No wonder my chain was 'ratchety' recently...

[661-Pete]

I think I have you all beat, I've probably done that every time I've fitted a chain. I usually notice, though, because I give the whole drive train a backwards spin before I put any weight on it. Perhaps someone could explain what useful purpose those chain guides serve, would a derailleur work just as well with them sawn off? I await the H&S gurus....

 

[HLaB]

I think I have you all beat, I've probably done that every time I've fitted a chain. I usually notice, though, because I give the whole drive train a backwards spin before I put any weight on it. Perhaps someone could explain what useful purpose those chain guides serve, would a derailleur work just as well with them sawn off? I await the H&S gurus....

I couldn't say its been everytime but it must be near that for me No idea what use they are though, I suppose they stop the chain comming off. I've no idea if thats likely or not however.

 

[661-Pete]

I do suspect, that if some foreign object lodges on the lower part of your chain, then if the chain guides weren't there, it would be able to 'ride' between the chain and jockeys, then round the rear sprocket and fall harmlessly away. But because of the guides, it can't do that, so the chain jams up and .... new chain, new derailleur, new hanger...

 

[joggingbob]

You are all making me feel so much better - I have done the incorrect routing a few times and feel an idiot, thankfully spotting it before riding , (well apart from once ).

 

[Fiona N]

I did it too - sadly at the start of a tour across the States.

I managed to ride from central London to Heathrow, from San Francisco airport into the city and up to Marin County the next day before realising that all the fiddling with the gears wasn't making a blind bit of difference and I looked a bit more carefully at the derailleur

 

[John the Monkey]

Done that - took me a mile, in my case. Fortunately the chain was a quicklinked KMC, so it was easy to sort out & continue the ride!

 

[02GF74]

ooops me too

but whenever I change chains, I always zip the pedals round to see the chain is running correctly.