Derailer Adjustment
A variety of things may cause the derailleur to skip. Take the following measures in the order they are listed. Test the derailleur before taking the next step, which may subsequently become unnecessary.
- Replace the chain. The problem may be a stretched chain, which would cause skipping as the chain link spacing would no longer match that of the chain ring or cog spacing.
- Increase the spring tension in the derailleur. You may need to ask for help to do this. There should be a screw on the derailleur designed for this purpose.
- Replace the derailleur.
- Replace the chain ring or cogs. This should only be necessary if the chain rings or cogs are "u'ed out." Being u'ed out means that they are worn in a way that makes shifting uneasy. This usually looks like more like the silhouette of a Nike swoosh (in the sense of the Goddess of victory, not the shoe company, of course) than an actual "u." The wear will be toward the pull of the chain.