Chain came off the gears while riding today!

Autumnfilly2005

Anyone good with bike maintenance? My chain came off the gears today when I tried to switch to first gear. It's a 7gear bike with only one front gear, so I know it wasn't because I was in the wrong cross-gear. Any idea why the chains came off, how to stop them from coming off, and how to put them back on again?

glevinso

It came off the front? Or the back? If it was the back, then the derailleur needs an adjustment. Grab the chain with a paper towel and put it back on though - these things can be done manually.

glevinso

Best bet to stop it from happening again is to just take the bike to a bike shop and have them do a quick once-over maintenance check. Not unlike getting your oil changed in your car, you need to have your bike worked over every so often.

Autumnfilly2005

The first time it came off the back, it was getting trapped between the largest gear in the back and the plastic guard that protects the spokes. The second time, it came off the front. I manually put it back on, since I wasn't near home and wasn't about to walk my bike that far, but I was wondering if there was a "proper" way to do it so I don't accidentally damage something.

glevinso

How many miles on that chain? Sounds like your chain is worn out. It is an easy and inexpensive replacement, and any bike shop should be able to do it for you.

For what its worth I get about 2000 miles out of a chain, but that is for a different kind of bike. Also unless you regularly lube the chain, it could be prematurely worn. Regardless, it is not a hard thing for any bike shop to fix.

jacksonpt

glevinso wrote: »

Best bet to stop it from happening again is to just take the bike to a bike shop and have them do a quick once-over maintenance check. Not unlike getting your oil changed in your car, you need to have your bike worked over every so often.

Agreed.

Easy to do more harm than good in this sceanrio - have a pro look it over and give it a good tune-up. It'll probably cost you $60 or so, but it's worth it.

shmulyeng

The majority of bikes out there are not maintained at all. Your best option is to take it in to a local bike shop and have them do a proper maintenance. Don't just fix the chain. Ask them for the full workover.

nancytyc

I usually only get about 1500 miles out of a chain. Sounds like maybe the chain is stretched or the gear sprockets worn, if it is happening often.

Autumnfilly2005

I only got the bike maybe a month ago, and I've been riding 2-3 times a week, about just over 2 miles at a time. I'm a complete noob when it comes to bikes and cycling. I haven't been on a bike regularly since I was in middle school more than 15 years ago, and this is the first bike I've owned in 10 years, so yeah, I'm pathetic. I do know where I bike shop is near me, so I might go borrow someone's truck to get my bike there.

glevinso

We all start somewhere. Nothing wrong with that!

EvgeniZyntx

If your chain is in poor condition do get it checked sooner than later as a bad chain will eat your gears over time. This is less likely from what you describe.

It could simply be that your derailleur is out of alignment or bent - since you haven't had the bike a long time, and getting the chain stuck between the guard and gear suggest that too - it might be that. It's an easy fix but for someone with the know-how.

Finally, it could be that the gear cable has stretched and just needs adjustment.

If you are mechanically inclined or have access to someone that is, here is the how to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j1gSwhsVN8

FullOnBurn

If it came off between the gear and the spokes, the derailleaur (gear-changing thing for the non-bikers) travel is out of adjustment. There are two adjustment screws on the derailleur that stop how far it can move at either end of its range. It's a simple 1 minute adjustment but if you aren't comfortable, a bike shop should do it for free, a good shop will any ways. Here's an article on adjustment. Scroll down to Limit Stops

http://sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html

glevinso

EvgeniZyntx wrote: »

If your chain is in poor condition do get it checked sooner than later as a bad chain will eat your gears over time. This is less likely from what you describe.

It could simply be that your derailleur is out of alignment or bent - since you haven't had the bike a long time, and getting the chain stuck between the guard and gear suggest that too - it might be that. It's an easy fix but for someone with the know-how.

Finally, it could be that the gear cable has stretched and just needs adjustment.

While it is certainly likely that the cable is stretched, that usually causes the chain so slip down to smaller cogs, not off the back and into the spoke guard (which would indicate the chain is too tight, or the H adjustment of the RD is off)

WillLift4Tats

Autumnfilly2005 wrote: »

I only got the bike maybe a month ago, and I've been riding 2-3 times a week, about just over 2 miles at a time. I'm a complete noob when it comes to bikes and cycling. I haven't been on a bike regularly since I was in middle school more than 15 years ago, and this is the first bike I've owned in 10 years, so yeah, I'm pathetic. I do know where I bike shop is near me, so I might go borrow someone's truck to get my bike there.

You should check if your local bike shop offers newbie classes for general maintenance. We trust our bike shop with the bigger fixes, but for day to day maintenance, it's good to know the basics

EvgeniZyntx

WillLift4Tats wrote: »

Autumnfilly2005 wrote: »

I only got the bike maybe a month ago, and I've been riding 2-3 times a week, about just over 2 miles at a time. I'm a complete noob when it comes to bikes and cycling. I haven't been on a bike regularly since I was in middle school more than 15 years ago, and this is the first bike I've owned in 10 years, so yeah, I'm pathetic. I do know where I bike shop is near me, so I might go borrow someone's truck to get my bike there.

You should check if your local bike shop offers newbie classes for general maintenance. We trust our bike shop with the bigger fixes, but for day to day maintenance, it's good to know the basics

This is a good point, there are also bike co-ops in many places that offer these.

EvgeniZyntx

glevinso wrote: »

EvgeniZyntx wrote: »

If your chain is in poor condition do get it checked sooner than later as a bad chain will eat your gears over time. This is less likely from what you describe.

It could simply be that your derailleur is out of alignment or bent - since you haven't had the bike a long time, and getting the chain stuck between the guard and gear suggest that too - it might be that. It's an easy fix but for someone with the know-how.

Finally, it could be that the gear cable has stretched and just needs adjustment.

While it is certainly likely that the cable is stretched, that usually causes the chain so slip down to smaller cogs, not off the back and into the spoke guard (which would indicate the chain is too tight, or the H adjustment of the RD is off)

Usually true but depends on the type of derailleur. Rapid rise derailleurs return the gear to the top (larger gear) and if are off, a loose cable will clonk them into the space between gear and hub closest to the center. While rapid rise are not seen much anymore on 9+ gears they are still quite common on 7 gear bikes like the OP.

bryandynaxus3

This post brings back memories of childhood days building bikes from scrap was the bike brand new when you got it or used? It's always good to have a little knowledge so day to day maintenance doesn't get costly. If it's new the derailleur might not be set right ( as many new bikes I've bought had to be set by myself) if it's used it could be warped sprockets, worn teeth wrong cable length, anything really.

Personally I like to dive into things headfirst so I'd try to figure out the problem myself or search Google before I'd go get someone to do it for me. But if it's an expensive bike a shop and expert would be best for you. Hope you figure it out and get back to biking with no issues

EvgeniZyntx

Another great resource for self-maintenance is Zinn's book

http://www.amazon.com/Zinn-Art-Road-Bike-Maintenance/dp/1934030988

glevinso

EvgeniZyntx wrote: »

glevinso wrote: »

EvgeniZyntx wrote: »

If your chain is in poor condition do get it checked sooner than later as a bad chain will eat your gears over time. This is less likely from what you describe.

It could simply be that your derailleur is out of alignment or bent - since you haven't had the bike a long time, and getting the chain stuck between the guard and gear suggest that too - it might be that. It's an easy fix but for someone with the know-how.

Finally, it could be that the gear cable has stretched and just needs adjustment.

While it is certainly likely that the cable is stretched, that usually causes the chain so slip down to smaller cogs, not off the back and into the spoke guard (which would indicate the chain is too tight, or the H adjustment of the RD is off)

Usually true but depends on the type of derailleur. Rapid rise derailleurs return the gear to the top (larger gear) and if are off, a loose cable will clonk them into the space between gear and hub closest to the center. While rapid rise are not seen much anymore on 9+ gears they are still quite common on 7 gear bikes like the OP.

Ahh yes good point - I entirely forgot that they are still common on 7-speed rears.

blackcoffeeandcherrypie

When bikes are new, they need adjusting after about 6-8 weeks. This is because the cables that do the changing stretch a little and need readjusting.

Often, there is a little dial where the cable goes into your handlebar grips, you can give it a few twists to adjust the gears a little and see if that helps.

Alternatively, the shop where you bought the bike should really give you at least one free service, since it is a new bike.

Autumnfilly2005

I got it from Walmart, so who knows if they do service in the bikes.

brianpperkins

Autumnfilly2005 wrote: »

I got it from Walmart, so who knows if they do service in the bikes.

Places like Walmart only assemble it.

If you're mechanically inclined, it isn't hard to do an adjustment. If not, find a local bike shop to get it fixed and see if they offer any classes so you can learn simple maintenance yourself.

FullOnBurn

All good advice, but if the chain falls off to the outside of the smallest gear or to the inside of the biggest gear when shifting, it is a limit adjustment issue, not a stretched cable or worn chain.

A stretched cable will cause bad shifting, either it won't go into the gear you've selected or it won't stay in the gear you have selected. New cables do stretch a bit and need some minor adjustments after a few weeks.

A worn chain isn't likely unless you ride a lot (in the 1000's of miles) or in a really harsh environment like mountain biking in the mud. Generally a chain and gears will wear together for a long time, and you only notice it if you change either the gears or the chain, you can't mix old chain - new gears and vice versa because they don't mesh well.

Autumnfilly2005

Someone who knows bikes was able to look at my bike and adjust my derailleur, and now I don't have gear issues anymore! Even better, I watched him do it, and I'm confident I'd be able to adjust it myself next time. Thanks for the advice everyone!