important: Nuts and bolts on your bike should always be tightened to the manufacturer's specifications.

How to Loosen a Stiff Chain Link

Stiff chain links cause noise, shifting problems, and even injury. Watch how to fix it by hand!

A stiff chain link can cause problems with your shifting, and can even cause injury if it slips while you’re pedaling. Here’s how to easily diagnose and fix the problem.

Find the Stiff Link

You’ll know you have a stiff link if your chain skips every 3 or 4 rotations. If you have several stiff links you’ll feel it skip even more often. To find the link, shift down to your smallest rear sprocket and then run the chain backwards through the derailleur by rotating your crank. Keep a close eye on your chain as it rolls over the lower derailleur pulley. When the stiff link passes through you’ll see it jump over the pulley. This means the inner and outer plates of one of your chain links are squished together too tight at the pin.

Loosen by Hand

To fix this by hand, simply work the plates loose by twisting the chain up and down the same way it was meant to. Then point the stiff link upward and firmly grab the closest connecting points on either side. Now twist the chain side to side, the way it was not supposed to bend. If all goes well, your stiff link should now be loosened and you can continue riding.

Loosen with a Chain Tool

If this method doesn’t work, and the link is still stiff, you’ll have to use a chain tool to fix it. Place the stiff link into the chain tool, on the slots closest to the turning handle. Now thread the chain tool’s pin gently against the chain pin about 1/8th of a turn, or just enough to slightly loosen the chain plates. That should loosen it enough.

If you still have problems, the chain may actually be bent and need replacing.

Related Links

Recommended Tools

Categories

Discuss this topic in the Bicycle Repairs and Mechanics Forum

What jockey wheel Red 10 Speed

Latest post 15 hours ago

Can anyone advise what type of replacement jockey wheel I need for a 10 speed Red rear mech (it's got 11 teeth)? Bonus points if it's a link to a cheap (ish) one! Thanks...

Read more

Operation of Santa Monica Ebike

Latest post 4 days ago

Hello - new owner with an How to Operate the bike question. Hopefully, this is easily answered I Bought this bike a few weeks ago - Tested many bikes and finally landed on this particular Santa Monica. However, got busy with Christmas shopping, Life, and not so great weather days distracted me from riding. I also test drove so many that I forgot how to operate it.... I "thought" I remembered, ...

Read more

Grip Shifters

Latest post 4 days ago

Currently renovating a child's bike. It has 24 inch wheels and is a suitable size for a 7-10 year old. Anyway it has grip shifters. it is a six speed with three chain rings on the front derailleur. On the rear derailleur the shifter does not appear to move the gear cable at all when shifting from 6 to 5 and 5 to 4. I am actually holding the cable with my finger and thumb against the cable cas...

Read more

9 speed chain on 8 speed bike

Latest post 6 days ago

All of my bikes are 7 or 8 speed and sometime in the past I bought a 9 speed chain for some unremembered reason. is there any reason not to use it on an 8 speed bike?...

Read more

I have a Gazelle Esprit belt drive bike with hub gears which has a rear puncture. Can someone advise me on how to remove and refit the wheel? I'm aware that it can be quite complicated, but I have no option other than tackling it myself. The photos were taken with the bike upside down.   IMG_20250122_105320.jpg (Size: 77.51 KB / Downloads: 16)   IMG_20250122_105428.jpg (...

Read more

Gears and derailleur misalignment

Latest post 1 month ago

  My Trike.jpg (Size: 57.65 KB / Downloads: 29)   Wife Trike.jpg (Size: 60.74 KB / Downloads: 29) Although I have ridden bikes on and off since a kid (75 years old now), I have very little experience with anything other than a single speed bike. I recently purchased a new 7-speed Gospel adult tike, which needed assembly. My wife has the same model trike but older and p...

Read more

I'm curious—how often or after how many miles do people typically check or change their mechanical disc brake pads? I've been bikepacking for a while but never really followed a maintenance schedule. A few weeks ago, I took my bike to a mechanic because I heard some noise. The mechanic did a quick overhaul, and I was sent on my way. However, a few weeks later, while descending steep hills, I s...

Read more

Shifting is almost impossible

Latest post 2 months ago

My wife's road bike has Shimano Sora shifters with a triple front derailleur (stock). The thumb switch on the front shifter is VERY hard to use and she can't do it when she's riding. I did a full adjustment of the front derailleur but it didn't change anything. One thing that I noticed is that the shifter works smoothly when the shifter cable is unattached from the derailleur, suggesting that the ...

Read more

7-speed bicycle with bent rim

Latest post 2 months ago

I recently bought a 7-speed bicycle practically brand new it still has a little rubber nipples on the tires apparently it got backed into in the garage and it bent the rear rim sideways my question is can I go out and buy another just like single speed 20 inch bicycle and put the 7-speed cassette onto that rim?...

Read more

Trek domane tyre

Latest post 3 months ago

Hi I have a trek domane 2.3, and I have changed the rear tyre to 28 (it was 25 originally) The tyre rubs with the brake arm (v brake), I fear it doesn’t seem to be compatible Is there any way to adjust the position of the brake arm? I just need it to ne around 2mm higher Thanks...

Read more

Schwinn meridian rear drive axle

Latest post 3 months ago

Recently bought a slightly used 26" meridian trike. While replacing wider tires on the rear, I noticed an issue with the rear drive side wheel hub. The wheel is held on with a nut and single washer. The hub is not held firmly in a location on the axle and is able to slide back and forth on the axle a good half inch even though the nut is tightened all the way down to its bottom threads on the axle...

Read more

Bianchi Oltre Pro Garmin Mount

Latest post 3 months ago

I am wondering if anyone can help me with the garmin mount that came with my recently purchased Bianchi Oltre Pro. I was on a ride descending and the mount flew off, landing in the middle of the road with my garmin head unit. Luckily the head unit still works with a few minor scratches and cracks. From the picture you can see that it was not that the screws came loose, it was in fact the part of ...

Read more

Hello, I'm running an Apex setup on my gravel bike, 40T front to 11-42T back. Could I swap in an 11-46T Shimano cassette (11-speed all round)? Just considering options, as my Apex 11 speed cranks don't go lower than 40T...

Read more

Bearing grease

Latest post 4 months ago

found. please del! sorry...

Read more

Broken Bottom Bracket

Latest post 4 months ago

After 6,000 or so touring miles, the bottom bracket on my Trek 920 broke. Does anyone know what is compatible for a replacement? If I were to choose to replace the entire drive train, what would be compatible? Finally, if I were to replace the drive train, should I go with a 1x for gravel?...

Read more