Chain slip?

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nuyorican

Original Poster:

2,828 posts

114 months

Friday 16th August 2024
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The initial message was deleted from this topic on 29 November 2024 at 10:22

JEA1K

2,598 posts

235 months

Friday 16th August 2024
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nuyorican said:
That's the best way I can think to describe it.

I recently put my old mountain bike back in to service after crashing my road bike and bending the frame. It's hard to say what's going on exactly, but when I put hard downward pressure on the pedal it sometimes kind of 'gives way' and my foot kind of follows through and I nearly come off. Almost like the chain slips.

Any ideas what it could be? Too long chain perhaps? Would taking a link out help? New chain? Worn cog teeth?

Thanks
Could be any of the above. If the bike hasn't been used for ages, is the rear mech cage spring stiff causing the chain to run slack?

river_rat

710 posts

215 months

Friday 16th August 2024
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Sounds likely to be a worn out chain, which more than likely means you also need a new cassette at same time.

dudleybloke

20,553 posts

198 months

Friday 16th August 2024
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Is it chain slip or is the ratchet pawl worn out?

dave123456

3,314 posts

159 months

Friday 16th August 2024
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dudleybloke said:
Is it chain slip or is the ratchet pawl worn out?
A muted freewheel noise would suggest pawls.

Put the chain on the largest chainring (I’m guessing it’s not 1x!) and pull the chain towards the front of the bike, if it comes away more than about 5mm your chain is worn.

That’s assuming you don’t have a chain measuring.

magpie215

4,716 posts

201 months

Friday 16th August 2024
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When was the cassette and chain last replaced.....how many miles on it?

dave123456

3,314 posts

159 months

Friday 16th August 2024
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The other one is the b tension screw. Which appears ok on the photo.

If you’re feeling fussy the outer chainring needs rotating 90 degrees anti clockwise so the little tab sits behind the crank arm.

If you shift into the smallest cog on the cassette and then shift down one click, turn the barrel adjuster on the rear derailleur anti clockwise until the chain just starts to catch the third cog. Then clockwise quarter turn. That should index the gears assuming you have the other two limit screws set right.

dave123456

3,314 posts

159 months

Friday 16th August 2024
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nuyorican said:
Also noticed the lower jockey wheel is almost smooth. Would that have an impact?

Doubt it but it needs replacing

JagYouAre

492 posts

182 months

Friday 16th August 2024
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I would also say it looks like it could do with a thorough degrease, clean up and re-lube.

It might not fix the main issue but can definitely have an impact on clean shifting.

Floor Tom

419 posts

197 months

Saturday 17th August 2024
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nuyorican said:
Also noticed the lower jockey wheel is almost smooth. Would that have an impact?

Not a huge problem by itself, but it would suggest that the bike has been quite a bit of use and therefore it's not unlikely that the chain and cassette are worn.

I would swing past a bike shop and ask them to put a chain wear gauge on the chain, see how bad it is.

Camoradi

4,475 posts

268 months

Monday 19th August 2024
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I had a similar problem on a bike which jumped on two gears, oddly in the middle of the cassette.

After I had replaced everything else, it turned out to be the rear derailleur hanger wasn't straight. Replaced that and the problem was fixed.


stargazer30

1,659 posts

178 months

Wednesday 21st August 2024
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well it could be...

Worn chain
Worn cassette
Knackered freehub
gear indexing out (including b screw) and it skips up or down on load
bent rear mech hanger
kanckered rear mech spring

or a combination of the above. So you need to check and rule out each or take it to a bike shop.