# What am I doing to cause my rear gears to slip?



## T675Rich (27 Sep 2018)

I have had my new bike for about a month now and I have taken it back to the shop a couple of times as I am having a recurring issue of the chain slipping at the back when I use easier gears. It is a big problem in 1-3 and 1-2 (if I am using the right numbering 1 at the front) and I am going up hill. All other gears seem fine.

The first time was after my first ride and the guy said I must have peddled too hard when changing gear and it stretched the cable, the second time he said my rear cartridge was also loose. I try my hardest not to increase the speed I am peddling when changing and some times I slow it down.

It is a real pain as these are the times I a struggling most but I must be doing something wrong to cause this. The bike has only done 50 miles so far so I wouldn't expect too many issues yet.

I don't I might be able to fix it with the barrel adjuster but I am not sure what I am doing there. I have booked onto a beginners maintenance and bike care course as a cycling centre near by.


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## guitarpete247 (27 Sep 2018)

Never really heard of stretching cable by pedalling too hard. 
Have a look at how the derailleur jockey wheels line up with the cogs of the cassette. If they are not inline that will cause gears to slip. Something your bike shop could easily have sorted for you.

What bike is it and what gears have you got?


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bbk5RcH0bbQ

Try this video it might help you index your gears. 

GCN make some good videos and their weekly show is worth looking out for from Tuesdays


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## guitarpete247 (27 Sep 2018)

Bike radar is another site worth a visit.
https://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/10-reasons-why-your-shifting-sucks-45119/
Try this.


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## Phaeton (27 Sep 2018)

Keep taking it back until he sorts it properly & stops fobbing you off, or consider making a complaint to the manufacturer but any mechanic worth his salt will sort it.


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## MichaelW2 (27 Sep 2018)

Check that the chain lines up with a cog and adjust the tension if required.
Change to easier gears in advance of needing to and ease the pressure on the pedals slightly when you shift, you don't need to slow down.


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## Cycleops (27 Sep 2018)

Yes, its up to the shop to sort it, end of. Your contract is legally with them and you should assert your right to a correctly functioning machine. You could demand a refund
Leave it with them and say they should only contact you after it is fully sorted.


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## tom73 (27 Sep 2018)

Sounds like somthing is not set up right am no expert being new to this too. I can’t see what you can be doing to make it happen. GCN is a good place to start also park tools have same good YouTube stuff. Bikeradar also have a maintenance app too. Do a bit of checking up and then go armed with a bit of knowlage before you take it back. Also get clued up on consumer law in case you need it.


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## T675Rich (27 Sep 2018)

Thanks all, I will check those videos out. On the way home 1-3 was pretty much un-usable on hills and 1-2 wasn't great, the hills were fun. I'll also go back in to the shop on Saturday.



MichaelW2 said:


> Change to easier gears in advance of needing to and ease the pressure on the pedals slightly when you shift, you don't need to slow down.



That is what I generally do.


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## guitarpete247 (27 Sep 2018)

What bike and gears do you have. Do the changers match the derailleurs. If they don't the amount of cable the changers move can be different to what the derailleurs need. (See the GCN video).


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## T675Rich (28 Sep 2018)

guitarpete247 said:


> What bike and gears do you have. Do the changers match the derailleurs. If they don't the amount of cable the changers move can be different to what the derailleurs need. (See the GCN video).



It is a Cannondale Quick CX4, according to the specs here it has:

Front Mech: Shimano Altus, 31.8 clamp
Rear Mech: Shimano Altus, 8-speed
Shifters: Shimano M310 Rapidfire Plus, 3x8


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## Illaveago (28 Sep 2018)

I was just wondering! It isn't the freewheel mechanism slipping is it? This can produce odd slipping and intermittent problems and may only show up under load.


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## Phaeton (28 Sep 2018)

It really doesn't matter what the cause is, the OP should be taking it back to the LBS who he bought to from & either getting them to fix or refund, it's not his place to be fixing it & risk invalidating his warranty.


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## guitarpete247 (28 Sep 2018)

I've never removed a cassette but have taken quite a few freewheels off over the years. With a freewheel all the mechanism is in the block which screws onto the hub. With a cassette, the freewheel is part of the wheel hub called a freehub. If there is any slippage of the cogs it may mean the pawls in the freehub are slipping as the cogs slide on splines of the freehub.





LBS need to sort this as this is usually a problem with old bikes not one as new as yours.
If it is the freehub slipping it could need a new wheel as that would be cheaper than rebuilding with new hub.


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## nickAKA (28 Sep 2018)

In my limited experience, gears slipping at the top end of the cassette (bigger sprockets) are either linked to the gear cable being incorrectly tensioned - generally too tight, but could be the other way. GCN's video showing how to adjust the rear derailliur / barrel adjuster on youtube explains it pretty well - or the rear wheel being slightly out of alignment.
Lesson learned on point 2 due to swapping wheels a lot for the turbo trainer and faffing around with shifting endlessly thereafter. I've hardly touched the indexing at all for months since following GCN's advice on reseating the wheel correctly; put your weight on the saddle to force the wheel into the dropouts before tightening the skewer. This also cured occasional rubbing of the front mech at either end of the cassette range when not on dead straight.


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## Illaveago (28 Sep 2018)

It may be a fault that only the owner can replicate ,so the bike shop are unaware of what is happening. A usual no fault found, intermittent fault which is hard to pin down unless it happens when they are trying it out.
It sounds more likely that it is the freewheel slipping as I don't see how the chain would slip under normal conditions.
Perhaps the owner could ask the shop to check that it isn't the freewheel which is faulty. A simple solution would be to swap the wheel for another and see if it happens again.


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## nickAKA (28 Sep 2018)

Illaveago said:


> It may be a fault that only the owner can replicate ,so the bike shop are unaware of what is happening. A usual no fault found, intermittent fault which is hard to pin down unless it happens when they are trying it out.
> It sounds more likely that it is the freewheel slipping as I don't see how the chain would slip under normal conditions.
> Perhaps the owner could ask the shop to check that it isn't the freewheel which is faulty. A simple solution would be to swap the wheel for another and see if it happens again.



Is the freehub slipping or is the chain skipping between cogs / jumping gears? it sounds like the latter to me but really need clarification...


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## T675Rich (28 Sep 2018)

nickAKA said:


> Is the freehub slipping or is the chain skipping between cogs / jumping gears? it sounds like the latter to me but really need clarification...



I am not 100% sure but it feels and sounds like the chain is skipping between cogs, if it was the free wheel slipping would it only happen in a couple of gears? For example 1-1 is fine.

Can I ask what LBS means, I assume BS is bike shop but can't work out the L.


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## vickster (28 Sep 2018)

T675Rich said:


> I am not 100% sure but it feels and sounds like the chain is skipping between cogs, if it was the free wheel slipping would it only happen in a couple of gears? For example 1-1 is fine.
> 
> Can I ask what LBS means, I assume BS is bike shop but can't work out the L.


Local

If the bike is new, get them to diagnose (on stand or riding) and fix


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## guitarpete247 (28 Sep 2018)

Whilst on work stand they won't be able to apply as much force through the pedals as when you are on the road pushing uphill etc.


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## nickAKA (28 Sep 2018)

T675Rich said:


> I am not 100% sure but it feels and sounds like the chain is skipping between cogs, if it was the free wheel slipping would it only happen in a couple of gears? For example 1-1 is fine.



So it's a triple ring on the crank, 8 speed cassette on the rear - let's assume you're in the 'big ring' (hardest) on the crank/front - can you change between all 8 gears on the rear cassette without the gears slipping/skipping?


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## T675Rich (28 Sep 2018)

nickAKA said:


> So it's a triple ring on the crank, 8 speed cassette on the rear - let's assume you're in the 'big ring' (hardest) on the crank/front - can you change between all 8 gears on the rear cassette without the gears slipping/skipping?



Aye 3 at the front and 8 at the back. I can't say I have tried the full range with the big ring on the front as I usually have a decent pace up for I ever change into that so I usually have the back already quite high before I change. I'm not on the bike today so I think I will ride it to the LBS and try all the gear combos to see what happens.


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## nickAKA (28 Sep 2018)

If it's skipping lower range gears on the cassette in all the crank rings, I'd suggest resetting the rear derailliur from scratch (paying interest specifically to the cable tension) - it's not that difficut, just follow the GCN video earlier in the thread.
If it's just the smaller rings on the crank that are problematic, it might bring the front mech into play but would be exacerbated by poor setting on the rear derailliur. Is the chain noisy / does it rub on the front mech?


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## Illaveago (28 Sep 2018)

A stiff chain or lack of tension in the rear mech might cause the chain to jump the teeth on the sprocket but I would have thought the shop would have found that out straight away. It could help if you narrowed down which gears and situation create the problem.
Whatever the case I still think that it is a problem that the bike shop should sort out.


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## roadrash (28 Sep 2018)

Give it back to the shop and tell them to not bother ringing you until its right or if they cant manage that ask for a refund


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## T675Rich (28 Sep 2018)

nickAKA said:


> If it's skipping lower range gears on the cassette in all the crank rings, I'd suggest resetting the rear derailliur from scratch (paying interest specifically to the cable tension) - it's not that difficut, just follow the GCN video earlier in the thread.
> If it's just the smaller rings on the crank that are problematic, it might bring the front mech into play but would be exacerbated by poor setting on the rear derailliur. Is the chain noisy / does it rub on the front mech?



The chain doesn't rub on the front derailleur in any gear. 



Illaveago said:


> A stiff chain or lack of tension in the rear mech might cause the chain to jump the teeth on the sprocket but I would have thought the shop would have found that out straight away. It could help if you narrowed down which gears and situation create the problem.
> Whatever the case I still think that it is a problem that the bike shop should sort out.



Gears 1-2 and 1-3 are the worst when going up hill, I don't use them on flats generally. 1-4 does it occasionally but above that is fine but I don't use them on some of hills as it is too hard.

I am going to the store tomorrow.


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## screenman (28 Sep 2018)

Am I the first to mention rear mech alignment, a common cause for slipping gears and one most people do not check, it should be the first thing to do. No point in trying to adjust something that is not lined up correctly.


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## si_c (28 Sep 2018)

Illaveago said:


> A stiff chain or lack of tension in the rear mech might cause the chain to jump the teeth on the sprocket but I would have thought the shop would have found that out straight away.



It would also happen in all gears and every time the chain completed a loop, so easily identified.

To my mind there are a couple of things that you can check immediately to see if you can fix it.


Is the wheel properly seated at the back? Loosen the quick releases and wiggle the saddle side to side a touch and make sure that the axle for the rear wheel is located securely in the dropouts (the bits that hold the wheel in place). Then tighten up the quick release again - you don't need to unscrew anything, just use the lever. If the wheel drops into place at all, then that was likely the problem - you may now need to adjust the barrel adjuster on the rear derailleur as the gears will likely be worse now. (see this handy video)

The rear derailleur hanger is bent. This is very rare on a new bike, but it can sometimes happen if the bike was knocked during transit - if it is bent then the bike shop will either replace it with a new one (they're designed to break to stop something more expensive getting damaged) or they can realign it (bend it back into place). You can check this visually yourself by looking at the back of the bike. See this handy picture as a guide.
The cable tension is incorrect. This is by far and away the most likely scenario. I've had my bike running through the gears perfectly in the stand, not a missed or bad gear change. Once on the road though the whole system is under tension so things change - it's not the fault of the bike shop it worked for them - but it does mean that an adjustment needs to be made. Fortunately if you've watched the first video I linked to above, then you'll know how to fix it as it goes through all the things you need to do. If you're out on the road though you can usually fix it by turning the rear barrel adjuster a quarter turn in one direction and seeing if that fixes it, if not then try another quarter turn in the same direction and keep going until it's working ok, if it gets better but not perfect then next time you turn it, turn it half as much, if it gets much worse then turn it back in the other direction instead. It is very difficult to break anything doing this so you have nothing to lose.


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## screenman (28 Sep 2018)

You cannot check rear mesh alignment by eye, also it is very common for a new bike to have a much that is not aligned.


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## gbb (30 Sep 2018)

When my Bianchi Via Nirone C2C was quite new it did suffer from a slipping freehub occasionally, particually under load. A sudden loss of traction, cranks suddenly lurching forward for a split second, it's a difficult thing to explain exactly. No noise that shouldn't be there, no sense of the chain jumping cogs, changing gears, just a sudden loss, then re-engaging of drive.
It happened for a couple of months, very Intermittently, then went away never to return.

It's unusual tbh, but not impossible.


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## Globalti (30 Sep 2018)

Sounds like heavy grease causing the pawls to stick.


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## gilespargiter (1 Oct 2018)

guitarpete247 said:


> I've never removed a cassette but have taken quite a few freewheels off over the years. With a freewheel all the mechanism is in the block which screws onto the hub. With a cassette, the freewheel is part of the wheel hub called a freehub. If there is any slippage of the cogs it may mean the pawls in the freehub are slipping as the cogs slide on splines of the freehub.
> View attachment 431948
> 
> LBS need to sort this as this is usually a problem with old bikes not one as new as yours.
> If it is the freehub slipping it could need a new wheel as that would be cheaper than rebuilding with new hub.



Just a small point here, but regarding the above couple of posts and the one quoted.

A freehub takes only moments to change and does not require a new hub.

Remove the axle, remove the cassette, insert a 10mm allen key into the one way clutch (freehub) engage it and unscrew the bolt (which the axle passes through) - hey presto one way clutch in hand.


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## Gary E (1 Oct 2018)

Have you checked the B Screw?

https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailleur-adjustment


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## si_c (1 Oct 2018)

Gary E said:


> Have you checked the B Screw?
> 
> https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/rear-derailleur-adjustment


B Screw won't make is skip side to side, it adjusts how close the upper jockey wheel comes to the cassette. If it's not set properly then you can get the derailleur rolling over the cassette with the chain, which is noisy and wears everything out, but it still won't affect shifting.


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## T675Rich (1 Oct 2018)

I popped to the shop and they made some adjustments but only using the barrel adjusters and it did seem ok on the ride back from the shop but I guess I will know after a few commutes but as I don't ride every day that will be later in the week. If it happens again I will need to be more forceful with the store.


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## nickAKA (1 Oct 2018)

T675Rich said:


> I popped to the shop and they made some adjustments but only using the barrel adjusters and it did seem ok on the ride back from the shop but I guess I will know after a few commutes but as I don't ride every day that will be later in the week. If it happens again I will need to be more forceful with the store.



It's helpful to have a basic understanding of how the gears work (the sort of stuff you pick up as you go along) to help diagnose common problems so here's my simple take on the rear derailleur (please feel free to correct any errors here, I'm not an authority on this!):

The large spring in the rear mech is in a constant state of pulling the chain toward the smallest sprocket. When you change gear/index down the range to a bigger sprocket, you are tightening the gear cable and it's pulling against the spring, moving the derailleur 'in' and pulling the chain across (toward the wheel hub) onto the next sprocket. The further you go down the gears (to the bigger sprockets) the more tension you are putting on the spring and the cable sometimes needs a bit more 'oomph' to get into the correct position; its a bit of a balancing act, cable vs. spring. Putting some extra tension on the cable can cure the problem of the chain not indexing correctly down the gears, but if you overtighten the cable you'll get the opposite effect and the chain will want to skip the other way, and at the extreme you could 'lose' a gear altogether at the top end (been there, got the t-shirt)
I tend to adjust the barrel a quarter of a turn at a time if I need to, that's all it takes.

No point getting into hi/lo limits here as once set these are generally ok, so don't change those adjusters unless you really need to.


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## T675Rich (3 Oct 2018)

Aaaaaaaarrrgh it seemed ok in the lower gears but now it started happening in higher gears when I start going up gradual hills....3-8 but I couldn't change into one at the front at one point then the chain slipped off, I put it back on and it took more pressure to change into 2 for the rest of the ride. When I got to work I had a look to see anything and while I was changing gear in situ the derailleur now won't go up to 3....


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## Illaveago (3 Oct 2018)

Are you talking about the front or rear mech?


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## T675Rich (3 Oct 2018)

Illaveago said:


> Are you talking about the front or rear mech?



Sorry, I think it was slipping at the rear but the chain skipped of the front and it is the front mech that won't change into 3.


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## nickAKA (3 Oct 2018)

T675Rich said:


> Sorry, I think it was slipping at the rear but the chain skipped of the front and it is the front mech that won't change into 3.



Sounds like they've sorted the rear mech & messed up the front...  for no logical reason.

This bike shop - is it a small independant place?


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## T675Rich (3 Oct 2018)

nickAKA said:


> Sounds like they've sorted the rear mech & messed up the front...  for no logical reason.
> 
> This bike shop - is it a small independant place?



They didn't take it into the workshop, they just rode it around outside and fiddled with the barrel adjuster. the front mech seemed fine till the chain skipped off but now it doesn't seem like the front mech has the full movement as the lever has travel left but it needs a lot more force to move it and I don't want to break anything.


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## nickAKA (3 Oct 2018)

T675Rich said:


> They didn't take it into the workshop, they just rode it around outside and fiddled with the barrel adjuster. the front mech seemed fine till the chain skipped off but now it doesn't seem like the front mech has the full movement as the lever has travel left but it needs a lot more force to move it and I don't want to break anything.



Are you struggling to get it in the biggest ring or the smallest ring on the crank? Sounds like they've overtightened it (for no good reason if the rear mech was the problem).
Are we talking about Halfords here?


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## T675Rich (3 Oct 2018)

nickAKA said:


> Are you struggling to get it in the biggest ring or the smallest ring on the crank? Sounds like they've overtightened it (for no good reason if the rear mech was the problem).
> Are we talking about Halfords here?



The big ring, it was changing into that ring fine until I got to work, it was changing into the second ring that was the issue during the ride after the chain skipped off. It is an independent store. Sorry I am probably being really vague, I am really not confident with any of this and I was hoping a new bike wouldn't give me as many issues to begin with..


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## nickAKA (3 Oct 2018)

T675Rich said:


> The big ring, it was changing into that ring fine until I got to work, it was changing into the second ring that was the issue during the ride after the chain skipped off. It is an independent store. Sorry I am probably being really vague, I am really not confident with any of this and I was hoping a new bike wouldn't give me as many issues to begin with..



Don't be too disheartened, I'd suggest this is the exception rather than the rule. You'll have to take it back to them and give them a chance to put it right, there's a chance something has moved when the chain came off... could be the front mech has rotated slightly out of alignment, but with the best will in the world if you don't know what your looking for you can't be expected to do it yourself.

Get it sorted then it's probably worth starting a new thread to ask for some tips on using your gears 'correctly' - when I took my first proper bike in for it's 6 month (free) sevice, I got a lecture off the mechanic on when & when not to change gear, which as stuck with me ever since. I've subsequently never thrown the chain whilst changing gear, so a bit of tough love worked for me in that respect!


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## tom73 (3 Oct 2018)

Like @nickAKA say's dno't feel bad about it. You can't know all of it at once it sound's fixing / trying to fix one problem has just move it to to a different place. Let them sort it none of this take's away the fact that a new bike should work and really it's not your job to fix it. The time to learn is when they at long last fix your bike. Take it back stay cool but firm


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## T675Rich (3 Oct 2018)

So I had a little play with the barrel adjuster and it didn't seem to be doing anything but then the cable didn't seem to be sitting in the shifter properly, I moved it around a bit and it seemed to slot back into place and then the barrel adjust seemed to start making a difference and it seems to be ok now. The ride home takes me near to the bike shop so I might just swing in before they close.

I am tempted to try and mount my helmet cam that I use on the motorbike and point it at the gears to get a better look at what is happening.


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## gilespargiter (3 Oct 2018)

It is such a shame to hear that you are having so much trouble with your bike. Especially when you are so new to using it and just want to get to work. I'am sure you have a busy life and did not expect to have so much trouble just using your bike. You have got a model of bike that is reasonably well made and should work well. So it is worth being patient and persisting to this aim. 

Another good thing for you to know is that you have actually got about the most complicated type of gear system to use that a bike can have. When it is finally adjusted properly and you have learn't to use it fully you will be able to ride just about any bike out there.

It is also a type of bike that you will be able to ride comfortably pretty much anywhere that any bike can go. So you have chosen well in that respect. 

I think the trouble we are having here is understanding just exactly what you are describing. This makes it difficult to help meaningfully. People have different variations in the way that they describe the same parts but bearing that in mind, lets establish a way to describe some of the critical parts so that you can explain to us clearly. I'am sure you can see quite a lot of this already - but we need a clear way to explain to each other (and the shop).

At the front by your pedals you have three "chainrings" - a big one on the outside, a medium one in the middle, and a small one on the inside. 
Next to them fastened to the "seat tube" you have a mechanism to make the "chain" de - rail from one to another this is the "front derailleur"

When the chain is going round the SMALL "chainring" it makes it easier to push the bike but the pedals spin very fast, and you don't go very far this is a "low" gear. Conversely the BIG "chainring" makes the bike difficult to push and the bike goes a long way each time the pedals go round, this is a "high" gear.

At the back in the middle of the wheel you have a "cluster" of eight "sprockets" that the chain goes round to drive the wheel. You have a big "sprocket" close to the wheel. When the chain is going round the BIG "sprocket" it makes the bike easier to push and the pedals go quickly, but the bike doesn't go very far each time they go round, again this is a "low" gear. Conversely (as with the "chainrings") when the chain goes round the SMALL "sprocket" you have a "high" gear. 
This might be a little confusing because the "high" gear is when you are on the smaller "sprockets" and the "low" gear is when you are on the bigger "sprockets" - the opposite to what happens when the chain is on a big "chainring" or a little "chainring"
Little "chainring" big "sprocket" "low" gear
Big "chainring" little "sprocket" "High" gear.

The mechanism near the back wheel that the chain passes through to get to the "sprockets", de-rails the chain to select a "sprocket". This is the "rear derailleur".

Here are some other points about how to operate the gear changing mechanisms (mechs) the "derailleurs".

Never operate them when the bike is stationary. - It can cause damage to them if forced towards a bigger "sprocket" or "chainring". It may also make the pedals suddenly spin as you try to start moving.

Only change one "derailleur" at a time - when it is properly engaged - then you can change the other if you want to.

Only operate the "derailleurs" with hardly any push on the pedals. This is especially important when changing the "front derailleur" - It causes undue strain on there mechanisms and can also result in the pedals suddenly spinning. To start with this is sometimes not very easy, so you need to predict what is going to happen in front of you and give yourself plenty of distance to change gear. To start with you might slow down quite a lot while you do this. With practice you will get better and become quicker at it but concentrate on doing it properly - the speed will eventually come without you even noticing. Take no notice of what some other cyclist might be doing - they may have had a great deal more practice or even be wearing their gears out very fast.

I hope this helps you to be able to enjoy your nice new bike better.

To anyone else on here - this person is in Birmingham (apparently) - there must be someone here who could meet him and run him through this? After all the single best thing you can do to make your own cycling easier and safer is encourage someone else to ride a bike - so it is not alltruism!


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## tom73 (3 Oct 2018)

@gilespargiter On behalf of all us newbie's thank you.


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## nickAKA (3 Oct 2018)

gilespargiter said:


> Only operate the "derailleurs" with hardly any push on the pedals. This is especially important when changing the "front derailleur" - It causes undue strain on there mechanisms and can also result in the pedals suddenly spinning. To start with this is sometimes not very easy, so you need to predict what is going to happen in front of you and give yourself plenty of distance to change gear. To start with you might slow down quite a lot while you do this. With practice you will get better and become quicker at it but concentrate on doing it properly - the speed will eventually come without you even noticing.



^^^THIS ^^^

Soft-pedal (ie. just rotate the cranks without putting any unnecessary pressure on) when changing gear, especially when using the mech on the crank / chainrings / front gears. You soon get used to doing it; occasionally you have no choice but to change gear in a less than ideal situation but try to anticipate the gradients & act accordingly.


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## T675Rich (3 Oct 2018)

@gilespargiter, that's great stuff thank you. I do try to change with little pressure on the pedals but I do get caught out at times especially in heavier traffic. Unfortunately just as I was about to leave work someone popped in with an urgent query...so I am going to miss the store today. see how the ride home goes.


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## gilespargiter (3 Oct 2018)

I wish you well Rich. I'am sure you will get their, we all had to start at the beginning. I hope you can enjoy your ride home. take it eeezzy!


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## si_c (4 Oct 2018)

T675Rich said:


> So I had a little play with the barrel adjuster and it didn't seem to be doing anything but then the cable didn't seem to be sitting in the shifter properly, I moved it around a bit and it seemed to slot back into place and then the barrel adjust seemed to start making a difference and it seems to be ok now. The ride home takes me near to the bike shop so I might just swing in before they close.
> 
> I am tempted to try and mount my helmet cam that I use on the motorbike and point it at the gears to get a better look at what is happening.



The cable not being in the shifter properly sounds like it was the problem to me. These problems are often relatively easy to fix with the application of a bit of common sense and taking the time to figure out how things fit together. I reckon you could probably fix it now you know where to look if it goes wrong again.

Don't forget that youtube is your friend for finding out loads of information, and don't be afraid to ask stupid questions here we've all been there.


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## T675Rich (4 Oct 2018)

gilespargiter said:


> I wish you well Rich. I'am sure you will get their, we all had to start at the beginning. I hope you can enjoy your ride home. take it eeezzy!



The ride home was pretty good, I have a couple of slip issues but they were in higher gears where it caused me less issue. I rode in today and again mainly fine, I attached my helmet came to the bike to get the sprokets encase it slipped but it wasn't aimed quite right and I only had a couple of small issues.



si_c said:


> The cable not being in the shifter properly sounds like it was the problem to me. These problems are often relatively easy to fix with the application of a bit of common sense and taking the time to figure out how things fit together. I reckon you could probably fix it now you know where to look if it goes wrong again.
> 
> Don't forget that youtube is your friend for finding out loads of information, and don't be afraid to ask stupid questions here we've all been there.



I don't know if it has always been like this but when the bike in in the the smallest chaining the derailleur is touching my bottle cage. I am wondering if that shited a little. But the front was fine today.


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## BeardyAndyM (4 Oct 2018)

I've only speed read the replies so apologies if this has been said but gear selection with a triple is important. Try to keep the chain as straight as possible at all times, if you have it on the big ring at the front it should also be on the smaller gears at the back and when its on the small (granny) gear at the front you should be on the bigger (lower) gears at the back.


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## T675Rich (4 Oct 2018)

BeardyAndyM said:


> I've only speed read the replies so apologies if this has been said but gear selection with a triple is important. Try to keep the chain as straight as possible at all times, if you have it on the big ring at the front it should also be on the smaller gears at the back and when its on the small (granny) gear at the front you should be on the bigger (lower) gears at the back.



The first time I took the bike back I asked if this could be part of the problem and they said you no longer had to worry about that any more, although I generally do do that automatically.


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## BeardyAndyM (4 Oct 2018)

It’s always an issue unless your using 1x or Di2 and the likes, these guys sound clueless!
Check for a sticky chain link, that’ll be more apparent on the bigger cogs and only under load. If not, get them to bung on a new Shimano or SRAM chain. It really sounds like a chain/cassette interface issue, same as when your chain gets worn and the 2 don’t mesh together. I can’t imagine it’s a freehub issue, they either work or don’t!


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## gilespargiter (4 Oct 2018)

I'am pleased to know you are finding it better now Rich. You may well have found the problem or at least a big part of it from what you say. It may need a couple of tweeks and twiddles by the shop.

The bottle cage touching the front derailleur could be a thing, might just be the bottle cage is pushed over a bit to far though. On two of my bikes I can sometimes knock the bottle carrier so that the bottle rubs the chainring.

Beardy Andy has got a point about the chain. You have eight sprockets in your cluster at the back, so it is possible that either a slightly narrow or even possibly slightly wide chain has been incorrectly fitted.

I notice from the spec sheet that the manufacturer fitted chain is quite low quality. I would reccomend fitting a Kmc 'X' type chain for very good value - often fitted to top range bikes as original spec.

As the machine has put in an automatic link to somewhere, I might as well edit in a more useful link; http://www.wiggle.co.uk/kmc-x8-99-8-speed-chain/


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## Ticktockmy (6 Oct 2018)

A bit late here to add my two pennyworth, but are you using the wrong combo of Chianring and sprockets,ie, Small chainring to small sprocket or have upu too long a chain both of which would cause chain slip.?


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## T675Rich (10 Oct 2018)

I generally use 1-4 on the sprocket with 1 on the chainring, the full range on the sprocket on the 2nd chainring and 4-8 on the third chainring. is that ok?

It seems to be having less issues with slipping since I had the problem with the front derailleur and managed to sort that out. it's still due a service from the shop my hopefully either the problem is resolved or I am being less cack handed with gear changes.


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## gilespargiter (10 Oct 2018)

That sounds about spot on Rich, if you mean the no. 1 chainring is the big one and number 1 sprocket is the small one? 

I'am sure that it does help that you are becoming more familiar with it all. 

I would seriously recommend that you change the chain as I mentioned before when you can, because as well as the slight chance that you have an incorrect chain, the "z" type chain as original spec is of lower quality and will wear quite fast, it is a sort I would put on a childs bike which will do low miles and will not have the strain that an adult can exert. A better chain will make your whole chainset last significantly longer, and will be cheaper overall.

Very pleased to know that you are finding it better now. I admire your persistence and approach to this, I think that you will be one of the people giving others advice before long if you keep on as you are.


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## T675Rich (12 Oct 2018)

gilespargiter said:


> That sounds about spot on Rich, if you mean the no. 1 chainring is the big one and number 1 sprocket is the small one?
> 
> I'am sure that it does help that you are becoming more familiar with it all.
> 
> ...



It's the opposite, when my chainring gear selector is in position 1 it is the smallest and on position 1 on the rear selector is the biggest socket on the cassette.

I will look into replacing the chain, then try and replace it mess it up and post on here :P


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## T675Rich (24 Oct 2018)

Just had it serviced and it is worse than ever....some gears unusable even on relatively small inclines... I have overspent on bike related stuff this month, will try a new chain after payday.


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## alicat (24 Oct 2018)

Hi @T675Rich 

Whereabouts in Birmingham are you based? I have some free time on my hands. I'm not a mechanical expert but if you're not far away we could meet up. I can work through the basics and observe the problem and perhaps help fix it or tell you what to tell the bike shop what is going on.


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## T675Rich (24 Oct 2018)

alicat said:


> Hi @T675Rich
> 
> Whereabouts in Birmingham are you based? I have some free time on my hands. I'm not a mechanical expert but if you're not far away we could meet up. I can work through the basics and observe the problem and perhaps help fix it or tell you what to tell the bike shop what is going on.



That is very kind of you to offer, I live in south west Birmingham not far from the old Rover factory. I wouldn't want you to go out of your way though as you are north of Brum. There is a place not far from me called Cycle South Brum and they have a local group ride on a Thursday, normally I can't make it due to childcare but next week is half term and my son is with is grandparents so I am going to try and go and see if someone there can see what is happening. I also have a few maintenance courses booked with them so I can be less of an annoying numpty on here.

If they can't help I may well take you up on your offer but I would come to you to not put you out.


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## alicat (24 Oct 2018)

Great idea, I am confident Cycle South Brum will be able to help diagnose and probably fix it. If they can't help we can meet up either at yours or mine (I'm in Lichfield) and we can take it from there.

Do let us know how you get on tomorrow.


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## T675Rich (24 Oct 2018)

Thank you. I'll let you know after I meet up with them. It's next week, I can't make the one tomorrow.


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## T675Rich (29 Oct 2018)

I still haven't been on the ride yet but decided to have a go making some minor adjustments and the barell adjusters by the switchers on the handle bars seem to do very little, they feel like they are free spinning..


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## T675Rich (29 Oct 2018)

I managed to get it back to the LBS and they said they think it's possible the cable got crossed in the frame as they have sen that before so they are going to replace the cable totally and see if that sorts it.


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## tom73 (29 Oct 2018)

Hopefully that's the fix you've been waiting for. Fingers crossed that's sort's it. Well done for keeping going and holding your line with the shop.


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## T675Rich (2 Nov 2018)

I got the bike back and first decent ride with decent (for me) hills looks promising. The guy at the LBS told me that he phoned Cannondale and there was a plastic cable guide where the cables come out of the bottom of the frame, that I think was to stop cables rubbing on the frame, that can cause cables to snag when the bike is under load and they have been contacted by a number of bike mechanics saying it was a problem so they recommended he remove it and put some plastic sheathing on the cables where they would rub. So he has done that and replaced the cables so fingers crossed it's all done.

Thank you all.


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## Boon 51 (3 Nov 2018)

If the bike has a QR system undo the the QR's and see if it has two cone shaped springs ( one each side) and the cone spring has a pointy end and that should point inwards.


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## alicat (4 Nov 2018)

Great news, @T675Rich.


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## T675Rich (5 Nov 2018)

Rode home from work on Friday which involves riding up the hardest hills I use and the bike seemed absolutely fine so without wanting to jinx myself it seems to be resolved.


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