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Project Sports

Questions and answers about sports

Skipping on new chain, new cassette, new derailleur

5 min read

Asked by: Nikki Miller

Is it normal for a new bike chain to skip?

Bike chains slipping is a common issue that all bikers have to face from time to time. It happens when your chain skips between gears while you are riding, shifts twice instead of once, or refuses to shift when you change gears. Chain slipping after putting on new bike chains isn’t something unusual.

Why is my bike chain keep skipping?

Gear indexing issues



One of the most common reasons for a skipping chain is simply a drivetrain that needs a simple indexing adjustment. This is so common that even many brand new bikes can exhibit these symptoms. The good news is that this is probably the simplest to diagnose and fix of all potential issues.

Why does my derailleur skip?

Without enough cable tension to properly regulate your derailleur (the part of your bike that shifts the chain from one sprocket to the next), your chain will begin to skip. The most typical recommendation for fixing a skipping chain is to add tension to the rear derailleur.

How do you adjust a derailleur to stop a chain from skipping?


Quote from video: Now one of the most common causes is simple derailleur adjustment on modern derailers with index shifting. The pulleys in the cage. Here should line up with the cog that the chain is on.

Why does my chain skip when I pedal hard?

So, why does my bike chain slip when I pedal hard? Your bike chain can be slipping or skipping for a number of reasons but the common reason for this is that the shift cable is stretched. There are a number of other reasons such as the chain being too long, or your derailleur may be damaged and needs to be replaced.

Why is my chain skipping on the smallest cog?

Skipping, or climbing out of a cog under high torque, is often the result of sprocket wear. If you still have it, check your old chain for stretch as an indicator of possible sprocket wear. If it’s stretched over 1% there’s a good likelihood the cassette is worn too.

How do you fix a skipping gear?

Quote from video: So try one click first as you're just pedaling along it should hop up one gear if it's not apply some tension which means counter-clockwise adjustments on that barrel adjuster until it jumps.

How do you stop a ghost from shifting?

Quote from video: Make sure your derailleur is vertically in line with the cassette pulley wheels and parallel to the wheel. And bike frame. If this is not the case and this is out of alignment.

How tight should a bike chain be?

It should be tight enough that it only allows you to move it up and down about one inch. If it is sagging or much looser than that, you need to tighten that chain up.

How do you calibrate a derailleur?

Quote from video: Set to increase this gap tighten the B screw. To decrease the gap loosen the B screw. If you made significant changes to the B screw double check the indexing adjustment.

How do I know if my derailleur is bent?

Quote from video: When we're trying to shift. Down becomes quite erratic or vice-versa. The key is to look at the rear derailleur we can see it's bent slightly inward.

How do I adjust the tension on my rear derailleur?

Quote from video: So what you want to do is first shift your bike into the smallest gear releasing all of the cable tension. And you'll feel that it's quite loose. Here. Once you've done that.

Can wd40 be used on bike chains?

WD-40 is a great bike chain lube water based lubricant and will not only lubricate the chain well, but will also keep it rust and corrosion free.

How do I know if my bike chain is too long?

Do a simple check on your bike by shifting the chain to the big chainring and the biggest cassette cog; then, push on the end of the derailleur cage (pushing forward) to see how much it will move forward. If it moves just a little, then you’re good. If it moves a lot, then you’ve got too much chain.

Why does my chain slip under pressure?

Other problems associated with a worn drive train are bushings coming out of the chain, bent cog or chain ring teeth, and individual teeth breaking off of cogs or chain rings. All of these problems can cause a chain to skip while under pressure.

How do you stop a ghost from shifting?

Quote from video: Make sure your derailleur is vertically in line with the cassette pulley wheels and parallel to the wheel. And bike frame. If this is not the case and this is out of alignment.

What does ghost shift mean?

Also known as the “midnight shift” or “third shift”, contractors hired by the brands will essentially make more products than they’re supposed to even after “official production” has finished, running the production machine off the books by having factory workers come back for an extra undocumented out of hours shift.

What is a ghost shift?

Ghost Shift gives the ability to view the shifts of an employee working at multiple locations in one filtered location view.