Chain skips/slips when in the small ring under load.. Campagnolo Centaur

[R3awak3n]

When I put any power down (standing is worst of course) and I am on the small ring the chain skips but gets back to the same gear. It only happens on the small ring up front, if I go up to the 53 its fine and nothing skips.

I know its not a worn chain/cassette because the chain is brand new and cassette has less than 500 miles. It used to be better before I installed this new crankset but it always slipped in the last 2 gears in the back but now it does in most of them.

I am thinking maybe chain is too long or not enough cable tension?

Thanks everyone.

[tiretrax]

I wonder if you torque your leg to the side when you press harder, thereby rubbing the chain on the front derailleur plate.

[nate2351]

Are there bike shops in NY?

[R3awak3n]

Are there bike shops in NY?

I am sure there are restaurants in whatever stupid town you live in but don't you like to cook at home?

I will try to be polite here, and I am holding myself, if you have nothing constructive to say or do not know how to help/don't want to help, move aside and dont be an assh-le

[R3awak3n]

I wonder if you torque your leg to the side when you press harder, thereby rubbing the chain on the front derailleur plate.

I can make it skip without too much load and while I am looking down onto the derailleur and my leg does not touch the chain.

Thank you.

[djg21]

So you used a worn out chain with a new cassette? You could have worn the cassette if the chain was worn. Did you use all necessary spacers when installing the cassette?

[Richard]

I am assuming from the reference to the newly installed crankset that the small ring is new, the cassette is fairly new and the chain is new. If so and the issue is only when on the small chainring, I wonder whether the derailleur hangar is out of alignment.

Question...can you adjust the derailleur to get rid of the problem? If so, does the problem or a new problem move to the big ring?

[donevwil]

Did you just change your chain? If so, my bet is it wasn't changed early enough and your cassette is also now worn.

This is my bet as well. Are you sure only 500mi on the cassette ? A worn chain can kill even a new cassette in no time, not being noticed until a new chain is installed. Skipping is worse with less chain tension, i.e, small ring.

[R3awak3n]

@djg21: I did just change my chain. The cassete has less than 500 miles. Before I changed to this crankset I had changed the cassette and chain at the same time and had some skipping only in the top 2 gears so I am pretty sure its not the cassette.

@Richard: I need to go work on it this afternoon and try to see if I can fix it and if it is fixed it moves to a different cluster or to the big ring. Its a hard problem because you can't get it to happen in the bike stand. The crankset is not new but the chainrings have low mileage. I will check the RD alignment though, thats a great suggestion.


Thank you everyone

[R3awak3n]

This is my bet as well. Are you sure only 500mi on the cassette ? A worn chain can kill even a new cassette in no time, not being noticed until a new chain is installed. Skipping is worse with less chain tension, i.e, small ring.

I am 100% sure. That cassete was installed new with a brand new chain (cassete never had another chain before the new one), then I used it for about 500 miles and when I installed a new crankset (went from compact to standard) I put a new chain on it and this is the chain I just took out on a ride.

That cassete might not even have 500 miles, it really hasnt been used much and looks new.

[nate2351]

Ha, chill dude, tongue in cheek. My town is just as stupid as yours ;)

Whens the last time you replaced your cable and housing? If the cable's corroded or the ribbing of the housing is pulling out you might have to run the tension too low to get it to drop down the cassette which would explain why its not sitting in gear.

[donevwil]

I am 100% sure. That cassete was installed new with a brand new chain (cassete never had another chain before the new one), then I used it for about 500 miles and when I installed a new crankset (went from compact to standard) I put a new chain on it and this is the chain I just took out on a ride.

That cassete might not even have 500 miles, it really hasnt been used much and looks new.

Assuming the chain/cassette is not the problem and re-reading your original post, does the chain skip in a given cassette cog, on the small chainring, or does it skip to a smaller/larger cassette cog and then return to the original ?

[thwart]

I am sure there are restaurants in whatever stupid town you live in but don't you like to cook at home?

I will try to be polite here, and I am holding myself, if you have nothing constructive to say or do not know how to help/don't want to help, move aside and dont be an assh-le

I get really testy when my bike's not working right... but I don't see an awful lot of 'polite' going on there. And in spite of that the OP replied back with something potentially helpful.

A too-long chain could certainly make things skip in the small chainring and not the large, but in my experience not to the degree you describe. May be more than just one issue. Lots of variables here: new crank (maybe a bad chainline due to the wrong BB width for your frame?), new chain (too long?), a previous issue is now worse (rear derailleur cable tension off or binding somewhere?).

So the OP's rec for an LBS consult makes some sense to me.

[oldpotatoe]

When I put any power down (standing is worst of course) and I am on the small ring the chain skips but gets back to the same gear. It only happens on the small ring up front, if I go up to the 53 its fine and nothing skips.

I know its not a worn chain/cassette because the chain is brand new and cassette has less than 500 miles. It used to be better before I installed this new crankset but it always slipped in the last 2 gears in the back but now it does in most of them.

I am thinking maybe chain is too long or not enough cable tension?

Thanks everyone.

Small ring worn out? Ahhh, I see new crank. Chain being grabbed by pickup pins on big ring when on small? Only happening on smallest cog(s)?

[R3awak3n]

Ha, chill dude, tongue in cheek. My town is just as stupid as yours ;)

Whens the last time you replaced your cable and housing? If the cable's corroded or the ribbing of the housing is pulling out you might have to run the tension too low to get it to drop down the cassette which would explain why its not sitting in gear.

sorry having a bad day, I didnt get that you were just kidding. I am so used to some forums where every says "use search, or take it to a shop".


@donevil: The chain skips on all the middle cogs but it doesnt switch gear, it just returns to the same gear.

@thwart: I understand where you are coming from but I like fixing stuff myself, I have plenty of awesome shops around me and do go there but my preference is to fix it myself, I like learning and its the only way to learn is to do it yourself, fail and do it again. Nate was joking around and I jumped the gun because I didn't get it, if he had said " maybe you have multiple issues going on, you should take it to a shop" I would have not replied that way which I again apologize for.

@oldpotato: It happens on the middle and top cogs but only when in the small ring. I dont think anything is grabbing the chain.

I just put the bike on the stand and adjusted cable tension. The tension bolt was almost all the way out so I think this could be it. I pulled the cable with some pliers, adjusted the bolt again, all the gears are engaging nicely. Going to go out in the next hour and see if its fixed.

Thanks everyone.

[donevwil]

I am so used to some forums where every says "use search, or take it to a shop".

I know that forum.

Can you swap to another cassette ? Issues with alignment, adjustment, assembly, etc. typically crop up via ghost shifting, poor shifting, etc. Low tension, long chain will be worse in smaller cogs. Middle cogs are where most spend the majority of time so wear sooner.

[R3awak3n]

I can, I have the same cassete on a different bike. I just adjusted everything and not only was there not enough tension in the RD cable but the FD wasnt shifting well and I noticed it was a bit too much tilted inward. Fixed that so front shifts great, will take it out in a few to test. If still bad I will swap the wheel to a differnt wheel with the same cassette (with even less miles).

[Jaq]

I am sure there are restaurants in whatever stupid town you live in but don't you like to cook at home?

I will try to be polite here, and I am holding myself, if you have nothing constructive to say or do not know how to help/don't want to help, move aside and dont be an assh-le

Lighten up, Francis.

[msl819]

Sounds like issues I have had with a worn small ring on the cranks. Sounds like it is all new though.

[drewellison]

My vote would be for a worn small chainring. I've had that happen to me.

Is the chain the correct width for the number of speeds? 7 speed chain for a 10 speed cogset? If that were the case, it would probably skip when on the large chainring also.

Drew

[hockeybike]

Another vote for worn small chain ring. Saw it happen on a friend's bike when he'd put any power on the small ring. Fixed with a new ring.

Give it a shot -- not too expensive or time consuming to try, at all.

[R3awak3n]

Thanks for everyones answers. The small ring is not new, I bought it from the forum with "low miles".

However, the darwin award goes to.....


ME!!!!!!

I think I installed the small ring the wrong way. ahhah. There is no markings on the small chainring (praxis classic) so its hard to know which way is witch but just watched a video and pretty sure I have it backwards which would make sense.

[djg21]

http://www.praxiscycles.com/wp-content/uploads/Praxis_Works_Chainring_Mounting_Guide.pdf

[R3awak3n]

I had even seen that when I originally installed them but they don't have the white text on it, the small ring is blank. A good way to know which way it goes is the notches for the bolts go on the outside so the bits can go in them, I of course did not see those and installed them on the inside.

[oldpotatoe]

I had even seen that when I originally installed them but they don't have the white text on it, the small ring is blank. A good way to know which way it goes is the notches for the bolts go on the outside so the bits can go in them, I of course did not see those and installed them on the inside.

If I had a $1 for every shimano small ring I saw that was on backwards...shimano name points toward frame, rather that outboard..so many put the thing on backwards. Another' scientists do not know' example from shimano..

[Gummee]

If I had a $1 for every shimano small ring I saw that was on backwards...shimano name points toward frame, rather that outboard..so many put the thing on backwards. Another' scientists do not know' example from shimano..

We got a brand spanking new Emonda in the shop with an SRM on it.

Small ring installed backwards.

...its the small things that make the biggest WTHeck?! moments

M

[R3awak3n]

Its actually pretty dangerous, I almost fell of the bike standing up start from the smallring and it was as if my foot went through the pedal.

Just took the bike out, and its fine, everything is working as it should now.

[alancw3]

Are there bike shops in NY?

what an a** hole. i cannot believe that you are on this forum. this forum is all about helping others with technical problems first and foremost. i can only apologize to the original poster of this thread and for your unacceptable behavior. i am actuality surprised that the mods did not catch this. i cannot believe that everyone who responded to the question did not gel the same feeling.