côté Bouvette says.

That catalogue stretches deep into the past, including vintage models that are nearly impossible to find elsewhere. Need something obscure for a 30-year-old bike? If Pilo makes it, SOS Hangers can get it.

Even the UDH trend hasn’t rattled them. “We have a CNC version that’s a little better than the plastic one,” he says. “So even if UDH becomes more common, we’re fine.”

Solving the identification nightmare

The biggest challenge with derailleur hangers isn’t selling them. It’s figuring out which one you actually need. SOS Hangers has turned that chaos into a service.

“If a shop can’t find the reference on the website, they send us pictures,” Côté Bouvette says. “Victor Pointin is the specialist. With the spacing of the bolts and what’s left of the hanger, he can determine the right one.”

Once identified, the part ships the same day if ordered before 3 p.m. Anything not in stock can usually be sourced within a month.

Built for shops, not walk-ins

Despite selling direct through their website, SOS Hangers has no interest in opening a storefront.

“We don’t want to be in competition with local shops,” Côté Bouvette says. “Our main business is the shops. We’re really on the distribution aspect.”

The team is currently “1.5 men,” as he puts it. It’s growing fast. Victor is now full-time, and Côté Bouvette expects to officially join the business within the year.

A love for bikes driving a new chapter

Côté Bouvette returned to the cycling industry after time away raising kids.

“I’m as motivated as ever to get it going,” he says. “It’s a lot of work, but we’re growing at a pretty rapid pace. Everybody’s happy.”

For a warehouse with no sign on the door, SOS Hangers is becoming something rare in the modern bike industry: a distributor that actually picks up the phone, answers emails and ships whatever you need without conditions.

“I think we’re doing a good job,” he says. “We’re very serious about the service. People have trouble getting answers these days, so we’re always available. That’s a big part of our business.”

And for anyone who has ever broken a hanger and had their local shop tell them it’ll be six weeks to get another one, that level of service feels downright heroic.