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new KMC chain - problem


Garamundege Mugabe

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Greetings,

Can I ask for some advice here?

I recently put a new KMC 11-speed chain on my road bike, with a 'Missing Link'. Followed the instructions, the link seems fine - but it's giving me a strange intermittent problem: sometimes I'm riding, and put it on the big chain ring and stand on it for a while, when I change down to the small ring, it's as if the chain won't go through the jockey. I then have to back-pedal, or change to a bigger cassette gear, sukkel with it, while free-wheeling, until it will spin again. It doesn't happen on every ride - yet I do stand on the big gears on every ride. I'm really obsessive with cleanliness and lube - so it's not that. I've worked the "Missing Link" by hand - it seems no stiffer than the other links. Is this like a 'running in' issue? Any advice would be appreciated.

thanks

 

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Koei - thankyou. The cassette has maybe 1000km on it, chainrings a bit more, maybe 2000 - 2500. Could the problem be mis-match in wear? Yet I measured the 'old' chain links against the new one - no difference in wear. And the 'old' chain was not really old - had done about 1000km. I just changed it as a precaution

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You'll find many similar topics on the BikeHub. 9/10 times the problem is mis-match in wear. 1000km is not much, but 11-speed chains to tend to wear faster.

 

It is very difficult to establish the amount of wear by visual inspection alone. The best bet is to take it to a reputable bikeshop so they could assist you.

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Are you sure the chain is installed correctly? Does not sound like mismatch in wear to me - that normally manifests in gears slippink/skipping.

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@ Ryinc - sure as I can be. I've built a few vehicle motors over the years as a hobby, so I have some wrenching experience, what foxes me is that the chain runs sweetly most of the time.. I'm going to look at a new cassette & rings, This lot didn't figure to last until Argus anyway.. bloody expensive sport..

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Pulse - I used the Missing Link that came packed with the chain - and it looks perfect. I'm thinking I may as well get another Missing Link and try it just in case this one's a dud.. 

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Maybe your jockey wheel teeth are worn or the jockey bearings kaput and the chain jumps off the lower jockey when you change.

 

On some RDs the top jockey wheel is assymetric and if you put it back the wrong way round then the chain doesn't track properly.

 

Don't only consider the chain.

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So difficult to advise from afar, but to me it sounds like you could be getting a bit of "chain suck" on the small chain ring. That is the new chain is being hooked on the teeth and not dropping off at the bottom of the ring.  See if you can see this when it behaves as you explained.  If it is so - backyard fix - file the sides and points of the teeth on the ring.  Proper fix new chainring.

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I also reckon a bit of chainsuck taking place, if the rest of the drive train is a slight bit past wear limits you can ride the chain in, normally after 50-100km the chain mates with the rest of the drive train and all good after that, worked for me after replacing a chain a little late.

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