Chain Skipping?

Question

I ride an 04 Raliegh M60 and I recently put a new SRAM chain on. Before the change-out the old chain worked fine, it was just worn out. Any way now the new chain skips in gears higher than 6. I have a mega 9 drivetrain with a Shim Deore Rear Der. Tried to add tension didn't work. The der is adjusted by lbs.

Answer 1

Chain measure 12 inches from pin center to pin center. At 12 and 1/16, the chain needs to be replaced and the cassette is fine. Anything beyond 12 and 1/16, replace both the chain and cassette. If you spend a lot of time in the gears higher than 6th, you may have worn them out and just need to replace the cassette. (Depending on the cassette you can get individual rings but it is cheaper to just buy the whole cassette.) One of the oddball things I have run into with SRAM 9 speed chains is that they have been re-designed. I don't know what was changed but they skip for some reason. The older ones are fine, the newer ones are off. I've dumped thenewer SRAM chain one for a Shimano chain and everything worked fine.

Answer 2

Sounds like a mismatch between gears and chain. Some say I'm crazy but IMO you should never change a chain without changing out cassettes or freewheel and chain-rings because if you have run the chain long enough to have to replace it, your gears are worn the same and also need replacing.



Beyond that it could be a derailleur problem. Try putting the bike in a trainer so you can pedal it from the side and watch what happens when you start shifting, that would be a way too get an idea of what's happening in the gears.

Answer 3

Chain skipping happens when the chain and/or the chainring/gear (usually front) is worn out. In its manuals Shimano always recommends that you change both the chainrings & the chain at the same time if either one is worn. I don't know about SRAM.



The reason that there was no chain skipping when you were still using the old chain is that Shimano chainrings, derailleurs & chains are designed to work together. So when you put in a different chain, it didn't match. Sorry, man. You're going to have to get new front chainrings.

Answer 4

When I replace a chain I check the wear on the gears. My guess would be that since it was working with the old stretched chain and it's not now, you have some worn gears. The gears should be able to be replaced individually.



Good Luck!

Answer 5

I wouldn't spend another $30 bucks to change the cassette. I've put over 10,000 miles on my road bike and have never changed a cassette besides swapping out my 11-23 or 12-25 for different terrain.



I've gone through countless chains but those cassettes still work fine after 10,000 miles. No misshifts or any problems. I would double check your chain length and readjust tension as you put more miles on the new chain.

Answer 6

You probably ride most in those gears, right?



The problem is, since you rode with a worn chain, you also wore the gears. You LBS can check this for you to be sure, but I expect that you'll need a new cassette, or at least those couple of gears.

Answer 7

Your rear derailleur needs adjusting....for sure. Check the chain again. For the cassette, the cogs should look like little mountains....a little flat on top. If they are pointy....they are worn. Check the front one too. The cogs I mean.

Answer 8

t problem is that the tension of the chain is not the same as the tension ofthe der. to the local shop and tune up ur bike.