Dropped Bike Chain? 4 Tips to Get it Back On

Ker-clunk… the dreaded sound when you try to shift gears and instead your chain drops off the chainring. Don’t despair! Follow these steps, add a dash of patience and finesse, and you’ll be Riding Happy again in no time. 

1. Remove your chain guard (if you have one)

Break out your handy multi-tool to loosen the bolts and take off the guard. Those little bolts can disappear so keep them in a safe place while you work.  Don’t have a tool? Check out the Tern Tool or Crankbrothers M19.

2. Create slack in the chain

Push your derailleur forward gently with your left hand and use the slack to work the chain out from where it dropped.  This is where the patience and finesse comes in, especially if the chain is really wedged in between the chainring and frame. You’ve got this! 

3. Lay the chain back on the chainring

A conventional chainring has teeth that are all the same size. When you lay the chain back on, it should settle right in and be ready to roll.

A narrow wide chainring has different sized teeth to help keep the chain on bikes that don’t have a front derailleur (also know as a 1x drivetrain).  Be sure the chain settles all the way into the chainring grooves – that means that the longer chain links are matched up with the wider teeth.  Take a peek at your chainring if you’re not sure, because it may have a note with details.