Over time, bicycle chains will become longer, due to the wearing of the individual chain links. We will show you how to tighten your bike chain again.
Tightening the bicycle chain – this is how it’s done
Time needed: 5 minutes.
If the bicycle chain is tensioned too tightly, this results not only in a higher effort when riding, but also in higher wear of the chain. A too loosely tensioned chain, on the other hand, can fall off more quickly.
- Loosen the fastening screw
Loosen the fastening screw on the rear wheel with a suitable wrench
- Pull the rear wheel evenly backwards
Now pull the rear wheel evenly backwards so that your chain sags by about 0.2 inches. The chain is optimally aligned when you can push the chain upwards and downwards by a maximum of one inch.
- Turn the rear wheel in both directions during the tensioning process
Tip: Turn the rear wheel in both directions during the tensioning process. Chain rings are never exactly round, slight deviations can occur.
- Tighten the bolts on the rear wheel again
Once the optimum chain tension is achieved, tighten the bolts on the rear wheel again.
If you have a bicycle with derailleur gears, the chain does not have to be re-tightened by hand. This is done automatically by the integrated chain tensioner.
