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Did I pick the wrong bike?

Do pedestrians imitate automotive traffic?

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Did I pick the wrong bike?

Did I buy the wrong mountain bike?Chain Slippage on MTBWhat happens when a bike has not had maintenance for a long time?Why does my bike crank creak and come loose?SRAM X4 MTB Rear Derailleur H-Limit screw maximum open, but still on 7th Cog?Can't shift front gear, despite loosening, tightening, etc. What could be wrong?Chain ReplacementWhy is my bike slipping gears?Did I choose the wrong size bike?My santa cruz heckler ghost shifts from frame flex. Is there anything I can do?

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I live 7.2 miles from where I work and was rebuilding my life, so no car. I was walking to work everyday until my son took me to Wal-Mart and said I was getting a bike. I picked out a Kent 26 Bayside 7-speed cruiser. I am 5ft 9in tall, 225 lbs and generally a big stocky guy. Aside from taking a turn too fast in the middle of the night, and having to carry the bike 4 miles home, I have not had too much trouble, but the bike is no longer shifting to all the gears, and when in the highest gear, 7th, the chain slides off the front cog.

I made some adjustments, not knowing what the adjustments actually did, and the derailleur ripped off the hanger. No damage to chain or cogs, but when I replaced the derailleur, it does the same thing as the first one did. The guys at the bike shop said I am using the wrong bike because the trails I have to take to get to work are more mountain bike trails.

I guess, the heart of my question is, with proper maintainence and adjustment, can this bike carry me or do I really have to get another bike? I have no clue why the chain comes off the front cog when the bike is in the higher gears, it did not used to do that, but I do know I am hard on the thing.

mountain-bike maintenance off-road bike-selection cruiser

share|improve this question

edited 6 hours ago

Swifty

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asked 8 hours ago

Loren StevensonLoren Stevenson

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New contributor

Loren Stevenson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Good work cutting the car out of your life - they're not mandatory. You're doing great - keep it up.
  
  – Criggie♦
  4 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I hated everything that went with owning a car, you know? And I have to work, so I have to get to work. But I have gotten addicted. even riding on my days off just as far if not farther, lol
  
  – Loren Stevenson
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

2

I live 7.2 miles from where I work and was rebuilding my life, so no car. I was walking to work everyday until my son took me to Wal-Mart and said I was getting a bike. I picked out a Kent 26 Bayside 7-speed cruiser. I am 5ft 9in tall, 225 lbs and generally a big stocky guy. Aside from taking a turn too fast in the middle of the night, and having to carry the bike 4 miles home, I have not had too much trouble, but the bike is no longer shifting to all the gears, and when in the highest gear, 7th, the chain slides off the front cog.

I made some adjustments, not knowing what the adjustments actually did, and the derailleur ripped off the hanger. No damage to chain or cogs, but when I replaced the derailleur, it does the same thing as the first one did. The guys at the bike shop said I am using the wrong bike because the trails I have to take to get to work are more mountain bike trails.

I guess, the heart of my question is, with proper maintainence and adjustment, can this bike carry me or do I really have to get another bike? I have no clue why the chain comes off the front cog when the bike is in the higher gears, it did not used to do that, but I do know I am hard on the thing.

mountain-bike maintenance off-road bike-selection cruiser

share|improve this question

edited 6 hours ago

Swifty

4,45711 gold badge99 silver badges3232 bronze badges

asked 8 hours ago

Loren StevensonLoren Stevenson

1333 bronze badges

New contributor

Loren Stevenson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Good work cutting the car out of your life - they're not mandatory. You're doing great - keep it up.
  
  – Criggie♦
  4 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I hated everything that went with owning a car, you know? And I have to work, so I have to get to work. But I have gotten addicted. even riding on my days off just as far if not farther, lol
  
  – Loren Stevenson
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

I live 7.2 miles from where I work and was rebuilding my life, so no car. I was walking to work everyday until my son took me to Wal-Mart and said I was getting a bike. I picked out a Kent 26 Bayside 7-speed cruiser. I am 5ft 9in tall, 225 lbs and generally a big stocky guy. Aside from taking a turn too fast in the middle of the night, and having to carry the bike 4 miles home, I have not had too much trouble, but the bike is no longer shifting to all the gears, and when in the highest gear, 7th, the chain slides off the front cog.

I made some adjustments, not knowing what the adjustments actually did, and the derailleur ripped off the hanger. No damage to chain or cogs, but when I replaced the derailleur, it does the same thing as the first one did. The guys at the bike shop said I am using the wrong bike because the trails I have to take to get to work are more mountain bike trails.

I guess, the heart of my question is, with proper maintainence and adjustment, can this bike carry me or do I really have to get another bike? I have no clue why the chain comes off the front cog when the bike is in the higher gears, it did not used to do that, but I do know I am hard on the thing.

mountain-bike maintenance off-road bike-selection cruiser

share|improve this question

edited 6 hours ago

Swifty

4,45711 gold badge99 silver badges3232 bronze badges

asked 8 hours ago

Loren StevensonLoren Stevenson

1333 bronze badges

New contributor

Loren Stevenson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

edited 6 hours ago

Swifty

4,45711 gold badge99 silver badges3232 bronze badges

asked 8 hours ago

Loren StevensonLoren Stevenson

1333 bronze badges

New contributor

Loren Stevenson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

edited 6 hours ago

Swifty

4,45711 gold badge99 silver badges3232 bronze badges

asked 8 hours ago

Loren StevensonLoren Stevenson

1333 bronze badges

New contributor

Loren Stevenson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

edited 6 hours ago

Swifty

4,45711 gold badge99 silver badges3232 bronze badges

edited 6 hours ago

Swifty

4,45711 gold badge99 silver badges3232 bronze badges

asked 8 hours ago

Loren StevensonLoren Stevenson

1333 bronze badges

New contributor

Loren Stevenson is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

asked 8 hours ago

Loren StevensonLoren Stevenson

1333 bronze badges

1 Answer
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3

Whether the cruiser style bike is suitable for the 'mountain bike trails' you are riding on really depends on exactly what those trails are like. The cruiser has pretty big tires so it should be able to handle rough surfaces just fine. If you are riding those trails and it feels OK, then it's OK.

Cheap bikes from big-box stores with Shimano 'Tourney' level components are not known for durable and reliable drive trains that will work every single day. If you want to try to make it work, learn how rear derailleurs are adjusted, it's not super complicated. Basically there are upper and lower limits that stop the derailleur pushing the chain off the sprockets, and an indexing adjustment that positions the chain correctly for each gear.

To address the issues you are having, have a bike shop check your derailleur cage alignment. The derailleur hanger can get bent which messes up how the derailleur feeds the chain onto the sprockets. This may be why you are can't shift into all gears and the chain is coming off.

Lastly, don't forget the shift cable and housing. If these get dirt inside them or damaged they can prevent proper shifting.

If you are going to get a different bike, invest in one from a proper bike shop with better components, or look for a better quality used bike.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

Argenti ApparatusArgenti Apparatus

43.5k33 gold badges4545 silver badges105105 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Wow, thanks for the insight, I do have trouble at the end of the trail closest to my work, it is soft gravel and sand, but I attribute that to my lack of skill as I have only been riding for about two months. You were right about he derailleur
  
  – Loren Stevenson
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  The* derailleur, I went on my lunch and adjusted it, the chain does not jump off now.
  
  – Loren Stevenson
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  "[derailleur adjustment is] not super complicated." Maybe not for you. I have a hard time of it. Especially as I don't have a bike stand. For a first time bike owner trying to tune up a Walmart bike, I wouldn't consider it easy.
  
  – Henry A. Kissinger
  8 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @HenryA.Kissinger I don't disagree with your perspective. I'd say the concept is not complicated (only 3 things to adjust) but the execution can certainly be difficult.
  
  – Argenti Apparatus
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I found that a 16 minute video on Youtube explained it to me well enough I was able to go out and fix the chain issue in about 10 minutes, but that was after the answer I got from Argenti and looking up the video and I just replaced the derailleur last night because it ripped off the hanger. Did not mention in the original post because I was getting the same results with both derailleurs.
  
  – Loren Stevenson
  6 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

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3

Whether the cruiser style bike is suitable for the 'mountain bike trails' you are riding on really depends on exactly what those trails are like. The cruiser has pretty big tires so it should be able to handle rough surfaces just fine. If you are riding those trails and it feels OK, then it's OK.

Cheap bikes from big-box stores with Shimano 'Tourney' level components are not known for durable and reliable drive trains that will work every single day. If you want to try to make it work, learn how rear derailleurs are adjusted, it's not super complicated. Basically there are upper and lower limits that stop the derailleur pushing the chain off the sprockets, and an indexing adjustment that positions the chain correctly for each gear.

To address the issues you are having, have a bike shop check your derailleur cage alignment. The derailleur hanger can get bent which messes up how the derailleur feeds the chain onto the sprockets. This may be why you are can't shift into all gears and the chain is coming off.

Lastly, don't forget the shift cable and housing. If these get dirt inside them or damaged they can prevent proper shifting.

If you are going to get a different bike, invest in one from a proper bike shop with better components, or look for a better quality used bike.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

Argenti ApparatusArgenti Apparatus

43.5k33 gold badges4545 silver badges105105 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Wow, thanks for the insight, I do have trouble at the end of the trail closest to my work, it is soft gravel and sand, but I attribute that to my lack of skill as I have only been riding for about two months. You were right about he derailleur
  
  – Loren Stevenson
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  The* derailleur, I went on my lunch and adjusted it, the chain does not jump off now.
  
  – Loren Stevenson
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  "[derailleur adjustment is] not super complicated." Maybe not for you. I have a hard time of it. Especially as I don't have a bike stand. For a first time bike owner trying to tune up a Walmart bike, I wouldn't consider it easy.
  
  – Henry A. Kissinger
  8 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @HenryA.Kissinger I don't disagree with your perspective. I'd say the concept is not complicated (only 3 things to adjust) but the execution can certainly be difficult.
  
  – Argenti Apparatus
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I found that a 16 minute video on Youtube explained it to me well enough I was able to go out and fix the chain issue in about 10 minutes, but that was after the answer I got from Argenti and looking up the video and I just replaced the derailleur last night because it ripped off the hanger. Did not mention in the original post because I was getting the same results with both derailleurs.
  
  – Loren Stevenson
  6 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

3

Whether the cruiser style bike is suitable for the 'mountain bike trails' you are riding on really depends on exactly what those trails are like. The cruiser has pretty big tires so it should be able to handle rough surfaces just fine. If you are riding those trails and it feels OK, then it's OK.

Cheap bikes from big-box stores with Shimano 'Tourney' level components are not known for durable and reliable drive trains that will work every single day. If you want to try to make it work, learn how rear derailleurs are adjusted, it's not super complicated. Basically there are upper and lower limits that stop the derailleur pushing the chain off the sprockets, and an indexing adjustment that positions the chain correctly for each gear.

To address the issues you are having, have a bike shop check your derailleur cage alignment. The derailleur hanger can get bent which messes up how the derailleur feeds the chain onto the sprockets. This may be why you are can't shift into all gears and the chain is coming off.

Lastly, don't forget the shift cable and housing. If these get dirt inside them or damaged they can prevent proper shifting.

If you are going to get a different bike, invest in one from a proper bike shop with better components, or look for a better quality used bike.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

Argenti ApparatusArgenti Apparatus

43.5k33 gold badges4545 silver badges105105 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Wow, thanks for the insight, I do have trouble at the end of the trail closest to my work, it is soft gravel and sand, but I attribute that to my lack of skill as I have only been riding for about two months. You were right about he derailleur
  
  – Loren Stevenson
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  The* derailleur, I went on my lunch and adjusted it, the chain does not jump off now.
  
  – Loren Stevenson
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  "[derailleur adjustment is] not super complicated." Maybe not for you. I have a hard time of it. Especially as I don't have a bike stand. For a first time bike owner trying to tune up a Walmart bike, I wouldn't consider it easy.
  
  – Henry A. Kissinger
  8 hours ago
  
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  @HenryA.Kissinger I don't disagree with your perspective. I'd say the concept is not complicated (only 3 things to adjust) but the execution can certainly be difficult.
  
  – Argenti Apparatus
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I found that a 16 minute video on Youtube explained it to me well enough I was able to go out and fix the chain issue in about 10 minutes, but that was after the answer I got from Argenti and looking up the video and I just replaced the derailleur last night because it ripped off the hanger. Did not mention in the original post because I was getting the same results with both derailleurs.
  
  – Loren Stevenson
  6 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

Whether the cruiser style bike is suitable for the 'mountain bike trails' you are riding on really depends on exactly what those trails are like. The cruiser has pretty big tires so it should be able to handle rough surfaces just fine. If you are riding those trails and it feels OK, then it's OK.

Cheap bikes from big-box stores with Shimano 'Tourney' level components are not known for durable and reliable drive trains that will work every single day. If you want to try to make it work, learn how rear derailleurs are adjusted, it's not super complicated. Basically there are upper and lower limits that stop the derailleur pushing the chain off the sprockets, and an indexing adjustment that positions the chain correctly for each gear.

To address the issues you are having, have a bike shop check your derailleur cage alignment. The derailleur hanger can get bent which messes up how the derailleur feeds the chain onto the sprockets. This may be why you are can't shift into all gears and the chain is coming off.

Lastly, don't forget the shift cable and housing. If these get dirt inside them or damaged they can prevent proper shifting.

If you are going to get a different bike, invest in one from a proper bike shop with better components, or look for a better quality used bike.

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

Argenti ApparatusArgenti Apparatus

43.5k33 gold badges4545 silver badges105105 bronze badges

share|improve this answer

answered 8 hours ago

Argenti ApparatusArgenti Apparatus

43.5k33 gold badges4545 silver badges105105 bronze badges

answered 8 hours ago

Argenti ApparatusArgenti Apparatus

43.5k33 gold badges4545 silver badges105105 bronze badges

answered 8 hours ago

Argenti ApparatusArgenti Apparatus

43.5k33 gold badges4545 silver badges105105 bronze badges