Hi guys! I came across your website while trying to figure out an issue I am having so I thought I'd send you an email to get your opinion. I recently changed out all my parts from one road frame to another. Everything seems to be perfect except... Now when I shift up or down on my rear derailleur I seem to "free-pedal" for about 1/8th of a turn before the chain finally grabs onto the cog. (By free pedal, I mean that the crank arm will move from say the 1 o'clock position to the 3 o'clock position without having any load from the rear wheel. It then engages the rear cassette quite abruptly.) The front derailleur doesn't have that problem and shifts smoothly. Also, the limits are set perfectly for both low and high cogs for the rear cassette. The only things that changed were the frame's dimensions and the fact that I used a new chain, although I did match the chain length almost exactly. Do you have any ideas on what might be causing this issue? Should I be looking at the chain, cassette or something else entirely? Any clues would be a huge help. Thanks, Dwight Hi Dwight and thanks for asking this question. If the cable is set correctly to engage each rear cog properly and it still skips. My first thought is "how old is the cassette." If it has more than 1000 miles on the cassette it may be worn enough to not mesh well with the new chain. Try replacing the chain it should cure the condition. Mike Howdy I've been riding an older mountain bike for a while here, I believe it's a 1985 Fisher-Montare Mountain Bike. I love it. So, while pedaling, the chain is seemingly taught, tight, fine. It pedals well, doesn't skip, shifts well. When I stop pedaling, however, the chain droops and is sucked down into the gap between the wheel and the chainstay. This occurs in nearly every gear. And when I say it droops, I mean it really just sags right down like it was made of spaghetti. While not in use the chain is ack to it's reliable, tighter self. It's only while the wheels are spinning and I'm not pedaling that me & bike have droop issues. Any suggestions? (aside from "don't stop pedaling") Thanks a million! P. Guivens P, Hello... thanx for your inquiry - it sounds like there is a problem with the cassette turning properly or the freehub body inside the rear hub. First, make sure that the chainrings, rear cassette/cogs, and chain are clean and spotless - then lubed. Clean everything with simple green and a gear brush, and then use chain lube. Make sure there is no debris in the rear cassette. Most likely you may still have the problem after doing this, and that would indicate that your rear freehub ody is dirty, partly locekd up, or rusted. You would need to remove the cassette and dis-assemble the rear hub and rpelace the defective parts - or take the bike to a shop - if you really like to ride, maybe consider a newer, more modern bike!! But usually when you stop pedaling the cassette should turn freely - if it is gunked up or a bad freehub or axle, you will have the problem you are experiencing.. thanx and let me know ride on stanimal. Hi! I have a brand new bike, hard tail, but when I am in the small chainring and start to apply pressure, e.g. ride uphill, the chain jumps off to the inside and onto the bottom bracket. I am not running the chain beyond the largest three rings on the rear cluster when in the small chainring. I have checked the deraillers and the shifting is fine. If you can please give me some advice as to what is causing this? Hello.... thanx for your inquiry... there are a few possiblities causing your problem. The chain may be too long - put the chain in the large chainring in front and biggest cog on the back cassette and you should only have a little bit of play and the rear derrailleur should be almost horizontal. Also, check the teeth on the small chainring for wear, broken, or missing teeth. Make sure that the limit screw (the inside limit screw to be exact) on the front derrailleur is set properly to limit the motion of the chain to the inside and prevent it from going too far . Finally, make sure that your derrrailleur is not bent and that you have a good chainline. If you got the bike at a shop, please return to them for adjustment if none of these things work... good luck ride on stan Hi, Your maintenance tips are a great resource. I recently bought a used Trek 830 mountain bike. It has grip shifters and an Shimano Alivio rear derailleur. I have 2 problems: 1. The chain is somewhat rusty. Whats the best way to remove the rust from the chain? (I will lube it once its "clean". By the way, what do you recommend as chain and cable lube? Is WD-40 ok to use?) 2. When I shift the rear gears, the rear derailleur moves the chain up and down the rear cassette properly, except that the chain seems to be lined up between gears, as the chain "chatters" and the chain doesn't seem to drop into the cogs of the sprockets. Any suggestions? Thanks Al Al, Hello again..... here is how to deal with the rusty chain. Use a small brush like the park tool chain brush (or toothbrush you can spare) and use simple green cleaner and an old rag to clean off the chain... take time and clean every link, roller and side plate on the chain. Turn the bike upside down, and spin the pedals while holding a rag on the moving chain to best clean it - use a hose outside and spray, wipe, clean, brush, etc... till it is clean.. then use a chain lube like ProLink to lubricate the chain fully... ride and repeat if the chin is really bad, also clean all the cogs and chainrings with the brush as well...then just make sure the cable tension is properly adjusted at the handelbar barrell adjuster - turn it a bit in one direction or the other until the chain lines up with the cogs - usually 1/4 turn or so at a time. Just make a 1/4 or 1/2 turn adjustment and then ride the bike to see it if still skips - and try adjusting in both directions... this will usually solve the problem.....Good luck ride on stan Hi Guys Great site. Stephen from Ireland with a repair question. I have spent the past week replacing several worn parts on my Spec stumpy FSR Pro with new parts; cassette XT M760 11-34, Rear Mech M751 Long Cage, Race face XC X-typs BB, Middleburn Chain Rings and a ConneX Wippermann 9sp chain. With all this replaced I thought I would have no more drivetrain woes. When the bike is on the stand it engages in every gear and seems pretty smooth. However, when I ride the bike at any great speed (18 to 25 mph) or apply pressure on the pedals, when in the lowest cog on cassette, it seems to slip and skip about. I have Mavic Crossmax xl and the freehub is running perfectly. Any Suggestions??? Ta Stephen Stephen, Hello... thanx for your question, sorry to hear you are still having trouble after replacing all of those parts. I can think of a few things that may cause your problem - first of all, the freehub body could possibly be stripping out and causing the skipping so check this. Sometimes it can get stuck and lock up the rear wheel, and other times it can get worn out and start to skip or slip. Usually, when the free hub goes out you cannot ride the bike at all and it is a big problem... Please also install a new cable to the rear derailleur if you haven't done this already - that apart is often overlooked and sometimes the problem...also, make sure the bb width is correct and your chainline is good. Also, please make sure the limit setting is proper on the rear derailleur and allowing the chain to move all the way on the small cog and not hitting the limit first. Make sure that your derailleur hanger is not bent by viewing the bike from behind, and that the cable tension is adjusted and fine tuned for shifting smoothly at the handlebar barrel. Let me know if this helps thanx ride on stan Hey, Steve from Pennsylvania here with a repair question. I have an older Kona Cindercone 2000, when I begin to put pressure into pedaling my chain sounds like it's jumping gears but it's not. The bike shifts fine but when I beardown to get into the pedals I get think I'm going to jump a gear but nothing happens just noise. Any wisdom you could give would be great. Steve, Hello... thanx for your question.... since your bike is not actually skipping gears you are lucky so far. Where is the noise coming from??? I would check out the following - first, completely clean the chainrings, chain, and rear cassette - a nice cleaner is Simple Green and a gear brush. Then lubricate the chain. Examine all of the individual teeth on the chain rings and rear sprockets, and look for wear or broken, or bent teeth. Then maybe consider measuring your chain with a tool that lets you know how worn or stretched it is (available in bike shops). Try adjusting the cable tension on the rear derrailleur at the handle bar barrell adjuster, and maybe lubricating the shifting cable. It really sounds as if you have a worn chain ring or chain and that they are not meshing together properly. Put the bike upside down, and rotate the pedals slowly and look at how the teeth interdigitate with the chain - does it look like the rollers on the chain are meshing accurately with the teeth???? If all of this checks out ok....then let me know and also where you think the noise is from. A noise in itself may be indicative of a problem, but some noises are ok to have and do not need any action... good luck lemme know ride on stan Hi fellas, just checking in from across the water (UK) to see if you could help me out , have just spent quite a bit of time stripping down my MTB for essential cleaning,its not an expensive bike just a standard 21 speed. The only part that was replaced is the chain, having put it all back together I have found that their is a continuous slipping on the smaller sprockets of the cassette. The old chain had 110 links,replacing it with a new one of the same length was not as straight forward as I thought; there didn't seem to be enough tension on the chain so I took 2 links out for extra tension and to get the chain cage to 90 degrees to the ground etc I also had alot of trouble getting the freewheeel unscrewed I left it on in the end, i've had a close look at the sprockets to see if there is any damage as I used a chain whip and freewheel nut and could not see any. What I did notice when trying to solve it was that when the chain is on the small sprocket and the pedals are moved backwards, the chain slips off the jockey wheel closest to the cassette shifting onto either the next 1 or 2 bigger sprockets. However when rotating the pedals forward the chain shifts onto the correct sprocket. I've tried retensioning the rear gear cable and indexing the rear derailleur again having no impact on the slipping, do you think I should try to replace the derailleur and cassette or is their a cheaper option you might be able to suggest? I appreciate the time guys, look forward to hearing from you Nick Hi Nick sorry to hear about Your drivetrain woes. It sounds to me like the cassette is worn. Especially if it skips/slips more when on the smaller cogs. So I would say from past experience replace the cassette. thanks for the question, Mike i am using shimano hg chain. can i break the chain to clean it then put it back again with the same connecting pin? thanks Hello... the shimano hg chain requires using a NEW pin if you break the chain - not advised to re-use the old pin... with most chains you can re-use the old pin, but not shimano... also, you may need to specify if it is a 7-8 speed or 9 speed when getting a replacement pin. The new pin is put onto the chain, and then you need to break off the excess guide area with a pair of pliers.... thanx stan My chain seems to skip and not stay in gear in some combinations - what could be wrong? thanx Jeff Jeff, Hello... when you are in the small chainring on the front, and the 7th or largest gear on the back - that is the most stressed position to ride in. Try to avoid that combination if possible. However, on the middle (or second) chainring in the front, you should be able to use the largest or smallest gear on the rear OK. Your problem is probably related to the cable tension on the rear derailleur. Try adjusting the cable tension a bit - you may have a handlebar barrel adjuster on the right handlebar. Try turning it a half turn or so in one direction (clockwise should loosen the cable tension - and vice versa), and see what happens when you ride... try the other direction if it is worse. The chain cannot be tightened or loosened, only made longer or shorter, and this is probably not your problem. There are also other problems you can have - please make sure that your chain is cleaned and lubricated properly, and maybe think about replacing or lubricating the rear derailleur cable.. hope this helps thanx stan I have a new Specialized Epic with all new components. I have had three bike shop mechanics check out my problem with no remedy yet, The alignment of everything has been checked. On the road it shifts great but when I go off road and put more pressure ont the pedals the chain wants to skip ont the cassette. Sometimes it will skip also when I immediately engage the pedals after just bouncing over a rock or root. I have a new race face crank with machined chain rings ,an XTR front deraillier, Sram XO rear deraillier. XT cassette and a Sram pc-69 chain. Someone suggested a new chain or removing a link. Any suggestions? Thanks Marc Marc.... Hello! Sorry you are having the chain skip - it is a common problem, and can be caused by many factors. Here are a few items to check: 1) Make sure that you have the proper chain for your shifters. Either you have a narrow gauge for 9 speed, or regular gauge for 7 or 8 speed. Clean your chain thoroughly and lube well. Run the chain thru a rag while grabbing it with your hand and feel for kinks. Watch it link by link going over the rear cassette and see if it interdigitates smoothly. 2) Put the bike in the big big combination of gears (large sprocket front and rear) and see how much slack you have.. it should be pretty tight, if not, remove a link or two. 3) Make sure that your cable tension is dialed in correctly.. use the handlebar barell adjuster for the rear derailleur and get the tension so that it stays centered in gear and does not jump. This is the most likely cause of your problem. 4) Make sure that your cables are cleaned and lubed to allow proper movement and no stichtion or dragging - this is sometimes the problem with poor shifting and often overlooked. 5) Make sure your rear cassette is not bent, or broken/damaged teeth. Spin the wheel and view the cassette from above and see if all cogs are parrallel and evenly spaced. 6) Make sure that your derailleur is clean and no dirt on the jockey wheels. 7) If you search our site using "chain skip" you may also find other information to help you.. ride on stan I just put a 36 tooth sprocket on my bike and I need to remove some links but don't know how to go about doing it. Can I remove some links myself without using the appropriate tool or going to a bike shop?...Thanx Eddie, Hello! Thanx for your inquiry.... you will need a special tool to take links out of your chain. It is simply called a chain tool (or chain repair tool), and allows you to open the chain, or add or take out links as needed to adjust the length or repair a broken chain. Without this tool, you cannot work on your chain. You can get it from a bike shop, and then use the instructions on our site to repair a chain, or have the bike shop help you with it. We also sell it in our on-line store if you want to order one - I always cary one with me when I ride in case of chain breakage on the trail.. ride on stan Hi, I was just wondering what the difference between hg and cg chains were, and which one is a better chain? Martin Martin, Hello... these designations are for SHIMANO chains only, and I believe there are 2 types - IG & HG. Here is the info put out by Shimano.... IG stands for interactive glide. IG is an integrated drive train engineered to link the derailleurs, crank set, chain, and sprockets for better shifting performance. The IG system controls the chain for smoother outward shifting in the rear, and reduced chain jamming in the front. The chain is only allowed to separate from the IG sprocket at the designated shift gate release points. All current HG cassette cogs are profiled to be HG or IG chain compatible. Any Shimano chain will work with any HG cassette. If you use a HG chain with a 7 speed IG cassette the rear derailleur adjustment becomes more critical. Always avoid using a HG chain with an IG only crankset. This is because the chain will release from the large chainringtoo easily while in the large rear cog. This may be dangerous if the chain drops off the outer chain ring without shifting the lever while under full power. Hope this helps.... if you have any other questions, please call Shimano. stan I feel like I may have been given a raw deal, am mostly mad at myself, but also my bike shop. My chain is worn out ($20), and because of this, so is my rear cassette ($50). I was never warned by the bike shop I bought it from to check my chain for wear frequently so that I wouldn't wear out the cassette as well, and now I need both. The mechanic there said that, with the way I ride, I probably wear them out evenly and would need both anyway. This doesn't make sense to me, as the chain wear is, I think, what causes the cassette wear. Should I be pissed about this? Hello...no you should not be pissed about this. Most times when you replace the chain, you also need to do the rear cassette too - it is a common problem and not unusual to replace both... good luck thanx stan Hi, I've just changed my chain on a GT Avalanche that i've had for 4 years and never changed. The guy who had the bike before me probably didn't change it either so i thought it was about time. The problem is, as soon as i put load on the chain (going up-hill), it skips. I've been told that i may need to change my rear cassette as this will have worn with the chain. Is this the case and will i need any special tools to replace the cassette? Regards Adam M Adam, Hello.... it sounds like you may also need to change the front chainrings and rear cassette on your bike along with the new chain. If the components are 4 years old and have never been changed, they are also probably worn out like the chain. The teeth on the chairnrings and rear cassette are probably too worn to fit a NEW chain. So, you may want to upgrade the entire drive train (maybe even the derailleur) at this time. This does require special tools, and some degree of skill. Also, now is the time to adjust the number of teeth on the new sprockets if you want a lower low gear or higher high gear, or just different ratios for your shifting, etc.... If you are happy with your current shifting ratios, then get the same number of teeth on chainrings and rear cassette that you already have. Examine closely the fit of each roller on the new chain as it goes over the rear cassette and front chainrings as you spin the pedals slowly with the bike upside down, and you may see that the worn teeth do not mesh evenly with the rollers on the chain. ride on stan Hello, I am writing to verify some questions I had about a broken chain. Last week I was riding down a particularly rough descent and my chain broke. I removed the broken link and replaced the chain. Unfortunately, I screwed it up and had to break another link to get it right. My bike seems to shift well and has no apparent problems. The chain has about 300 mi. on it. Has the strength been compromised? Should I replace it? If I replace the chain do I have to replace the rear cassette as well? Thanks -Blake, Atlanta Blake, Hello.. thanx for your inquiry. We have broken many chains, and ridden on ones that have been repaired over and over again. We have also put on NEW chains and then realized we needed a new rear cassette and/or front chainring to mesh properly and shift properly with the new chain. Repairing the chain frequently will ultimately shorten the chain which may then become a problem.... also, it may sacrifice some strength as well with each repair. *Remember if you have a Shimano chain to use a NEW pin when doing a repair, and don't re-use the old pin. The new pin should be for the 7/8 speed only or 9 speed only, and are not interchangeable. It is an excellent idea to kepp your chain cleaned and lubricated. We use Simple Green cleaner and the PARK tool gear cleaner brush, and then ProLink chain lube, and then dry chain with a rag. Moisture is bad for the chain, so don't let it sit while wet. You can obtain a chain measuring tool to check your chain for wear or stretch to see if it is within specs. If you have repaired the chain a few times, it would be smart to keep a new chain handy - although not necessary to carry with you on the bike - you can usually do a repair and ride out at least if you have one in the car or at home. Frequently, when the chain breaks, it is because of a problem with your cassette, derailleur, chain line, chain length, or wear or dirt in the chain, so always check for other problems. However, it is quite possible that it can just break from the load being applied, be repaired, and then be fine. Usually, I average about 300 -500 miles of singletrack on my chain before I replace it, and at least once a year and sometimes more... We do have more info here in case you are interested Mountain Bike Maintenance Hope this helps.. ride on stan I ride in the Wetcoast (Vancouver, BC) throughout the winter. Riding includes commuting as well as weekend trails. How can I prevent rust from forming on my chain? I can’t clean it after every ride. What are some preventative tips? If I do get rust on my chain is it garbage or can I revive it. I’d love to get your comments. Thanks Ric Ric, Hello....in order to keep the chain in optimal condition, you must prevent it from sitting for periods being wet. Rust is a bad sign on a chain...After you ride, just wipe it dry with a rag if it has water on it. We like to clean the chain with simple green cleaner and a gear and brush chain cleaning tool by park tools, then we lube it with ProLink chain lube, let it sit for a few minutes and then wipe it dry. A few minutes of maintenance will go a long way in easier shifting, less chain suck, less "skipping" in gear, and prevent kinked or frozen links. The ProLink chain lube is good because it sheds water, and even if you forget to dry the chain the residual ProLink may prevent the moisture from penetrating the pins and rollers as long as you use it every so often. The best technique is to clean and lube the chain before you ride, because doing it afterwards is sometimes difficult and you may be too "ragged out" from your ride to deal with it. I know when I finish a good ride, I just throw the bike in the back of my van and don't feel like dealing with lubing the chain - although I will wipe of moisture if it is wet... ride on stan I recently removed and cleaned the cassette and chainrings on my bike, and I replaced the chain. Now that everything is back together, I occasionally have the following problem: When pedalling, the cranks sometimes stop turning. It is very sudden, and after a slight back-pedal, everything is fine again. So far, it's only happening on the middle chainring, and it happens while in a gear, not when changing gears. The chain is the exact same brand and type as before, with the same number of links. The only other difference (aside from the cleanliness) is that I adjusted the cable tension on both derailleurs. I also adjusted the limit screws on both derailleurs, and both appear to be shifting fine. Before the clean, I had a noise coming from the crank/bb area, only when pedalling hard, and always at the same crank orientation (right crank just past vertical). Any ideas? Thanks, Tony Tony... it sounds like you have a problem with either the bottom bracket having a bad bearing which locks up, or you have a bad freehub body in the rear hub. When it gets stuck again, leave it in the locked position, and remove the chain from the front chainrings simply by taking it off the inside ring (don't break the chain, just take it off from the inner ring to the inside). Then try to turn the rear cassette with your hand in the forward direction... if it does not turn you need a new freehub body.. if it does turn, you probably need a new bottom bracket. Please let me know what happens thanx stan Howdy, I'm from Denmark and I have a problem with my bike. I'ts a Zaskar and i'ts been riding with no prop at all, untill one day when I saddled up on my bike and stepped on the pedals, and the chain raced around but wheel didn't move an Inch. Clearly something inside the rear hub is broken. I tried to pull hub apart but failed. Have any advices cause I can't afford to go to the repairman. Hope my english is good enough for you to understand. Can you help me, please!! Thanks in advance Jens Jens, Hello! It sounds as if you have stripped the "freehub body" inside the rear hub. When this happens, the pedals spin OK, but the rear wheel does not move. Sometimes it can also lock-up and then you cannot pedal backwards, and the pedals move when the bike is coasting. You need to install a new freehub body, or have a friend help you to do it... You may have difficulty getting the part, so call your local bike shop to help...thanx stan I have installed a new chain on an 8 speed xt/lx drive train. When the chain is set to the two big rings the rear de-railer pulls too far forward which makes me think I have to add some links, but at the same time when the chain is set to the two small rings there is hardly any tension in the rear de-railer and the chain seems to have too much slack - it really droops. Hope you can help. Thank you, Matt Matt, Hello fellow mtb'er! It is important to have approximately the correct chain length within a link or two... If your bike will shift into the big-big combination while riding, then the chain is not too short. At this point the derailleur will be tight and pulled forward almost parallel to the ground. There will be little play in it, and it will seem quite tight and very little slack. The big-big combo should really not be used much anyway. When the bike is in the small-small combo, the derailleur will have almost no tension on it, and will double over and the chain will almost touch the top jockey wheel. It will appear to droop, and have excess slack. This gear combination is also little used when riding, but nice to have available. Give your bike a test ride and verify that it shifts OK into all of the gears. If it does, then you are ready to ride, and your chain length is OK! Hope this helps... stan hello, i was wondering if you could help me with my problem? I my sprocket cluster seems to be stuck to my back wheel/hub + the cones? are loose therefore making the back wheel wobble very scarily. There is the added misfortune that i cannot backpedal either or stop peddling whilst cycling, without the chain getting eaten up by the chain rings! how may i fix the bike? any response would be greatly appreciated... thank you for your time dmc Hello! I have had this exact thing happen to my bike! You have a locked up freehub body. When this happens, the pedals are always moving when the bike moves - forget about any backpedaling or coasting... Please take your bike into the shop for repair, as it may be sort of difficult for the average person to fix. Along with the free hub body, you may also need a new hub or cassette. It is best to change all as needed when doing this repair... and also make sure that your chain is OK too... Good luck! Stan I'll start off by saying I think a might have a problem that already has a solution listed but I'm not sure, if that is the case just direct me to the right one. Anyway, my problem is that when I pedaling hard or going up a hill or something my chain seems to click/slip. It is hard to explain, I hear a clicking noise and the chain slips a little bit, I stay in the same gear and everything. When it slips the tension is temporarily gone, and my feet move forward. If I did not explain this well enough please e-mail back and tell me what I need to know. -Dan Dan, Hello! There are a few possible things that come to mind about your "chain slip" problem.... First, you need to thoroughly clean and lube your chain. You can use simple green to clean it, and then lube it properly using your favorite lube. We have had good luck with the ProLink cleaner and lube for our bikes. Your chain may have a kinked link in it. You can tell if this is the case by turning the bike upside down and running the chain through a rag held in your hand - if there is a kink you can fell it. Second, perhaps your rear derailleur is skipping between two cogs, or there is a bent cog or broken tooth. You may want to adjust the cable tension a little on the derailleur at the handlebar or right near the derailleur itself. Just screw the barrell in either place in or out a bit and see what happens. Also, there is a small possibility that your front chainrings are worn (check the teeth) or that your chain is too old and stretched out.... Hope this helps.... stan My problem is that my chain is dropping from the middle chainring to the small chainring and sometimes even coming off of that. It seems to happen after or during some kind of impacts such as riding over logs or trying to go over/ climb up on rocks. It may happen if I back pedal as well sometimes. Although, this may be after I've had an impact, but I can't say for sure. The local mechanic thought my chain might have been abit too long and took out a couple of links and adjusted the rear derailleur. He says that he thinks the components are in good shape. I don't know how much he knows about this kind of a problem. All the mountainbikers I know don't have a similar problem. This is obviously frustrating because it means I have to get off the bike and lift up the frame while pedaling to make it jump back from the low chainring to the middle ring. I don't know what is causing it and for all my mechanics fiddling he hasn't resolved this problem. I hope you got some good ideas because this is really bugging me. I'm not great at riding over larger logs yet but this doesn't even allow me to practice properly. While we're at it do you have any tips for riding up stairs as well as getting over things like logs when you are going both up and down hill. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Eric Eric, Hello! The mechanic was right to check the chain length first. On the big - big combo of gears the chain should just have about 1" of play up and down. The most likely causes of your problem are: *The front derailleur inside limit screw is allowing too much inward movement of the derailleur, and pushing the chain too far in... *The chain is non-compatible (ex: 8 spd. chain on 9 spd. system) *The inner chain ring is too worn *Teeth are bent or missing on the inner chainring *Cable tension on the front derailleur should be tightened slightly *Consider installing a Third Eye Chain Watcher or the N-Gear Jump Stop - this clamps to the frame and prevents the chain from coming off to the inside, and nudges it back onto the small ring Hope this helps :) Let me know ~~Stan~~ Quick question. I have not been riding all too long but have noticed that going over logs etc. I feel that the large cog in the front is at risk of bending or damage and was wondering if they make any type of protective ring to cover that large cog? any help is appreciated. Thanks Scott Scott, Hello! In answer to your question about the large chainring.... I have been riding over 15 years, and I view the pupose of the large chainring to hit the logs and grind over them. It also hits rocks in rock gardens, which can lead to broken or bent teeth and/or the whole thing bending... An inadequate or cheap chainring will bend, or loose teeth rather easily in difficult terrain, so I have found the Race Face one to be the best!! It can take quite a beating and still allow the chain to operate properly on it, although I use it infrequently as a gear to ride in (unless hauling FAST on a fireroad or asphalt)... You can get a chainring protector which bolts on the the chainring and prevents it from hitting logs and stuff, but I have never used one... I like being able to grip the log with the teeth, although many chainrings can not tolerate this torture!! Hope this helps you... if you have any other questions, pleaselet me know.. Ride On ~~MaNIMAL~~ Hi guys, I recently installed a new derailer and chain on my Pacific Black Diamond. We adjusted the derailer and it is all good. But when I installed the new chain, I didnt look to see how many links were on the old chain to match it up with the new chain. Now my bike is skipping when I pedal but it doesn't leave the sprocket it is on. So could you guys give me some help. How do I know how long the chain has to be. Thank you.!!!!! Justin M. Justin, Your problem with the chain skipping after a new derailleur and new chain can be from several causes, and may require close inspection to locate and figure out. Did you have skipping before you replaced these parts? This problem has certainly happened to me & more than once! First, check the proper chain length (but this may not be the real problem). You can see how to adjust it here - Replacing a chain or DRIVETRAIN Here are some other reasons it may be skipping: 1) The cogs on the rear freewheel are worn out, cupped, or bent and not interdigitating properly with the chain. Does it skip in one gear or all of them? Sometimes it can skip in one gear only if the cog is bent in that gear. Look at the rear cogs and make sure that they are all parallel and none are bent. 2) Check the front chainrings as well for this problem... 3) Make sure you have the proper chain (8 or 9 speed). 4) Make sure the cogs on the rear freewheel are clean & no grass, dirt or debris in them. Use a narrow tool to clean this area, or a cog cleaner brush. 5) Ascertain if the skipping is from the front (chain ring) or the rear (freewheel)... This can be done by having someone listen to the bike when it skips and you are riding it. 6) See if it only skips in certain gears, and examine the cogs for these gears 7) Call us toll free if you still have problems... sometimes chain skip is hard to figure out 8) Take the bike to your local mechanic!! Please let us know how you resolve the problem so that we can better help others... Good luck ~~MaNiMaL~~ Hey Myke the Mechanic, I have a question. I've got a Fuji Tahoe Mountain Bike that has a semi-clear plastic ring in between the rear gears and hub. I've been told it's called a spoke protector. Anyway I broke mine and was wondering if it's fine to ride without or if I should consider replacing. I'd rather ride without it if it's not real necessary but what are the advantages/disadvantages of having one? Thanks in advance!! -Todd Todd, Hello! The plastic ring on your rear hub is an expendable part & not really necessary... The purpose of this ring is to protect the spokes in case the chain comes off to the inside of the largest cog on the rear freewheel. This could happen if the inside limit of the rear derailleur is not set properly, and the derailleur moves the chain too far to the inside and it jumps off the large cog. If this happens, the chain could get stuck and in theory damage the spokes. More likely, the chain would get damaged & might get stuck between the cog and the spokes. This has happened to me before, as none of my bikes have the plastic ring (it has come off or broken). If your derailleur is set correctly, you really don't have to worry. If you change the inside limit setting, then you may set up a condition for the chain to jump off and hit the spokes. This is what happened to my chain, but it was easy to fix, and no damage occured. I think that the plastic ring may keep the chain from jumping off, but in 15 years of mtb'ing, this is a problem that I really don't worry about. If you have the rear wheel apart, or the freewheel off, you may consider putting on a new plastic ring. I wouldn't worry about it otherwise.... ~~MaNiMaL~~ Hi guys, I have recently purchased a GT bike with a suntour crankset and wish to upgrade it. Will the spindle be of a standard size that I can stick any crankset on, or will I have to be careful what I buy. regards, Mark. Great site by the way! Mark, Most cranks will work on your GT... you will need the same spindle length and make sure it will work with your derailleur. You may also need to count the teeth. The XT crankset requires a splined bottom bracket, and the XTR requires a M950 or M953 bottom bracket. Maybe you could remove the crankset and take it in to the shop to buy one that is an replacement that will fit for sure! Also, they come in 175mm and 170 mm, so get the length you want. Alos, is it 9 spd or 8 spd... You may want to visit your local shop, unless you want to tackle it yourself. Hope that this helps... If you have any other questions, you can call our mechanic Mike at 1 301 869-4664... If you give us exact details, we could order one for you. Ride On ~~Stan~~ Hello - Giant ATX 860 - Shimano crank arm The pedal threads on my crank arm are stripped and I need to replace the arm. I can't seem to get the arm off. I've taken out all the bolts. Any instructions? Thanks, Paul Paul, Make sure you have taken off the dust cap covering the crank bolt, and removed the crankbolt. Sounds like you have done this... It sounds like all you need to do is apply some force, and maybe use a hammer to remove the crank arm from the spindle. The Shimano XTR crank is self pulling and does not require a crank puller. I have used a hammer and a large screwdriver to apply force near the spindle to knock off a crank arm, and sometimes this works. If you have an XTR crank, the crank bolt has a lip held down by a ring threaded into the crank. As the bolt is unscrewed, it's lip pushes on the ring and pushes the crank off. Sometimes it doesn't work properly and the ring unscrews. If this happens, you need to try to hold the ring (use an adjustable pin tool if you have one) while you unscrew the bolt with an 8 mm Allen wrench. Good luck. If you want to call our mechanic directly, his number is 1 301 869-4664. Ask for Mike. Let us know if this helps!! ~~Stan~~ Hello, I am going to try using Simple Green as opposed to the normal degreaser to clean my chain. Question: After cleaning with the Simple Green, do you recommend hosing off the bike and getting the chain and sprockets back to dry before lubing the chain? In the past I have sprayed degreaser on all the greasy parts, then hosed off, then dried and lubed. Thanks, Evan Evan, Thanx for visitin' Webmountainbike. We use Simple Green often for cleaning our drivetrain. It works well, and is bio-degradable and non-toxic. First we hose down the drivetrain gently, then use simple green on a Park brush cog cleaning tool and clean the chain, chainrings, jockey wheels, and freewheel cogs. It is a little like brushing your teeth :) It takes s few minutes to do an adequate job, and longer if there is a lot of grunge. Next, we gently hose off the parts again, and recheck for cleanliness and reclean if needed. The tool has a special part to get between the cogs fully. Then, you rinse again, and wipe everything dry. Wait a few minutes and ride your bike to get it completely dry. Use an old rag or towel to clean the chain while rotating the pedals. Apply your favorite lube, wait a few minutes, and then wipe off the excess and you are good to go. The Simple Green is a great product to use on your drivetrain, and is readily available in many hardware stores. It can also be used on other parts of the bike... It sounds like you were already doing it properly and Simple Green is an excellent degreaser to use. It sounds as if you are taking good care of your chain, as you realize the importance of doing this in preventing problems with this most important area of your bike! ~~MaNiMaL~~ Howdy. I have a '98 Specialized Stumpjumper. The tension on the pedals was skipping on steep climbs, so I took it in to the shop, and they replaced the rear casette and the chain. It seems to have fixed that problem, but now it feels like it is grinding sand or something when I pedal, but only in the small chainring. It also seems to tighten up, or have too much tension when climbing. I took it back and they adjusted the rear derailleur, but it didn't fix it and there are no other bike shops in town. Can you help me? I just want to go ride. Thank you so much, Jack in Texas Jack, Hello in Texas! It sounds like you have a simple problem, but it is hard to tell exactly... When you replace a chain, and the rear cassette as well, you should also replace the front chainrings!!! Especially the one you ride the most in... is that the small one for you? It doesn't make sense not to do the whole drivetrain. A new chain will not interdigitate properly with a used chainring as a rule... Please let us know if this helps you. We will add your question to our Bike FAQ'S & Ask a Mechanic section. Thanx for visitin' Ride On ~~MaNiMaL~~ Hello, I gotta start off by saying you have one sick website out here!! Anyway my problem is a few days ago I was riding my mountain bike(lets not worry about the brand; in other words its not that good) on some dirt ramps with some bmx friends of mine. As i was pedalling down, i heard a pop and my pedals just flew down like if there was no tension in them. It threw me off and when i got back on and tried to ride out of the way my third gear felt like it was slipping, i then checked the teeth on it and it seemed fine and all the other gears are doing great except for third. Can you please help me because im really anxious to get back out on the trails. Thanx a bunch. Sincerely, Chris Corona,CA Chris, It is hard to say what happened to your bike without looking at it, and checking it out. Time will tell... Anyhow, here are a few ideas. If the chain did not come off, and the pedals spun with no resistance and no tension in them, you may have damaged your freehub body. This connects the axle to the rear cogs (the freewheel). If it skips under pressure, for example while going up a steep hill, it might be this. A damaged freehub can break outright and the pedals move without any tension, and the bike cannot move by pedaling. If the freehub body seizes up, and gets stuck, then the pedals move when the bike rolls, and you can't coast without the pedals rotating. An obvious problem is also that the chain may have a frozen or bad link. Clean, lube and inspect for a stiff link which can tend to skip under tension. Also make sure the 3rd chainring is tight where it has the hex bolts attaching it to the other chainrings. Reinspect the teeth. Make sure your derailleurs are adjusted, especially the rear. Also check to make sure your freewheel (rear cogs) is clean and no debris between the cogs which can cause skipping under load or in certain gears. Please let us know what you find, and we hope we have helped you.... Stay in touch.... ~~MaNiMaL~~ How can I remove my rear wheel cogs with out having to buy a special tool? Butch, If your rear hub has cartridge bearings and cassette cogs that are interchangeable, you will need some special tools. Are you trying to replace the whole cluster? Is your old one worn out? You will probably need a CHAIN WHIP (SPROCKET REMOVER) and/or a CASSETTE LOCKRING REMOVER. We can send you directions if you need them on how to do it. If you send us more details about your cogset and your hub, we will be happy to order the proper tool (or tools) for you and ship them to you. We will also put you in touch with our mechanic directly! We hope we have helped you, and thanx for visiting webmountainbike... ~MaNiMaL~ *Why does the chain jump off of the sprockets or chainring when I shift gears? The front or rear derailleur may be out of adjustment. (Try adjusting at the handlebar cable to start). The chain may have a frozen link or be rusted. The teeth on the gears may be severely worn or bent, or you may have debris stuck between the gears on the rear sprocket. *Why do the gears slip or not engage properly, or the chain skips or jumps? The shift lever may be dirty, loose, bent or damaged. The chain may need replacement or lubrication. A new chain on old sprockets sometimes does this. The derailleur cable anchor or guide pulleys may be loose, the bolt in the rear derailleur may be loose, or the cables may be dirty or corroded. The derailleurs may be out of adjustment, either in their limit settings or the cable tension. The chain may have a kink in it, or may be too short or too long. Also, check the teeth on the sprockets for wear or missing teeth, and the hex bolts on the chainring for tightness. Greetings!!! A simple question for you...I've completely taken all part off my my 1997 Trek 7000 (which was stuffed with STX-RC everything), cleaned the entire frame, and am now ready to reassemble it with a new LX/XT 9-speed drivetrain. The parts include the new ES-70 BB for the XT crank. A while back, I overheard a conversation regarding the use of Loctite on a few parts to help the parts "seat" well after tightening, but I'm not sure which parts are to have grease and which are best to have Loctite...or both. Any help will be appreciated! Bleeder Bleeder, Just spoke to our mechanic about your bike and the bb install. If the BB is new, then you don't need to lube or loctite it. The bolts may have a impregnated coating with a loctite like material already on it. The splines should already have lubricant as well and not need any more. The parts are ready to install. Please make sure that you clean out the frame where the BB will fit in. Use a degreaser if needed, and clean the threads well and remove any rust, etc... Use a light coating of bike lube or grease here before installing the BB. Everything else should be ready to go. The BB should be cassette type and ready to install. Hope this helped, please let us know if you have any other questions. Ride On ~~MaNiMaL~ |
