A loose chain is a problem that many cyclists face. It can happen for several reasons, but it’s important to know how to fix a loose bike chain as soon as possible.
When a bicycle chain becomes loose, it either needs adjustment or replacing. If you’re not sure which one of the two you have to do, ask yourself what factor triggers your need for adjustment or replacement:
Why does my chain become loose?
A common reason why the chain becomes loose is because of chain stretch. Chain stretch occurs when cyclists use their bicycles regularly, especially if they ride on the roads instead of special tracks. Because of this, part of the inner links wear out and become looser than before.
When the user applies more power to the pedals, such as when riding up hills or when racing, centrifugal force will cause all parts of both spokes to move away from the centerline.
This causes tension in the front sprocket which increases with speed so applying more speed makes it even worse yet.
The user has two options for preventing this happening- they can replace their chain regularly before it stretches too much (some manufacturers say that a chain can stretch up to 0.75%/100km) or they can replace the front sprocket with one that has fewer teeth.
How do you fix a loose bike chain?
The best way to fix a loose bike chain is with a bike chain tool. They can be purchased at any local bike shop for around $5-10 USD. It looks like this:
- A socket wrench
- Rag
- Lubricant
- A bike stand
- A pair of gloves
- A socket wrench adaptor
You will need some money to purchase the tool, but it is totally worth it. This solution of How do you fix a loose bike chain? is quick and easy, so your ride should not be affected too much by the repair.
A loose bike chain makes noise, which might seem harmless but can actually damage other parts on your bicycle if left untreated over time.
Is a loose chain dangerous? “
How dangerous is a loose chain? A bicyclist was recently killed when a bicycle chain became unraveled and wrapped around the driver’s legs. This has sparked some debate about the dangers of a loose chain on a bicycle.
A loose chain is potentially dangerous in that it could be used as a potential weapon, if swung at another person or animal, for example.
In addition, when biking over rough terrain at high speeds, the chain can fly off from the gear cassette under pressure from pedaling and injure someone with serious bodily harm or even death in some cases.
It is also easy to lose control of your bike while riding in an urban environment if you have to dodge pedestrians .
How to Tighten a Bike Chain ?
There are many reasons to tighten a bike chain. If it is loose and falling off, or slipping on the gears, this will not only throw your shifting out of wack but wear out your sprockets much faster than necessary.
Also, if the chain is too tight, it can also cause unnecessary stress and excessive wear on both components. There’s nothing worse than spending hours fixing a broken bike just to go riding and then having the same problem again later that same day!
So as you can see, knowing how to correctly tighten a bike chain is extremely important for all riders no matter what type of biking they do.
Tightening a bike chain may seem like an easy enough task but there are some effective ways to make sure everything is done correctly.
How to Tighten a Bike Chain on a Single Gear Bike?
There are three main parts of an offset single speed bike that you need to worry about when tightening the chain. They are the rear axle, the derailleur and the rear tire. Each one will have its own specific area of concentration when it comes time to tighten the chain.
The first step is obviously getting your bike in position whether it be standing on its kickstand or up against some type of stationary object so that you can easily access all of these parts with out having to move anything around too much.
Step 1: position your bike correctly
Next, take off any loose items you may have attached such as baskets or panniers. This way you have full access to your tires and frame so that you can perform any necessary maintenance without fear of dropping something valuable.
Step 2: Loosen the rear axle
The derailleur is located on the back of most bikes attached to a metal or plastic arm called a hanger. These come in different sizes but the main idea is to loosen up all bolts on this piece until it swings freely without being too loose which can cause damage as well.
Once this is done, squeeze both sides together and pull the derailleur towards you which will give more slack in the chain allowing for better access when it comes time to tighten things up later on.
Step 3: Pull back on the rear tire
Once again, make sure your bike is in the proper position and stand behind it. If there is a rear derailleur, reach down with both hands and pull back on the tire while pushing the lower section of the derailleur out of its holder.
This will cause more slack in the chain allowing for easier access when you get to that point later on.
Step 4: Identifying The Correct Tension
Now comes time to tighten things up! You want to make sure that you are using the correct tension so take out your multi-tool or adjustable wrench now to give yourself better leverage when tightening everything up. Also, be very careful not to over tighten which can cause damage as well. There should be one key thing to look for though before moving onto the next step.
Step 5: Tightening the Rear Tire
The key here is that you want to make sure that your chain does not have any slack, but at the same time is not so tight it will break. When your rear tire is in a straight line and parallel with the ground this should be an accurate indication of how much tension is in your chain.
If there is hardly any slack in the chain when everything is said and done when you put on your gear shifters then congratulations! Your tension was correct.
Step 6: Test The Chain
In order to ensure that nothing was damaged or caused unnecessary wear during this process, give yourself a quick test ride around the block just enough to get up some good speed just to see how well your gears are shifting.
This will be especially important if you just installed new cassette cogs or upgraded to a different gear ratio along with changing the chain tension.
I recently had to tighten my bike chain about four times in the past 2 weeks after I got back into biking so this proved to be very beneficial for me!
I am going to continue practicing this process over and over again until it becomes second nature because even though I am a seasonal rider, I don’t want any unnecessary work done on my bike causing me missing out on some good riding time.
How to Tighten a Bike Chain with a Derailleur?
One of the most common mistakes when trying to tighten up a bike chain is having too much slack which can cause the chain to come off when it’s in use. This is especially common with beginners who are still getting familiar with their gears and how they work.
Step 1: Put your bike in the correct position
The first step is obviously getting your bike in position whether it be standing on its kickstand or up against some type of stationary object so that you can easily access all of these parts without having to move anything around too much.
Also, take off any loose items you may have attached such as baskets or panniers. This way you have full access to your tires and frame so that you can perform any necessary maintenance without fear of dropping something valuable.
Step 2: Find The Derailleur Screw
Next is to find the appropriate size screwdriver to access and adjust your derailleur. The screws are usually around 3mm so either a small flathead or Phillips is required for this next step.
If you can’t find either in your multi-tool then try placing an order with the nearest home improvement store that carries tools because I almost always forget mine when I’m on the road!
Step 3: Access and Adjust The Rear Tire
Now that you know what type of screwdriver to use, it’s time to get into position which should not take more than a minute or two depending on how much slack was previously present after shifting gears.
When standing behind the bike try pushing down on the top section of your rear tire if there isn’t enough room to move the tire out of the way.
If you have enough room, go ahead and shift your bike into either your highest or lowest gear combination which will make it easier to do what we need to.
Step 4: Adjust The Rear Tire
Before moving onto the next step take a quick look and see if there is any excess slack in the chain that could potentially come off the sprocket here soon.
Remember that even though this can cause damage if not adjusted correctly, it really doesn’t matter too much since we’re going to be doing everything again within minutes after taking care of this!
When everything is said and done, try shifting back up through all of your gears one by one while checking for any excessive play or remaining slack throughout the process.
If you do have excess play then you may need to repeat this step a few times until the chain pulls taught from one gear to another.
Step 5: Put Everything Back Together
After everything checks out okay, put your rear tire back into place and tighten the derailleur screw down as much as possible by hand.
When doing so, be careful not to over-tighten because this could cause it to strip or even break off if you keep going! After that, make sure the wheel is level and securely in place with your brake pads and try shifting up through all of your gears once again for final testing purposes.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, knowing how to fix a loose bike chain and tighten a bike chain can be very helpful. Whether you have a single gear or derailleur bike, the process is relatively simple. J
ust make sure you are in the correct position and adjust the screws accordingly to get your bike back up and running smoothly. Thanks for reading!
