

The spring that pulls the derailleur cage back may be worn out, and this is not something that is usually serviceable, but a new derailleur will get you back shifting. If there is still sag in the chain, the rear derailleur itself may be damaged and unable to properly tension the chain, requiring repair or replacement.

line up the end of the chain against an opposite link (inner and outer links), and then.while holding one end against the teeth of the largest chainring, pull the other end of the chain and wrap it around the largest cog on the cassette or freewheel.wrap the chain around the largest cog in the rear and the largest chainring in the front, and bypass both derailleurs.In most cases, to correctly size a chain you should do the following steps: You need to check your bike’s documentation for correct chain sizing information. Note that for bikes with rear suspension the chain may sag in “small-small” as the chain often needs to have a few extra links so that the rear triangle can lengthen as the suspension compresses. On a derailleur equipped bicycle, the chain should have just enough links to be long enough to shift into the “big-big” combination, but also not sag in “small-small” Master link pliers Size and adjust Chain Tension On A Bike With Derailleur.Tools you might need to adjust the chain tension:

Is A Loose Bike Chain Bad For Your Bike?Ī loose chain can cause accelerated wear of your drivetrain components, leading to premature cassette or freewheel or cog replacement, chainring replacement, or chain replacement.Īdditionally, the chain could unexpectedly drop off the gears, causing you to lose your balance as you pedal leading to a crash, or it could become stuck in other parts of the bike and cause damage as it wedges itself between the crankset and frame, small cog and frame, or large cog and the wheel spokes behind it. The rear derailleur on these bikes serves two purposes: to allow shifting across the cassette or freewheel, and to tension the chain as the amount of chain wrapped around the gears changes as you shift. A correctly sized chain will be able to shift into both of these gear combinations without sagging or getting stuck, although they should still be avoided while riding. On bikes with derailleurs a loose chain will sag when the drivetrain is in the “small-small” gear combination, and a tight chain will not be able to shift into the “big-big” gear combination (even though these are not considered usable gear combinations for riding). If it is too loose, the chain could skip or drop, and you can see it sag. If the chain is too tight, you might feel and hear binding in the drivetrain as you pedal. On a derailleurless drivetrain, you should be able to lift the chain about 1/2 inch above its resting position at the middle of the chain above the gears. On derailleur equipped drivetrains, the drivetrain might shift poorly as well. The chain might skip as you pedal, or even drop off the gears. A loose chain will sag close to or below the chainstays as the chain hangs between the rear cogs and chainring. To find out whether your chain is too long take a look at it from the side with your eyes being level with the chain. A loose bike chain can cause poor shifting, chain skipping, chain dropping, or accelerated drivetrain wear.
