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Test drive of bike derailed chain easily … bad sign or nothing?

4 min read

Asked by: Nancy Adams

What causes bike chain to slip?

Most of the time, the slipping of a new bike chain is caused by loose cables. The new shifting cables stretch a lot during the first few rides. The cables stretch way too far with time, and that’s when the problem arises, and your chain starts to slip between gears.

Why does my bike chain slip when I pedal hard?

These include worn out or misaligned derailleur pulleys, old or malfunctioning shifters throwing off the indexing in some gears, or broken/bent teeth on one or more cassette cogs. Build up of dirt and grime on drivetrain components will also cause shifting issues, including skipping chains.

Why does my chain fall off when I pedal?

Check the crankset and bottom bracket



If the crankset is loose, it can move sideways during pedaling, which can allow the chain to come off. So make sure the crankarms are securely attached and that there’s no side-to-side play in the crankarm or bottom bracket. Some bottom brackets can be tightened.

Why is my bike chain jumping?

Most of the time, a skipping chain is caused by cable stretch. In the first half dozen rides on a new bike, your shift cables stretch the most. They can also stretch over time as you ride. Hippley explains, “It takes cable tension to open a derailleur, which shifts your chain between gears.

How do you prevent chain drop?

Quote from video: This is what happens to your attraction. It's really it's really easy to to make the change just by yourself when you do it like this and also when we are just riding hard through some rough terrain

How long should a bike chain last?

So, how long do bike chains last? In general, a good chain will last 2,000 to 3,000 miles or 3 to 4 years. Chains on mountain bikes and electric bikes will get worn out faster. Many factors can influence chain life, such as conditions, speed, weight, and stress.

Why does my chain slip when I pedal backwards?

As to your problems when pedaling forward you may have some bent or “stiff” links, or the derailer may need adjustment. If you pedal backwards more than maybe 1/4 revolution, the chain will very likely “bunch up” and try to tie itself into a knot.

What is chain slip?

Quote from video: And back when you don't really want it to now another issue is slipping to where the chain will actually slip over the teeth. And then fall back into the next slots over. And what that's awesome often

How do I stop my bike chain from jumping?

The most typical recommendation for fixing a skipping chain is to add tension to the rear derailleur. However, there may be times when you have to either shorten the chain by removing a link or swapping out the shifter cable altogether. It’s also possible that the cable is too tight.

What does chain drop mean?

A dropped chain is when your chain comes off your gears keeping you from pedaling. This can happen in the front chain ring gears or the rear cassette gears.

How tight should bike chain?

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 fix a slipped bike chain?

Turn the pedals with your hand while lifting the rear wheel to realign the chain (as in Step 2). Bike chains are very greasy and your hands will get messy. Use a pair of latex gloves, if available, or use a twig or leaf if you can. This step may take several attempts, but it will work eventually.

How do I fix my bike chain from skipping slipping gears?

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.

How do you fix a bike chain that keeps coming off?

Quote from video: You just have to loosen them up you don't have to take them all the way off at first however if you feel like doing that go ahead. And the same thing on the other side you just loosen up lefty loosey.

How do you fix a loose chain on a bike?

Quote from video: Tightens. The chain up nice and tight and while you're holding on to it. Just go ahead and tighten it back down there you go nice tight chain. Simple as that.

How do you check bike chain tension?

Quote from video: So straight away that gives me a little window in the top of the tool here which gives me a reading it says point two five at the moment which is as I would expect this is a very new bike.

How tight should bike chain?

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.