Questions tagged [chain]

Repairing, maintaining, or replacing the chain on your bike that connects the front of the drivetrain (cranks, chainrings) to the back (cogs, cassette).

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1 vote
0 answers
32 views

Adjusting road bike to Wahoo Kickr: is this chain noise from cross-chaining, or do I need to index the gears?

I've got an 8-speed Mérida road bike (that is, 2x8, 2 front, 8 rear) that I'm fitting to a 2020 (v5) Kickr that I just bought new. I am learning about some bike mechanic stuff that despite many years ...
-2 votes
0 answers
81 views

How do you put a bicycle chain back together? [closed]

Bit of a homework question, I admit, but it's not straightforward.
0 votes
2 answers
108 views

My chain tool left a divot on my replacement pin. Is this normal?

I recently did a deep clean of my shimano 8 speed road bike chain by removing it from the bike. I used a chain tool to push out one of the pins (not the black one). I then replaced it with a 8 speed ...
4 votes
2 answers
342 views

Do I need to shorten the chain if I mount a smaller large chainring?

I have bike with 2x8 compact chain ring in front 50/34. If I change the 50 to 46 do I need to cut the chain shorter? I know I will adjust the front derailleur lower, right?
22 votes
8 answers
38k views

Parafin wax vs wet lube for bike chain lubrication?

So im thinking of waxing my chain (with parafin wax) what would the advantages of this be over wet lube (i use muck off). Anybody have any experience with waxed chains? Thanks.
3 votes
2 answers
236 views

(Light?) rust removal from chain

Situation: I'm new to the world of trike maintenance. My son and I purchased recumbent trikes at the end of last summer. The weather for the past couple of months has been cold, snowy, cold, and......
-1 votes
1 answer
75 views

Chain jumps up and down when freewheeling and back cog moves back and forward on my new bike

The chain jumps up and down when freewheeling. The chain sometimes jumps off the front cog. The cause it seems comes from the back cog going backwards and forward continually when I am freewheeling.
1 vote
1 answer
40 views

Luna eclipse 42T chain ring and Shimano Linkglide is there a chain that fits both?

My cargo e-bike has a Luna Eclipse 42T chainring with a narrow-wide pattern. Lunacycles states the chainring will work with any 8, 9 or 10 speed chain and that an 11 or 12 speed chain will not work. I ...
1 vote
2 answers
77 views

Why is my chain still sliding after replacing the front chainring?

I don't know what todo anymore. The chain is sliding from the front chain ring when I'm not actively pedaling. When I'm actively pedal, it does not slide off. The chain is not a week old, and it's the ...
13 votes
6 answers
38k views

New Chain causing skipping on cassette - will this work itself out or is it unsafe?

I just installed a new chain on my 2002 Trek 2200 Road Bike. The old chain was a Shimano 9 speed that I installed 18 months and about 5000 miles ago. It had stretched modestly and was full of winter ...
10 votes
4 answers
4k views

Can a counterfeit Shimano chain be used on an authentic Shimano drivetrain?

I unwittingly purchased a fake CNHG901 HG-X11 chain for my Shimano 2x11 M700 groupset because my original chain already had 0.75 wear. I was naïve to think that I'd actually get a legitimate chain ...
6 votes
2 answers
239 views

Fitting SHIMANO GRX FC-RX600 46/30 Chainset (11spd) to a road bike

Is it possible to fit the cyclocross GRX 48/31 chain set to a road bike? I have a SRAM Red eTap shifting on my road bike. This restricts me to a 10-28 cassette. I am about to take on a very hilly ...
2 votes
1 answer
76 views

Is Tiagra 10 speed chain different to regular 10 speed chain? [duplicate]

Shimano Tiagra 10 speed systems are oddball - they have the cable pull of an 11 speed on 10 cogs in a cassette. Thus derailleurs and shifters and cassette are not interoperable with regular 10 speed ...
2 votes
4 answers
182 views

Chain is rubbing the front derailleur even after trying to align using indexing screws

I have a Trek Marlin 5 (2022) MTB with Shimano Altus M315 as the front derailleur. The problem is the chain (KMC Z8.3) is rubbing the derailleur on higher gears (for example, when using 2x7 or 2x8) ...
2 votes
2 answers
145 views

New Shimano HG40 chain skips... Wrong chain for gear set?

I have a Giant STP1 (circa '05), with the Shimano derailleurs. Got a new Shimano HG40 chain to replace the old one (don't remember the brand/type), and it's skipping under load. Derailleur? Skipping ...
2 votes
1 answer
234 views

Need new chainwheels for a cheap racing bike - which price range makes sense?

A couple of years ago I bought a rather cheap racing bike after my mountain bike was stolen. I didn't use it much at first. Now, with corona I spent a lot of time on my bike and probably did around ...
3 votes
2 answers
131 views

Will all chain wear tools work on any chain regardless of 9/10/11speed etc?

I have gotten a hold of a BBB chain wear tool to check my KMC x10sp chain. It seems to indicate I am at least at 75% wear. The chain checker does not have a serial or model number I can use to get ...
4 votes
3 answers
579 views

Inexpensive mods for decathlon 7 speed road bike

I have a Decathlon Triban RC 100 Flat bar. It is an entry level gravel/roadie that I have had for over two years now. It comes with a Shimano Tourney 1x7 set up, which is quite underwhelming. However, ...
0 votes
0 answers
50 views

2020 Huffy Arlington Adult Trike clicking noise from rear axle in dual chain Trike

While pedaling or spinning the left or right rear wheels there is a clicking sound like something is skipping. It comes from the right rear wheel area. When spinning the left rear wheel the right rear ...
8 votes
5 answers
6k views

automotive lubricants (ATF, manual trans fluid, or heavy motor oil) as bike chain lube?

Good afternoon, I'm quite mechanically inclined (formerly an auto mechanic and currently an engineer) but relatively new to cycling. Compared to other contexts I'm familiar with, I've noticed that ...
5 votes
1 answer
109 views

How to tighten chain on Kalkhoff Image 5.B Season

I have a Kalkhoff Image 5.b Season (with coaster brake) which was in need of having its chain replaced. Having moved within the last year I have been using this bike as my main way of getting to work ...
7 votes
1 answer
1k views

Chain is loose and rubs the upper part of the chain stay

I noticed that my bike's chain is rubbing the chain stay when I use the lower gears. The bike is new; I'm wondering what the problem is.
1 vote
1 answer
87 views

My daughters chain keeps falling off

The derailleur is not feeding the chain to the cassette properly it comes off the cog about half way round and gets spat off the cogs completely. It looks like the derailleur is bent outwards which ...
5 votes
1 answer
3k views

Why does my chain make grinding noise and vibration when I put my bike on my Wahoo Kickr?

I ride a Cannondale Topstone outside during the warmer months and then on a Wahoo Kickr when it gets cold. When I put the bike on the trainer I get a grinding noise and vibration when in some gears. ...
1 vote
1 answer
68 views

Can I use a different cassette on a SRAM Eagle NX bike for indoor training?

I want to use a bike fitted with SRAM Eagle NX groupset on an indoor trainer, and to have a complete wheel including cassette for use on the trainer. Would it make sense to use another 11 or 12-speed ...
3 votes
1 answer
96 views

Slipping feeling (too smooth for chain skip) after shifting into the big ring

I have an old bike to get me from the station to work and back at the far end of my commute. It was never up to much, but anything good would be stolen in no time as well as degrading from being ...
0 votes
1 answer
66 views

MTB chain always jump after putting a new chain. It only skips on 4th and 5th gear cogs only

I replaced my old chain with a new one. After changing the chain I notice that standing pedaling uphill and flat surface in 4th or 5th gear the cogs will engage/disengage. But when I put the old chain ...
15 votes
3 answers
8k views

How efficient is string bike? Is this really a revolutionary bike?

Bicycles are getting evolved with good technologies or methodologies as the period changes. Now, this one bike, so called string bike has been introduced, which doesn't have chain, derailleur but ...
1 vote
1 answer
93 views

Bad chordal action in high gear

On my smallest rear gear, the chain vibrates pretty noticeably causing it to "smack around" my front derailleur. It also produces a slight clicking noise from the rear of the bike. I've ...
6 votes
2 answers
419 views

What can cause the chain to stay attached to chain-ring at bottom causing it to ride up and jam in the frame ("chainsuck")?

I'm looking for possible/likely causes of an issue with my front chain-rings on my bike. It's a 3x8 setup and the problem is worst on the smallest front chain-ring, and worse again when combining ...
6 votes
1 answer
437 views

I understand flat-top chain connectors; what's the story of this convex-top style?

I am familiar (we are all familiar) with the standard figure-8 shape of a chain link. I also somewhat understand the justification for the "flat-top" chain link. This style is used when ...
9 votes
4 answers
2k views

Quick link too easy to remove after installation, is this a problem?

As I always do, I've used a an 11-speed KMC quick link to close my 11-speed chain. However, this time the quick link was particularly easy to fit (and similarly very easy to remove). Is this an issue? ...
3 votes
3 answers
5k views

Single Speed / Fixie - Chain tension / uneven tension

I recently changed my chain and noticed it has uneven tension (probably my chain ring being out of rounds). I followed Parktool's video and set the tightest spot to have about 0.25 inch movement up ...
10 votes
3 answers
2k views

What liquid should I use in an ultrasonic cleaner?

I've ordered an ultrasonic cleaner, to clean up greasy, oily bike parts like chains and cassettes. I want to get them fully clean of contaminants and try a wax-based lubricant. What kind of liquid ...
3 votes
1 answer
275 views

What is this oil? (wet lube)

I needed wet lube for my chain, so I went to my local cycle store and bought the following pictured Shimano wet lube. Back home, out of curiosity, I "googled" it, and surprisingly enough, I didn't ...
13 votes
3 answers
67k views

How can I tell if a chain has a master link?

I need to remove the chain on my internal-hub cruiser to clean it (i.e., no rear or front deraileur), and I'd rather not remove my back wheel if I can avoid that. What do I look for to find the master ...
4 votes
1 answer
225 views

Does the "speed" of a 1x chainring really matter?

I currently have a 1x8 setup on my bike, and am considering upgrading the cassette to an 11-speed. I've also been looking at replacement chainrings as I've seen that they also come in 8-speed, 11-...
2 votes
4 answers
2k views

Rear derailleur doesn't go to smallest cog

I'm sure it is a simple fix to this, but please bear with me. I have recently swapped my rear wheel on my bike (with an identical one, keeping the same cassette). Upon putting it back in, I noticed ...
3 votes
1 answer
83 views

Should I be able to open the main loop of a Shimano Sora front derailleur?

Servicing my bike today. My chain does NOT have a master link but I was hoping to take it off and degrease it with popping out a pin. I've taken the rear derailleur side plate off so the chain is free ...
1 vote
1 answer
1k views

Is the KMC X8 a better quality option for an 8 speeds chain?

I sell a lot of SRAM PC830 chains that I buy in bulk. The KMC X8 has, I think, nickel plated outer links. Other than that, it claims to have mushroomed rivets and the X-Bridge outer plate. Does that ...
6 votes
4 answers
996 views

Advice needed to upgrade my groupset to make climbing easier

I have a Canyon Ultimate CF SL 8.0 Ultegra Di2 2020 with a rear 11/30 cassette and a 52/36 chain ring. It has a short cage rear derailleur (Ultegra Di2 R8050 SS short cage). I do long distance cycling ...
1 vote
4 answers
162 views

Chain skipping teeth while staying on small front chainring

I recently converted my bike with 9 speed 105 from a triple to a double chainring. I installed my new 34/50 crankset and noticed that chain would slip across the teeth of the 34t chainring whenever ...
2 votes
2 answers
171 views

How to adjust/tighten the chain on my Shimano Nexus 8i hub?

I have an Electra Townie 8i with Shimano Nexus components. Every time I remove the rear wheel it is a major PITA to adjust the chain tension when putting back the wheel again. Is there some smart way ...
9 votes
2 answers
1k views

Can I flip my worn chain to extend it's life?

Assuming my chain is showing that it's worn and getting close to needing replacement due to chain 'stretch'. I know you can flip single speed chainrings to extend their life when they become worn. Can ...
4 votes
3 answers
2k views

Friction shifting 9 speeds using an 11 speed rear derailleur

I am interested in running a 1 x 9 drivetrain using an 11-speed Shimano 105 R7000 rear derailleur. If I'm friction shifting 9 speeds, will using an 11-speed derailleur cause issues? Or is it as simple ...
5 votes
3 answers
1k views

Wrong results measuring a bike chain

I measured the wear on a new Shimano 10-speed HG-95 chain by measuring the length of a certain number of links with a caliper like this (the jaws of the caliper are inside the chain): But the results ...
2 votes
1 answer
66 views

Front derailleur struggles to shift to smallest chainring, when it eventually shifts, the chain goes too far and falls out

So i am trying to adjust the front derailleur limit screws and cable tension, but i can't get it to shift smoothly. It is struggling to shift the chain to the smallest ring, especially under torque, ...
2 votes
3 answers
2k views

Chain loses grip under load in higher gears

When pedalling in higher gears, the crank or cassette seem to completely lose grip for a second, then grip then lose it again. I could probably pedal all day in 1st and any front ring but when start ...
3 votes
2 answers
117 views

Can I put Pedro's dry ice wax over Muc off dry wax?

I recently bought a brand new mtb. and they said the chain was lubed with Muc off dry lube. My local mechanic said it was OK to use the Pedro's that I have over it. Is it OK to use different lubes ...
14 votes
7 answers
33k views

Mysterious case: chain falling off large chainring, how to fix?

On my commuter bike I decided to rid myself of the small inner chain ring (which is almost never used) and front dérailleur (now redundant). However, I have come across an unusual problem. Whilst ...

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