First chainring sticking

MTB WVA

My chain is sticking to my first chainring...but it's only when its under pressure, not much pressure either. It works fine on the stand, but if i try to ride it the chain bunches up because it is sticking to it. The second and third rings are fine, works like normal, but I'm baffled about what is wrong with the first. I took my crank off, cleaned it, and inspected it very closely, yet i see nothing wrong, any suggestions about what I should do?

Robert Gardner

You might try cleaning and lubing the rear derailer. The spring on the swing arm is supposed to be strong enough to prevent this chain suck. Your chain could be too long if you have modified that since purchase of the bike. When the chain is sucked up are you crossing over gears, i.e. the rear derailer is to the right of the center of your cassette?

moparchris

make sure the teeth and the ring is straight. also if you shift it into 2nd (so the derallieur isnt sitting on the stops) and try to move the cage with your hand, if it has alot of play it might need relacing also check the derallieur angle is right

__________________
GT Ruckus SS
2006 Giant Trance 1
Giant TCR Euro

MTB WVA

I did just install a brand new chain and derailluer, so that may have something to do with it. But it really isn't because the chain is too long, when I look close, I can see some links sticking on the teeth. And I guess when one grabs too tight it stops and causes it to bunch up. I'm not a big fan of breaking my chain to take links out, but I may try that today......Too bad it isn't all power links.


And about me chaning gears while it happens, no i'm not. But it does stick in all gears if it is in first in the front. The other chainrings are fine though, I just dont get it. And like I said, I took my crank off, and inspected everything and cleaned it, but nothing came of that. I just don't know what else to try. My brother said that maybe it could just work itself out, but I cant pedal more than 2 0r 3 times before it does that. And it's really bad on the chain and derailluer.


Well, if anyone else has any suggestions, i'd appreciate it.














*Edit- I tried taking a link out a few minutes ago, and it makes no differnce. I took the crank off again, and see nothing wrong still. I am starting to get agitated becuase I have not been able to ride for about 10 days now. well, I still need some more suggestions.- Thanks

moparchris

ahh.. new chain on old rings ? thats why lol, are the teeth on the rings quote sharp compared to a new one (they should have quite a flat part on top of each tooth rather than being sharp at all. if the ring is worn too much esp. if its worn un-evenly even slightly, the chain will be pulling up onto the back edge of the ring because the gap between the teeth is too big or the wrong shape and so it will have friction in the wrong place and have toruble releasing from the ring under any sortof pressure.

if thats the case you should check the cassette too because if any of that stuff is worn it will cause the chain to wear pre-maturely as well, you should be checking chains sortof regularly and replacing them when needed because generally if you replace them at the right time they wont start wearing at the cogs on the bike. its only when the chain 'streches' (wearing of the pins so the distance between the rollers gets bigger) that it starts wearing at the other parts because when its streched theres odd ammounts of load on each roller cause they wont all contact at the same time.

__________________
GT Ruckus SS
2006 Giant Trance 1
Giant TCR Euro

MTB WVA

My cassete is also new, but I don't see why the first chainring would be more worn than the others, I use the third most often. So what do you suggest I do? I cant afford a new crank set, is there any way to fix it?


---Thanks

moparchris

well if it is what i think it is (witrhout being able to look at it) the only thing to do is replace the c/rings

generally the 1st and 2nd rings wear alot faster because they obviously have lower surface area. usually its the 2nd one depending on the rider that is the most worn because its the most used.

i dont know what your cranks are like and which rings if not all of them need replacing but sometimes its cheaper to replace the whole crankset rather than just the rings. but if you do replace the cranks make sure its the same brand and model if that makes a differece otherwise the offset will probably be different and it will screw up chainline then you'll need a new bottom bracket too. your midring should be 50mm out from the centre of the seat tube.

maybe take it into a bike shop if you havent already and get an opinion of someone who can actually look at it, then you'll know what you need

__________________
GT Ruckus SS
2006 Giant Trance 1
Giant TCR Euro

MTB WVA

I would like to take it to my local bike shop, but he is just money hungry, and will try to sell you something even if nothing is wrong. And what I meant by not being able to afford a crank is what I said, i'm only 15 years old and I don't exactly have much money. I'll look around, becuase I dont think my crank is that expensive (truvativ) but I guess i'll just have to see. I have been having such bad luck with my bike in the last month or so, I almost gave it up. It seems that every time it seems fixed, the dang thing breaks again. Like yesterday, I went riding on a paved trail (so I didn't need first chainring) and my left crank arm just fell off while still attached to my shoe. I looked, and the crank arm bolt was just missing, and I have never taken my left crank off, so I don't know what happened. But anyway, if anyone has any more suggestions, i'd appreciate it.

moparchris

oh yeah.. left crank arm.. i assume its square taper BB ? the left side should be checked oterwise it can come loose and from pedalling esp. if you use clipless shoes because your pulling and pushing it moves the crank backwards and forwards on the spindle and loosens it off and also if you do any jumping and if you land ahh left hand forwards (or is it right? no.. left) it will slowly loosen off, and eventually the bolt will start getting looser and the crank will move more and the hard steel spindle will dig into the soft alloy crank and ruin it, so you'll be needing a new crankset anyway, or at least that left arm if you can get one by itself.

__________________
GT Ruckus SS
2006 Giant Trance 1
Giant TCR Euro

texas80

I had that problem with a cannondale road bike, mine was the fact that one of my pins was bent slightlyin my chain, but it also could be a number of things, is the chainring on your crankset bent? its hard to tell sometimes, the best and easyest, is to take it to a bike shop and slide a brand new one beside it and then look at it. thats all my ideas hope it helps