Slipping of the chain when applying pressure to the pedals is usually caused by worn or damaged chains, worn freewheels/ cassettes & worn chain rings. If your chain is worn 0.75% or more, both the chain, freewheel/ cassette and/or chain rings may need replacing. We will check the chain, freewheel and rings for wear when the bike is brought in for an assessment and before any work is carried out on the bike. If your chain, freewheel/ cassette and rings are not worn but slipping still occurs while riding, we will then look at the free hub body on your wheel, which will involve completely stripping the rear hub which may incur extra costs. The free hub body may need replacing or possibly even a new wheel may be needed, although this is not always necessarily the case with every gear service!

Hangers can bend or snap with improper use of the gears, or more commonly, when there is damage to the rear derailleur or hanger due to either a fall or improper storage of the bike. If your hanger and/or rear derailleur are not aligned or damaged, shifting through the gears in this condition can result in the derailleur shifting into the wheel, which can damaged the derailleur beyond repair, snap the hanger, damage the chain and also damage the spokes/ wheel. It is important to check your hanger/ derailleur alignment before each ride.