How tight is a bike chain supposed to be?

Question

I got a new chain. I counted the links on the old chain and sized the new chain accordingly, but when I tested out my bike I think the chain started slipping on the gears. (it makes a cranking sound especially when im doing inclines) Is there a way I can tell if its on tight enough? Should I take off one more link? Or is it something other than the new chain (like the way its strung on)?

Answer 1

Turn your bike upside down and place the gears into the smallest sprockets. Your chain should not touch the derailier arm. If it does, its too long.

Let us assume that you have done averything right though. What it could be is your sprockets. When the chain stretches through wear, it causes grooves to be worn into your sprockets, with the rear casset wearing quicker than the rear. For this reason, your gears will jump until your chain has worn enough to fit comfortably into the old grooves, dramatically shortening chain life.

Replace your rear casset. If this still persists you might be looking at a new front sprocket set as well. To start with though, try getting your gears re-indexed.

Luck

Answer 2

The other answers look pretty good. If you have the same number of links, it should not be your chain length. it could be your shifter or your gears.

OR

This was new to me- the stuff bike chains are shipped in is often not good lubricant, it is for keeping the chain from rusting. Completely remove this from the chain and lube with the good stuff.

then rotate your chain backwards, look for a tight set of links as it goes thru the rear shifting maze.

nothing to do with the new chain, but i screwed up the front derailleur just a bit, and for about a week i could not get the chain on the front small chainring. double check your adjustments, you might have bumped something.

good luck

Answer 3

Your old chain was worn into the groove of your chain rings, and vice versa. You are slipping because the new chain isn't in groove with the old parts. You are going to have to buy new chain rings.

Answer 4

You may very well have other drivetrain parts that are worn out. Chainrings, cogs, and chains need to be worn to roughly the same degree for everything to work properly together.

Read though this article for a better understanding http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html