You can see where the chain went off the cassette and looped around the hub. I can’t even get the chain or tire off. Considering breaking the chain?
While looking at the derailer, the gear is in line with the cassette almost touching the largest gear.
This whole things a mess and I don’t even know where to begin with my basic knowledge and zero dollars now.
My options are A) save up a few weeks to take it to a bike shop
B) bypass the shifter and just throw the chain on like the 7th or 8th gear
C) ask one of yall if there’s something I’m missing
by chococaliber
12 Comments
Starting to think the dork disc would have kept the chain from doing this 🤦♂️
Idk what the fuck I’m doing and I don’t wanna take it to a bike shop to get hit with a large bill I can’t pay and not get my bike back
Just put the chain on the cog.
Looks like your chain came off the low gear side on the cassette. Putting it back on and a quick adjustment of the L limit screw will prevent this from happening again.
Look at park tools video on rear derailleur set up. Walk you through steps to get it working properly.
Pull the derailleur, it’ll slacken the chain. Then pull the chain off of the front chain ring, then you have plenty of slack to put the chain back on.
After that till most likely just need proper adjustment to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
Check out Park tools how to adjust a rear derailleur video.
You shouldn’t need to break the chain, nor do I think it will help. It got in there, you should be able to get it out.
You can’t bypass the derailleur without breaking the chain and shortening it, so that’s probably out of the question.
Try pulling the derailleur hanger forwards to give you some slack and wiggling the chain out. Don’t ride it until you’ve indexed your gears. Here’s a video showing you exactly how to do that: https://youtu.be/Bbk5RcH0bbQ?si=Oq9JJ-Ain2Wh1zqu
If you don’t know what you’re doing, take it to a bike shop. This is an issue with the adjustment of the derailleur. The chain coming off like this mid-ride can kill you.
Pull the chain out. Get a setup manual for the derailer, set your limit screws according to the manual. It is not rocket science.
Bypassing a derailer will require shortening the chain with a chain breaker tool.
If you take the bike to a bike shop, you can always ask for an estimate or advice before being slapped with a bill
Try pushing the derailleur forward to make the chain slack then see if you can get it unstuck from between the cassette and the spokes. It may require some force so be careful not to do further damage to the spokes.
If you can’t get it out, you may need to remove the wheel so that you can remove the cassette/freewheel, which will release the chain. It will be a pain in the arse to do this with the chain keeping the wheel tethered to the bike, so at that point you may consider breaking the chain to make it easier.
I can’t quite tell, but that looks like a freewheel. not a cassette, so you’ll need the appropriate freewheel tool.
Put everything back together (get a quick link to repair the chain if needed) and then watch the Park Tool video on derailleur adjustment. Pay particular attention to the bit about the low limit screw.
Check the spokes for damage before you ride it again.
Pull the chain out and check for bent links.
(If the chain is damaged, you can try to bend it back. If too much damage, buy a 6-7 or 7/8 speed chain, may be around 5-10 dollars)
Loosen the shifter cable from the rear derailleur and check you H limit screw (the smallest cog and the upper jockey wheel should be in line).
Set the shifter at the highest gear (the cable at it loosest).
Reattach the cable (without slack or tension) at the rear derailleur and make sure you have some amount of adjusting room to loosen, but more to tighten.
Start testing the cable tension so you get the highest 5 or 6 gears (smallest cogs) to operate.
If you manage to get it to work, then carefully make sure that the 7th – 2nd gears are functional.
Carefully switch to the 1st gear (largest cog).
Check for any play and tighten the L limit screw if necessary. Also check it by pressing on the shifter lever to see that the derailleur wont move over the largest cog.
If everything is running, further check the limit screws by keeping the bike elevated and turning the cranks on the highest gear. Try adjusting the H limit screw and set it so that the chain makes the least amount of noise.
Repeat on the lowest gear (largest cog), and make sure you can shift to the lowest gear without going over.
You may have to adjust the limit so that you have to use slightly more force at the shifter lever. If you have problems going over, just turn the limit screw more so that you cant shift
Also the rear derailleur or the derailleur hanger could have been slightly bent. If so, you will have difficulty trying to get the chain to shift up and down the cassette. How much, depends on how much and what is bent.
Pull the derrailiuer to slacken the chain to get it back on the cogs and then adjust hi low screws on mech. Few YT vids to show you how. Good to get out on the bike
I’m sorry but your post title gave me a good laugh. Looks like everyone is giving good advice to fix it.
You live in Austin? Go to Austin Yellow Bike Project- it’s our local co-op they have free open workshops Thursday and Friday evenings with volunteers that will help you fix your bike and they have all the tools you need.