Why does my bike chain keep skipping?

G

Ginger Ninja

New member
I have a Vertical BMX bike. My problem started small. Usually when I started from a stop or put a lot of pressure on the pedals going uphill, my chain skipped or something to that effect. Now it gets to the point where I barely ever get anywhere pedaling. What's happening? I've tried moving the back wheel further back, but that doesn't seem to do a whole lot. Any other suggestions as to what the problem might be and how I fix it?
 
It can be anything from the chain being too loose to the chain and sprockets are wore down. You can check the chain for wear and the sprockets should have a square looking top. The proper tension on the chain is when the center of the chain between the front and rear sprockets only moves 1/2 inch up or down when moved with your hand.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

http://bicycletutor.com/part/chain/
 
Is the chain well oiled and the links are not stuck together? Most times that is the problem. Check it out by just wiggling each link to make sure it's not sticking. But it could also be that the gear teeth are just worn out.
 
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