Slipping chain

[slowmotion]

Sorry if this is a silly question, but I seemed to be plagued by my chain slipping when starting off. This usually happens when I start in too high a gear and am putting a large force on the pedals. Is this to be expected, or is there some adjustment I can make to cure it? The chain and sprockets (?) are in good nick, BTW.

Thanks.

 

[fossyant]

Good nick............

If the chain isn't chattering (i.e. rear mech is aligned properly) then I am afraid your chain and sprockets are worn. You need to change both if it gets to this stage.

 

[slowmotion]

Good nick............

If the chain isn't chattering (i.e. rear mech is aligned properly) then I am afraid your chain and sprockets are worn. You need to change both if it gets to this stage.

Thanks for the advice. What puzzles me is that the bike is only about a year old, and this behaviour has been pretty much continuous from the day I bought it. It has been back to the LBS for a couple of minor services over the last 2000 miles, but I still fear for my soft tissues if I get out of the saddle at traffic lights. Weird problem.

 

[jimboalee]

There can be a situation where one of the chain rivets is slightly more proud than the rest. It occassionly catches up on the next sprocket.

If you have an unfortunate circumstance where the build up of tolerances of the sprockets and spacers give you two 'close' sprockets AND a proud rivet, giving jip in a high gear might pull the chain across to make the chain rivet interfere with the 'close' sprocket.

 

[battered]

I take it you know how to test a chain or wear? Granny/eggs stuff I know but wear isn't visible to the naked eye.

 

[Manonabike]

There can be a situation where one of the chain rivets is slightly more proud than the rest. It occassionly catches up on the next sprocket.

If you have an unfortunate circumstance where the build up of tolerances of the sprockets and spacers give you two 'close' sprockets AND a proud rivet, giving jip in a high gear might pull the chain across to make the chain rivet interfere with the 'close' sprocket.

In my experience I have found several things that will cause the chain to slip

A stiff link
Worn chain / Sprocket - You really need to measure for wear, the damage cannot be spotted so easily.

And I also found that a loose cassette will work fine until you want to stand on the pedals :-) I was really puzzled with this problem a while ago, I had not tightened the cassette enough but everything worked well for a while. So I tightened it to the correct torque and the problem went away.

 

[rich p]

Could it not be a worn chain ring ? I seem to remember having this problem which still occurred after fitting a new chain and cassette. It was cured after putting on a new middle and small chain ring and I never new whether that would have solved the original problem or not!

 

[tyred]

Is the spring in the rear mech taking up the slack in the chain okay and is the chain roughly the right length? 

 

[slowmotion]

Thank you all for your kind replies. I'm still pretty useless with the DIY mechanicals, but your suggestions have given me a lot of useful questions to ask the LBS. This problem has been going on for quite a while, despite the LBS's endeavours. I just want the problem to go away , at minimum expense obviously. It gets a bit wearing to have to constantly anticipate some chain slip at every point on a ride.

I appreciate your help. Have fun.

 

[Gerry Attrick]

Assuming your bike is derailleur equpped, check the jockey wheels are turning freely.

 

[slowmotion]

Assuming your bike is derailleur equpped, check the jockey wheels are turning freely.

They both turn freely but the guide one does have a fair bit of side to side play. I'm not sure if that is normal
.