Chain keeps slipping off

[Jimmy9190]

I have a 10 speed Giant mountain bike. I had to remove the rear wheel to get a new tire put on and now that I put the wheel back on the chain keeps slipping off when I am in low (the smallest one on the sprocket) gear. Also the gear indicator is reading between 5th and 6th when the chain is on the 7th (lowest) gear. Ths chain will stay on for a few hundred feet then pop off and I can not figure out why. It didn't have this problem before removing the tire. And I didn't adjust or change anything on the rear derailleurs either. I did have to remove one brake pad and shift it into the highest gear to get the wheel off, and when I put the wheel back on I made sure the chain went back on the highest gear.

Am I missing some simple adjustment here? Any help is greatly appreciated. I am no bike mechanic by any means.

 

[moribundman]

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html

This one may be easier to follow:
http://www.ehow.com/how_233_adjust-bike-gears.html

 

[Jimmy9190]

Thanks! I'll do some adjusting on it this weekend. I have had the bike for 4 years and never had any adjustments done. it's a great bike and hopefully it will be a simple fix. Thanks for the links, they will help me a lot.

 

[Pablo]

Mori's links should get you there. This video may be helpful as well:

http://bicycletutor.com/adjust-rear-derailleur/

It sounds like a cable tension issue.

 

[Jimmy9190]

That's a great video Pablo. Thanks very much it will help me get this thing fixed without a trip to the bike shop. The site looks like it has good info too. Thanks again.

 

[huffmuds9320]

Right you need to adjust the derailer. Another site I like is Expert Village. Have fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPhcOskjsDs

 

[NYEngineer]

I didn't read the entire articles, so I don't know if they mention it, but while you're at it, take some white lithium grease and work it into the cables where they pass through cable housing. It'll make the bike shift better as well.

 

[Jimmy9190]

Thanks for all the help here guys. I hope to get a chance to adjust it tomorrow and have a good ride Sunday if it doesn't rain.

 

[Jimmy9190]

Just wanted to say thanks again for all the help here guys. I adjusted the derailler today and had a good ride this afternoon. I lubed all the gears, wheels, etc too. I had to stop and re-adjust it once or twice but I think I got it set pretty good now. The chain is staying on in all gears now and it all shifts very well. I had a good ride today just 5.9 miles around town but it was cut short by bad weather and I had to get on back home.

Thanks again.

 

[Bill Kapaun]

A 10 speed with 7 cogs on the back????