chain skip problem...

BloodMonkey

Hi
I have just come back from a session at my local jumps and I was having quite a few chain problems. The chain kept skipping and jumping to and from my chosen gear....which isnt a perticularly nice sensation...

Does anyone have any solutions to my problems?

thanks...

nicklouse

check your mech and hanger are not bent. re tension cables.

BloodMonkey

this may sound a bit dumb.. but how do you tension the cables... i have never realy needed to do anything with the gears before

Anonymous

You use the barrel adjuster(s). Most shimano systems have on at the shifter, and one on the rear mech, SRAM have one adjuster on the shifter.

It's easiest to set up the gears (indexing) with your bike turned upside down, so you can pedal it by hand, and check the shifting action.

To set it up, shift your bike into the smallest sprocket at the back, and to the middle chainring in the front.
check that the chain sits happily on the lowest sprocket. If it keeps trying to ride up to the next biggest sprocket, then release some cable tension - by screwing the adjuster clockwise as though you were screwing it INTO the shifter/rear mech.

If all is well in the smallest sprocket, then shift down one gear on your shifter.
Your chain should pop up onto the second smallest sprocket. and stay there.
If it tries to go to the next biggest sprocket, then release some tension (clockwise), if it keeps popping back down - or didn't shift at all, then increase the tension (anti-clockwise).
Once it sits happily in both smallest sprockets, then shift into the third smallest. It should, by this point, shift down properly.
Now adjust the tension on the gear cable until you just just hear the chain making a slight rubbing noise against the next largest sprocket.

Done. go ride

BloodMonkey

thanks guys.....

i have just done what you said and now they are running smooth as silk

BloodMonkey

i have just been out again and i thought i had fixed the problem..........the gears dont change anymore......but the chain still slips

Anonymous

What's the exact symptoms, monkey?

BloodMonkey

when i realy put the power down the chan feels like it jumps a few teeth on the cassete....while making a horrible loud metalic banging sound

Anonymous

Does the chain slip in all gears.
When you say it won;t change gears anymore, what exactly do you mean? Does the rear mech move when you use the shifter?

BloodMonkey

the gears work fine......i mean they dont slip between eachother unexpectidly anymore....its slips in 6 and 7(i dont know about the rest because i only use those 2 for jumps..

Anonymous

Hmm. have you checked your cassette for signs of worn or damaged teeth?

BloodMonkey

it could be coming to the end of its life, its the oldist part on my bike. i got it back in 05

Anonymous

haha! wow, chances are that yes, it will be frigged then! I tend to go through one cassette a year at best!

Anyway, when they wear, the teeth usually become shaped a little like a shark's fin - it's worth checking whether or not it's worn, because if you replace the cassette, it's a good idea to replace the chain and chainrings as well, and that can add up cost-wise.

BloodMonkey

i got a new cain about 3 weeks ago and a chainring about 4 months ago, so i think they should be ok

Anonymous

Ah, in that case, it's almost certainly your cassette then. New parts don't tend to mesh well with older parts see.
I hope that sorts it for you anyway!

(ooh, just looked at your pinkbike photo, nice ride )

BloodMonkey

i have taken a few links out of the chain to increase the tension, its seems to be working, just makes the hanger look a little wierd...its only temporary though until i can get myself a shiny new cassete soon....hopefuly