Derailleur hanger bent

Symptoms include rear shifting "skipping" or refusing to go into or stay in gear. Most modern hangers are designed to do this in order to protect the derailleur.

Front derailleur breaks

Hard to do, but if you bend the guide plates your chain won't stay on the chain ring. Tips for repairing or removing the derailleur.

Rear derailleur breaks

Normally caused by a stick in the spokes or a trailside rock. It's unlikely you'll be able to fix this on the trail, so it's time to go single speed!

Loose crank arms

Are your crank arms wobbly, or has one even fallen off? Tips to get it back on so you can ride home.

Chain shifts poorly

Rough shifting, skipping and chain suck are often caused by a worn or stiff chain.

Bent, broken, loose chain ring

Bent chain rings or chain ring teeth can really mess with your shifting. Here's how to deal.

Gear cable snaps or broken shifter

The shifter feels wobbly, the chain is in the biggest cog and you have three more hills to climb before getting home.

Freehub freewheels in both directions

It's the strangest feeling to pedal forwards and not get anywhere. If it's just started happening, you may be able to temporarily fix it.

Loose cassette (rear cogs)

A loose cassette causes several issues. It tends to rattle around, and makes shifting difficult in both directions.

Pedal breaks 

Normally pedals don't break so much as fall apart. So long as you have the bits, you can fix them. If you've lost the parts, you can still ride out.

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