pedals jumping when putting power through them

moffmcewan
moffmcewan Posts: 83
edited August 2010 in Road beginners
really hard to describe but when i get up a bit of pace and start really pushing my foot through the pedal it feels like it sticks or skips and there is a crunch on the chain. last couple of hundred miles gone fine but noticed it on the last 5 miles of recent ride. first bike and first fault (apart from the puncture i managed to fix ha ha) any help would be greatful as wanna get back out but not cause any damage.

Comments

  • ian_s
    ian_s Posts: 183
    Is the chain in good nick - not overly worn or dry/stiff links?
  • dombo6
    dombo6 Posts: 582
    Check the chain for stiff links by running it backwards. If that's ok then it's probably just the cable needs adjusting. There is a barrel adjuster where the cable goes into the rear mech. Try turning this a quarter turn at a time, preferably on a hill where you can jump on and put some power down, and that should cure it.
    Happens to me every time I change my cables on my mtb as the new cables stretch a bit.
  • rake
    rake Posts: 3,204
    your legs must have extaordinary power.
  • dulldave
    dulldave Posts: 949
    Dombo6 wrote:
    Check the chain for stiff links by running it backwards. If that's ok then it's probably just the cable needs adjusting. There is a barrel adjuster where the cable goes into the rear mech. Try turning this a quarter turn at a time, preferably on a hill where you can jump on and put some power down, and that should cure it.
    Happens to me every time I change my cables on my mtb as the new cables stretch a bit.

    It doesn't sound like a tweak of the barrel adjuster is going to sort that but it's best to give it a try first. Sounds like you needed a new chain a while back and now you may need a new chain and cassette or chainring or both.

    If tweaking the barrel adjusters doesn't work then take it to a shop. It'll save you time making incremental replacements that don't fix the issue.
    Scottish and British...and a bit French
  • Dan_xz
    Dan_xz Posts: 130
    If the gears change fine when under light power then they are probably tuned ok. It's probably chain/drivetrain wear or a stiff chain link.

    From the suddeness of the occurance id say its a stiff link, check this first anyway because it's cheaper. Run the chain backwards slowly and see if any links jump when going through the rear meech. You'll find a link in that place that is hard to move by hand and need to loosen the pin a fraction with a chain tool.
  • dombo6
    dombo6 Posts: 582
    rake wrote:
    your legs must have extaordinary power.

    :lol:

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