I need to swap chainrings, and I’m wondering how to derail the chain so that it ends up neatly around the BB shell.

I was thinking about shifting to the outer ring then slowly turning the pedals backwards while pushing the power side of the chain inwards.

Will this work?

Whats wrong with using your hands to lift the chain off the chainring, or am I missing something fundamental?

pull mech forward lift chain off, though if this is complex better refer to a professional 😉

No, you’re probably not missing anything! I just thought there must be a technique to it!

I tend to use a screwdriver or something to lift the chain off the chain wheels after getting a finger nipped when the rear mech pulled it back on one time.

Yep mech forward and chain off, start at the bottom. Turn the clutch off if it’s shimano clutched mech.

Sram mechs have that lovely little lock button you can use to lock the mech forward for chain fettling 🙂

Is this a troll? Lol.

This is surely a windup….

I’m embarrassed to admit it’s genuine! 😳

Previous bikes have been fixies, so I’m still scared of derailleurs…

To make matters worse, this bike is a recumbent, and my arms might not be long enough to stretch between the rear mech and the cranks. I was just trying to “think” through the process, and had visions of 3 lengths of chain jamming between chainrings or wrapping around the front mech or recumbent-style intermediate pulleys.

Anyway, it sounds simple enough – nothing can go wrong…

Pull the chain off the bottom, wind the cranks slowly backwards. Put a rag around the shell first so you don’t scratch it up – more obvious on recumbents.

Take the rear wheel out to give yourself plenty of slack?