defect or bad gear change

[jamma]

I have had my s5 for almost 4 months but have had a problem since the begining when i change down to the smallest front chainring to climb hills the chain always seems to fall off and i just keep pedalling until i realise then quickly clip out before i fall and then i stop for 5 mins just to put it back on the smallest chainring. I have been out on it tonight for a short 20 miles and it has happened twice abd as you can probably tell that i am getting slightly p!$$ed off with it.

Is this a defect of the front derauiler, smallest chain ring or chain?

 

[Drago]

Difficult to say for sure without the bike in front of me, but sound like the front mech stop screw needs a tweak.

 

[JtB]

Sounds like a front derailleur limit screw needs adjusting.

 

[kiriyama]

SHOULD be an easy fix. Look on YouTube at how to adjust your front mech.

 

[tallliman]

Agree with the previous posters, had the same issue on the rear mech on my Px. A quick tweak to the limit screws sorted it out.

 

[vickster]

It's new, get the shop you bought it from to adjust

 

[HLaB]

Did you take it to the shop for its free 6week service? They should've tweaked the gears/ limit screws then?

 

[jamma]

Did you take it to the shop for its free 6week service? They should've tweaked the gears/ limit screws then?

Yes and i guessing they did then

 

[Ian193]

There's two screws on the front mech H and L sounds like the L one needs a slight turn to stop the chain going too far over that's why you keep dropping the chain

 

[HLaB]

Yes and i guessing they did then

Did you say to them it was happening, if so it sounds like a very poor service. Even if you didn't I would've thought a good mechanic would've checked

 

[Smokin Joe]

Did you say to them it was happening, if so it sounds like a very poor service. Even if you didn't I would've thought a good mechanic would've checked

It isn't always easy to get the exact adjustment on the workstand. Under load the chainrings flex a little and a fine tweak may be needed to get it just right.

 

[DCLane]

As the above; it's an adjustment. Either learn (YouTube/The Bike Book/etc.) or pay your LBS to adjust it.

Personally I think it's best to learn how yourself.

 

[boydj]

There are a couple of things which might mitigate the problem if it's found that the limit screw is close to correct :
1. Change down earlier when the chain is closer to the middle of the cogs at the rear - changing front ring when the rear is already close to or on the largest cog makes the problem more likely to happen.
2. install a 'Dog Fang' or similar to stop the problem happening.

It is possible to pick up the chain again by resetting the front mech back to the big ring and pedalling - this is often enough to get the chain picked up by the small ring and shifted on to the big ring. Stay smooth and don't use too much force when doing this and it should work.