I finally fixed my bike chain from slipping on hills

My bike chain kept skipping when I pedaled up steep streets. I cleaned it with a rag and old toothbrush, then tightened the rear derailleur. It runs smooth now, but I'm not sure if I set the tension right. What's your go-to method for tuning a bike chain without special tools?

3 comments

3 Comments

charlieh143d ago

Nice! I just eyeball the chain tension and hope for the best.

jana6723d ago

Eyeballing it is basically my whole strategy too... my old bike sounds like a coffee grinder half the time. As long as it doesn't fall off, I call it a win. The proper way seems to need like three special tools and a degree in engineering.

jake7473d ago

Man, I feel that. I used to do the exact same thing until my chain skipped off and gouged my frame. Total nightmare. What finally clicked for me was just using a ruler to measure the slack, like the manual says. It sounds dumb, but it takes two minutes and you don't need any special tools. My bike got way quieter and shifts better now. It's one of those things that seems harder than it is.