Luther Blissett asked:


I have a ridgeback genesis day03 hybrid road bike, the chain is pretty new (about 2 months of riding up to 2 miles per day, so I’d say it’s done around 120 miles max) but now I think the cassette needs replacing because every now and then when I’m pedaling the drive completely loses resistance and just goes round very easily with no weight, the chain is still on. After a few turns, perhaps pedaling backwards a bit, it seems to drive the back wheel again, or catch. This is quite dangerous, it’s happened to me in the middle of a big roundabout while my left foot was going down so the whole bike and me veered sharply to the left and I just about managed to stay up and make it to the middle of the roundabout, at the time there was a big cement truck behind me!

Anyway, I have the tools to change the cassette and I can get a new cassette (not sure what all the numbers are with cassettes though, I know 9 speed etc but what does the 11/32 11/34 34t etc numbers mean?) but I’m wondering if I really need to change the chain as well at the same time? Lots of people say you always should don’t they.

What is the tool called that lets you measure if the chain is worn or not? If that tool tells me the chain is ok can I just fit a new cassette and leave the chain? I’ve looked for that tool on ebay and bike shop websites, haven’t found it yet.

Thanks!
Thanks for your replies so far.

I’ll try to add more details to answer your questions. The bike is years old just the chain is 2 months old. I can’t see how this could be happening because the derailleur needs adjusting, the cassette spins freely without bringing it with it for many revolutions when the problem happens, but maybe I’m wrong and it is the derailleur.

Thanks for explaining the number of teeth on the gears thing, a further question about that. Will it make a difference if the old cassette was a 11/32 but the new one is an 11/34 or should I buy the same?

Thanks again and I’ll check out that derailleur bit on Sheldon Brown’s site.
I meant to say that the cassette spins freely without bringing the rest of the wheel with it, until it catches again.

Somebody… asked:


Ive seen guides that say to remove the rear cassette, you need a lock ring tool and a chain whip. But it looked like that was for taking off individual gears. I looked at my bike and its cassette setup and it looks like, to remove them all at once, all it needs is the lockring tool. So is it necessary to get a chain whip?
yeah. Im watching videos and they show how to use a lockring tool and chain whip to make it so you can remove individual gears. I dont want that. How would i go about removing them all, including the ratchet-style thing the gears are on?
ok. found out its called a freewheel. I might be answering my own question, here lol

xXlocosteXx asked:

my chain is too big to fit in the gears but if i take one off it could fit does any one no how to take one off

dlax1532 asked:

im goin bikin early tomorrow and dont have time to go to the shop. how can i do this myself without any extremely specialized tools?

well i got the bike used and i can tell its been through alot. im pretty sure the chain is loose because it keeps skipping on the gears when i go up a hill and put tension on the chain. if this sounds like something else let me know

Dan Deluxe asked:

I need to replace chain, gears, crank, tyres etc on my Specialized Hard Rock and instead of taking it it to a shop to get fixed i want to buy the parts and learn to do it myself to save money. I dont know how much different parts should be so i want to know somewhere with reliably good prices so that i dont have to mess about comparing different sites. I also need all necessary tools etc

abdul j asked:

hallo fellow cyclist,
my chain, gears and cassette are filthy,
i wanna clean em good.
i dont have any specialty chemicals or tools to use…
there are no bike shops near my house and i’m broke after buying a pair of tioga city slicker tyres….
so what can i use to clean that is ussually found in your average house…
can washing up liquid do the cleaning and cooking oil do the lubricating?

shawn b asked:

My 1964 Impala SS (327) needs a cam and lifter kit and I was wondering if it is pretty labor intensive…requiring special tools…or if I can do it myself. Also, would it be a good idea to replace the timing chain and gears while I’m in there?

bikelife asked:

Have seen 1/16 inch in 12 inches (12 links) referred to as time to change (www.sheldonbrown.com/chains) and would like to gauge the range of opinion on this number.

I am approaching this wear level now, though I have religiously (weekly) cleaned the chain with a cleaning tool (BB brand) and ‘gallons’ of citrus-type solvent and water, and have lubed with a synthetic oil for wet conditions (Pedro’s) everyday. Shoulders here are often sand-covered or muddy, and I often must commute in/after downpours.

To be precise, my Shimano HG narrow (with 9-spd cassete) is at 1/32 stretch after about 5 months and 2000 km (about 1,250 miles). This begs a secondary question: Is this a reasonable wear rate?
Thanks for your ideas.
Thanks to all the respondents.
Daniel H. and Andrew H. are my favorites, but I have to give BQ to Andrew for providing most practical answer.
I’ll be changing the chain more often now, and recycling it, and so, hopefully, not be paying for new chain rings and cassettes anymore. Learned impt, expensive lesson before I got so **** about chain cleaning; had to replace whole drivetrain once, when slippage (due to worn teeth) got too bad on favorite gears.
Now will avoid all that hopefully.