Why Does My Bike Keep Skipping Gears?
A bike that skips gears, hesitates when shifting, or unexpectedly jumps between gears can be frustrating—and sometimes unsafe. The cause isn’t always as simple as turning the derailleur’s barrel adjuster.
Common causes of poor shifting include:
A stretched or damaged shift cable
Worn or contaminated cable housing
A bent derailleur hanger
Incorrect derailleur adjustment
A worn chain or cassette
A loose cassette or rear wheel
Incompatible drivetrain components
One of the most important parts of bicycle repair is learning how to diagnose the problem before making adjustments. For example, adjusting the rear derailleur won’t solve the problem if the derailleur hanger is bent or the chain and cassette are worn.
At Bike Teacher, students learn a step-by-step diagnostic process. We inspect the wheel installation, drivetrain wear, derailleur alignment, cable condition, limit screws, and indexing before deciding what needs to be adjusted or replaced.
This approach helps prevent unnecessary parts replacement and teaches you how the entire shifting system works together.
If your bike isn’t shifting correctly, Bike Teacher offers bicycle repair services and hands-on bicycle mechanic classes in San Jose. Classes are kept small for better individual instruction, and students may bring bikes to class for real-world practice.
Learn how to diagnose the problem—not just turn an adjustment screw.
Bike Teacher
Hands-on bicycle mechanic training and bicycle repair in San Jose, California
Learn. Wrench. Ride.
