Gear Slip?

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Hey all!!! I'm new to the forum but got a question regarding gears. Sometimes when I'm riding my bike and just coasting and after a while I decide to start pedaling and when I do, it feels like the gears slip and which ever foot starts the pedaling it all the sudden just drops fast. What does that mean? I hope it makes sense of what I just said...is there a quick fix/adjustment for it...any help would be great...thanks!!!

Mike

Any suggestions anyone???

Any suggestions anyone???

Yeah its pretty simple. I'll post a full reply a little later as I am in a rush right now. It might cost a bit to fix though i am afraid. :(

Any suggestions anyone???
Patience man! Patiance! <G> Boy. 6 hours between post and followup.

However. There are many possibilities.

More details from you would maybe help, but anyway.

The question is a basic one, so I assume you are new to riding MTBs??? Whatever, I start at the simplest and work up.

Do you have gears? What make of bike? How many gears? What front cog (chainring) are you using?

Suggestions
(1) You have the wrong gear. Easier to do than you may think
- You have "just coasted" yourself down a hill and gone faster and faster, never checking your pedal speed.
- solution. It is suggested that you actually constantly pedal _very lightly_ (but with enough pedal pressure to actually know that you are pedalling and not just spoinning the pedal) and apply your brakes to prevent runaway, should it not be wanted. Alternatively, every few seconds (5 ??) you should pedal a couple of times around, just to get the feel of the thing at that time, If you fvind yourself unable to pedal comforatbly then change gears to slow the pedalling down.
- incidentally it's recommended that you pedal at 60RPM _minimum_, with many riders staying at 90-120 RPM. That's to say that one leg goes right round twice per second! So the slowest pedalling speed is "one one thousand" and your right foot has gone right around from top to top of the pedal cycle. This takes some getting used to, as you may see if you time your pedalling. I run at about 80-100 by habit, over varied terrain. Downhill I may relax for a bit and try for 70. I am not racing, just riding.

(2) You actually have "gear slip". This can be caused by bad news or yes, there are adjustments.

Bad news:
You have:
stuffed cogs on the system,
too much dirt on it,
bent derailleurs
loose chain etc.
too much "flex" in either the bike or the drive. This can cause gear dropping, but unless there is a lot of slop in the drive (which could simply be loose bolts) flex is usually assocaited with powerful pedalling, not just recommencing after coasting.

You should check for all of the above before adjusting the (oh hang it) derailer.

Adjustment:
See
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html.
Basically, your problem may be that you have the derailleur set up to just drop the chain onto a lower gear either front or back, as you start pedalling. This is relatively simple to set up, and will require constant checking, especially if the bike/cables/derailleur are new. They usually bed in, but will need tweaking from time to time.

Loose Derailer cable, called cable stretch
turn the adjuster knob near the shifter to add more tension to the cable


Hey all!!! I'm new to the forum but got a question regarding gears. Sometimes when I'm riding my bike and just coasting and after a while I decide to start pedaling and when I do, it feels like the gears slip and which ever foot starts the pedaling it all the sudden just drops fast. What does that mean? I hope it makes sense of what I just said...is there a quick fix/adjustment for it...any help would be great...thanks!!!

Mike

Loose Derailer cable, called cable stretch
turn the adjuster knob near the shifter to add more tension to the cable
Sorry.....

Been mulling this over all day, between this and that. It did not feel right.

IMO.

Unless it's the chainring (front), loose cable at the (back) will cause a shift to a smaller cog / higher gear, not lower. This would cause _slower_ pedalling, not the spinning effect that is described.

If it _is_ the chainring, it would have to be a _major_ cable problem. On the front, the derailer only causes a drop in gear size by actually pressing on the chain (not by simple alignment as at the rear), and needs to be really way out of line before it will cause phantom shifts. It would need to actually be making a constant rattling as the chain passed over the gearchange cage.

Sorry.....

Been mulling this over all day, between this and that. It did not feel right.

IMO.

Unless it's the chainring (front), loose cable at the (back) will cause a shift to a smaller cog / higher gear, not lower. This would cause _slower_ pedalling, not the spinning effect that is described.


correct


If it _is_ the chainring, it would have to be a _major_ cable problem. On the front, the derailer only causes a drop in gear size by actually pressing on the chain (not by simple alignment as at the rear), and needs to be really way out of line before it will cause phantom shifts. It would need to actually be making a constant rattling as the chain passed over the gearchange cage.

Again correct.
FWIW I suspect that the problem the OP has been suffering from (and it is hard to say without a more accurate description) is the chain "skipping" over several cogs under high pedal loading. This would be due to worn out chain and cog teeth and if it is bad will require new chain, new cassette and new chainrings. I would suggest that the OP measures 12 links using a ruler with inches marked on. If the distance is greater than 12 1/4" (rivet centre to rivet centre) then he should be replacing the chain, cassette and making a mighty prayer that his chainrings are not f*cked beyond use.
Refer to Parktool or Sheldon Brown website for information on measuring chain wear.

I would be surprised if the problem turn out to be as simple as being in the wrong gear. FWIW NEVER run big cog to big cog (lots of lateral stress on chain plus plenty of rub) or little to little (lots of lateral stress on chain plus plenty of rub plus plenty of stress on the rear mech)

correct

Again correct.
I would be surprised if the problem turn out to be as simple as being in the wrong gear. )
I left in the "correct" bits....just could NOT help it! This is not egotism but desperation! Dang! :)

The rest was "fair comment", so I leave it alone...... Davebee; you can look after your own ego! :) :) :)

However, I agree there may be a mech problem.

We need to know if this bike is new or an old clunker. If old, then I agree with your sentiments.

BUT

I actually have watched a few beginners get completely caught offguard by gearing, coasting downhill.

pppht! Done it myself
- when I first started biking again, and was coming to terms with 99,999 gears :)
- in slack moments. ....but that's just slack and I fix it. It usually involves a close encounter with a cow, or a kangaroo, bee etc...

But often it seems to puzzle people. I have struck it three times (once, too close for comfort..."life partner") where the rider keeps on being "surprised" by the gearing, both coasting _and_ also cresting the top of a rise_ and then spinning (well usually bouncing!) like hell along or down the trail.

There have been a couple of posts here, that I remember , that have showed the same fall into the trap of forgetting to change gears, especially in beginners..

So I will defend my first choice of reasons! It _is_ the cheapest (if most humiliating) to fix :p :p

Again I say....Let's hear back from the OP.