Twisted links

Twisted links are usually victims of clumsy gear shifts, although they may be caused by trailside objects hitting the chain, too. You feel twisted links first – a regular, slight chain slip but not on every pedal stroke – it’s important to fix them quickly to avoid more serious damage to your chain and derailleur.

Twisted links The gaps between the chain plates are only just big enough to fit a sprocket or chainring tooth into, so once a link is twisted it usually rides up over the tops of the teeth rather than dropping into the valley, causing your chain to slip under pressure. Alternatively, if the twisted link does mesh successfully onto a chainring tooth, it can get stuck and be sucked around the back of the chainring, getting jammed between the chainstay and the chainring. As well as being annoying, this damages the chainring and chainstay. Even after you’ve worked out that you have a twisted link, it can be tricky to spot. The best place to see one from is behind the bike. Get someone else to hold the bike upright…

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