I have a brand new bike and am facing what I would say is skipping. The bike has had the gears indexed twice but the issue persists. It occurs in the last 2 or 3 high gears.
The last shop to index said it was because it was a brand new bike and the chain would slacken over time.
The big clunking noise and motion felt when this happens does not sound/feel normal to me and I am really concerned that I am doing major damage resulting parts needing replaced.
Everything I read goes on about worn chainset/chain but this is a brand new bike.
Should I be worried? Will the issue ease with use?
It will not improve with use and the shop is talking nonsense. There is something wrong with it. My bet? bent mech hanger. Back to the people you ought it from with a "fix it or refund" message
The last shop to index said it was because it was a brand new bike and the chain would slacken over time.
This is bollocks.
Take it back to where you bought it and get them to sort it for you.
+1 to shop talking bollocks.
My money would also be on a bent mech hanger.
Back to the shop you bought it from, or find a better lbs.
My money would also be on a bent mech hanger.
this
Shop is talking drivel, Mech or mech hanger out of alignment. They need to use a mech hanger alignment tool, if they dont have one/dont know how to use it, find another shop, its a pretty basic check that should be completed on all bikes before tinkering with indexing.
The chain 'slackening) may help with new chain on a worn drivetrain, but not a new bike.
Check for stiff chain links, bent teeth, distorted chainrings etc, or as above, tell the bike shop to sort it out and test ride it before calling you to collect it!
Thanks OP, had exact same symptoms on my new bike, had been too lazy to check hanger but shall do this now...
Grrr. I don't expect this on a new bike!! It was purchased/delivered from an online shop. They do have a physical shop but it's hundreds of miles away. I am new to all this so I don't yet know what a hanger is. The bike was supposed to have been serviced before been sent.
So far my first ebike / expensive purchase has been nothing but a stressful experience.
I noticed the gear issue immediately on a quick test ride. But I decided to go on my first ride avoiding the problem gears. The rest work perfectly fine.
After the first and only ride I realised I had not tightend the pedals properly. This caused the thread on one the crank arms to strip. So I took it to a local shop who replaced the crank arms, did a nut and bolt check and indexed the gears. On collection the gear issue was still present and when I asked about this it was then I was told the issue would ease. I took the bike away, after damaging the car getting it in!
Testing the bike at home I am convinced it is not right and was why I posted this.
Really not sure what to do next.
My blood pressure has certingly gone up enough already.
Oh god it’s another one of these - which e-bike is it - I’m sure there was an almost identical thread a few months ago about an ebike that almost immediately needed new cranks?
On the gears I’d just take it to a decent bike shop. It’s very likely the rear mech hanger is slightly bent (unless you’re unlucky and it’s the mech). Either that or it’s a b screw not adjusted well. Neither of those things sound like something you know about to best to let a decent bike shop take the strain.
Where are you in the country - someone should be able to suggest a decent shop to you on here I’m sure?
Have you raised the issue with the online seller?
I have had a few online bikes brought in the retailer said they would cover up to £X value to get the bike sorted (cheaper than shipping it back to them, and less risk. Bent mech hanger is the most common, also just never setup properly at factory or uk distributor. I have had wrong chain length, kinked internal cables etc etc
And yes, if the LBS has said "it was a brand new bike and the chain would slacken over time." then you want to find another workshop.
Unfortunately getting bullshitted by shops seems to be something everyone has to go through at some point.
If there are any local MTB groups on Facebook it might be worth joining them to get some recommendations for the decent local shops. Or just tell us where you're based and someone on here will probably be able to recommend somewhere.
Sorry you're having a crappy experience so far but I'm sure it'll get better.
It'll have had a bash during shipping most likely - unless its just some kind of BSO and its just rubbish as standard.
I had exactly the same symptoms on a brand new bike many years ago.
New mech hanger sorted it.
They get bashed in the boxes.
2 bikes bought from CRC/Wiggle both had bent hangers. Easy to fix if you have the tools (and a bit of knowledge) but get back to the shop and see if they’ll cover your LBS having a look at it
I took the bike away, after damaging the car getting it in!
When you took it to the bike shop, did you put the bike in, gear side down?
Got to be either bent hanger or Sram SX drivetrain, or both.
Just on the pedal stripping, were you aware that the left pedal is reverse threaded so needs to be turned in the opposite direction to normal?
Apologies if so, and may have been nothing to do with the crank thread getting stripped, but can be a rookie mistake if you dont know about it and something to be aware of.
Came here to say bent mech hanger, but also read the entire thread.
Firstly, never use the shop that told you that it’d improve over time.
On to the bent hanger. It’s not a major issue, but you will want to sort it before you ride it further. On a regular bike it’s not ideal. On an e-bike I’d imagine the higher torque + drivetrain alignment issues (assuming it is a bent hanger) will at the very least be doing your mech and chain no favours.
My suggestion would be to find a more reputable local bike shop - ideally one that stocks your brand of bike, fall on the sword a bit and explain the situation (online sale, supplying bike shop miles away), and see what they say. Be prepared to wait a bit for parts if necessary to sort it.
Don’t stress - you will get it sorted, and soon you’ll be out there shifting seamlessly as you pass us less fortunate souls on analogue bikes trying to hide our jealousy.
Ouch OP mind if I ask the name of the shop? I bought my first MTB years ago from Paulscycles and had shocking service from them. I’ll never reccommend them to anyone, so curious if it was the same.
Gears are actually very easy to do with straight mech hanger and new cables. I used to think the stops were controlled by science but then when I saw how, realised how it all made sense. I did need someone more experienced to show me it all though
The last time I had this problem the chain was too long.
Its possible that rather than the chain stretching or slackening they actually meant the cables stretching (which does happen on a new bike).
I had missed the part about the thread stripping until now - find a new shop! Unless you somehow ovalised the hole i would expect that a simple insert (helicoil) would have fixed the crank rather than needing full replacements
The bike is a Cube Hybrid 140 SL.
Obviously the crank issue was my fault for not tightening the peddles. That was just a mistake and that has been rectified. The gears however have been the same since the bike was delivered, and after a re-index. I have not contacted the retailer yet so will do this next.
I am located in Cockermouth, Cumbria. The local(ish) shop I did take it to is a reputable one. The young person whom told me the issue would disappear was not the mechanic that worked on the bike I do not think, possibly he did not understand the issue. I don't currently have the transport to be able to take it back (not damaging the hatchback again!).
I will raise with online retailer and see what they say.
Thanks all for the responses...
Bash, have you tried the guys at 4play? much better than the "other" bike shop. ive been using 4play for years, Steve and Adam are a wealth of knowledge and are excellent mechanics
Is the quicklink / magiclink on the right way around ?
There could be a directional arrow on it.
If no arrow, the flat edge should not be against the drive train.
Never needed a bike shop before now. My long standing Cube hardtail never had too much use and has never had a fault. I am very new to understanding the bits and pieces on the bike and don't fancy taking anything on myself.
You might be able to get the online retailer to refund the cost of getting a local bike shop to take a look
I am new to all this so I don’t yet know what a hanger is.
FYI the mech hanger is the soft metal connector between the rear derailleur and the frame. It is purposely soft to prevent damage to the frame if the derailleur gets a knock. Providing it's not seriously bent it can be "tweaked" back to correct alignment using the appropriate tool which any decent LBS should be able to do.
Try RM Cycleworks in Carlisle, top lad that straight as they come.
Is it definitely the chain slipping?
Any chance you could try it in different gears to possibly rule out the freehub being at fault?
bash123
Free Member
Obviously the crank issue was my fault for not tightening the peddles. That was just a mistake and that has been rectified.
The issue for me is that they've taken the nuclear option of fitting new cranks instead of fixing the problem. Couple that with not being able to rectify (or even identify) the gearing issue, I'd be going elsewhere in future
@mashr - the cranks definitely needed to be replaced, the thread was completely stripped and the hole remaining was quite large. I'm happy they were replaced.
@tranporter123 - I'm no expert but that's what it feels like. The other gears are perfectly fine. It's the 2, possibly 3 highest gears with the issue. My first and only ride to try out the bike I just avoided the high gears.
the cranks definitely needed to be replaced, the thread was completely stripped and the hole remaining was quite large.
Not entirely, just as a learning the cranks may have been fixable with a helicoil; likely to be a bit more expensive than this link as the cranks could be more complex construction, and also one is reverse thread. But a stripped thread elsewhere on the bike (or anywhere) doesn't automatically mean it's junk.
I’m happy they were replaced.
Probably best option as cranks will probably have been relatively cheap OEM type.
https://www.screwfix.com/c/screws-nails-fixings/thread-repair/cat12120002?brand=helicoil
All sorted. It needed B screw adjustment.
Rejoice at a quick easy fix.