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I'm a newbie and a total idiot when it comes to bike repair. My daughter and I rode about 12 miles today and right after we were done, the chain on her bike fell off. Instead of taking it to the LBS, my husband just put it back on himself and spun the wheels forward until it caught. I'm assuming this is all we had to do and that she can ride safely again. Should I have brought the bike to the LBS? Sorry for the dumb question, I just want to make sure she will be safe on her next ride.
Did it fall off in front or in back? How many speeds is the bike, i.e. how many cassette cogs are there in back and how many crank chainrings are in front? Or does it have an internally shifted hub?
It sounds like your husband got the chain back on properly. However, you might want to take the bike to a LBS to checked over - the drivetrain may need adjustments so that the chain doesn't fall off in the future.
Putting it back on yourself is the right thing to do. If it happens regularly, either there might be an issue with her shifting technique or the derailleur needs adjustment.
my chain falls off sometimes too. I just have to put it back on. You can do it, it's not too hard.
If this was a single-speed bike like a coaster brake or an internal-geared bike (3-speed, 7-speed) with only one sprocket front and back and no derailleur, then the chain tension is wrong and should be fixed.
jyyanks, Deb is a bike mechanic. She knows what she's talking about. So do the rest of the group, but Deb has actual credentials. Or at least more credentials.
Thanks All! The bike is a single speed Dahon Boardwalk folding bike with coaster brakes and hand brakes. We got it in June and I had in tuned in the beginning of August. I am not sure if it has a derailleur but I'll take a look today. Maybe I should take it back to the LBS where I had it tuned. We plan on riding 12 miles again over the weekend and I don't want her chain to fall off while she is riding...
If it's a single-speed, then by definition it doesn't have a derailleur. A derailleur moves the chain from one cog to another on multi-speed bikes.
+1 - listen to Deb. The owner's manual probably has instructions on adjusting chain tension, but if you don't have the manual and it isn't immediately obvious how to do it, then take it to the LBS.