Author Topic: Bike chain maintenance  (Read 6736 times)

alsoknownasDean

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Bike chain maintenance
« on: May 30, 2015, 12:05:21 AM »
Hello,

I've had my bike almost four years, and I've been commuting daily for the last couple of months (so about 75km/week on the bike). Now I've started commuting regularly, I've been cleaning and lubing the chain once every month or so.

Would it be a good idea to get a second chain (they're about $10AUD each, maybe a bit less on eBay or a bit more from the LBS), and clean the chain off the bike and swap the chains once a month or so?

It's approaching winter and the wetter weather means more frequent chain maintenance required :)

It's a hybrid bike using derailleurs front and back. I do find it shifts much easier after a good clean.

The chain gets pretty filthy, I've just been using an old t-shirt, putting some bike chain oil on it and running the chain through it, but I suspect there's a better way to clean it :)

Thanks :)
« Last Edit: May 30, 2015, 12:40:47 AM by alsoknownasDean »

lpep

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Re: Bike chain maintenance
« Reply #1 on: May 30, 2015, 01:55:52 AM »
Hello,

I've had my bike almost four years, and I've been commuting daily for the last couple of months (so about 75km/week on the bike). Now I've started commuting regularly, I've been cleaning and lubing the chain once every month or so.

Would it be a good idea to get a second chain (they're about $10AUD each, maybe a bit less on eBay or a bit more from the LBS), and clean the chain off the bike and swap the chains once a month or so?

It's approaching winter and the wetter weather means more frequent chain maintenance required :)

It's a hybrid bike using derailleurs front and back. I do find it shifts much easier after a good clean.

The chain gets pretty filthy, I've just been using an old t-shirt, putting some bike chain oil on it and running the chain through it, but I suspect there's a better way to clean it :)

Thanks :)

WINTER IS COMING

Nothing to add, just would like to see what others have to say! Changing the chain once a month seems excessive though and like you'd probably just cause more wear on other bike parts and potentially cause wheel alignment issues.

auxym

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Re: Bike chain maintenance
« Reply #2 on: May 30, 2015, 07:38:13 AM »
As a warning, chain cleaning and lubing is often THE topic that results in very long running arguments on forums :P

My personal take is that chains are cheap enough that's it's only worth it to the bare minimum maintenance and swap them more often. That said, no need to buy a spare and alternate.

What I do is once a month I clean the chain quickly, on the bike, with a solution of simple green (dish soap would work as well) and a dollar store nylon brush. Dip the  brush, press no chain, backpedal, repeat a few times. Then rinse thoroughly, wipe most of the water and let the rest dry a few hours.

Then I quickly apply TriFlow by resting the nozzle on the top of the chain and backpedalnig a few turns. Then some more pedaling to spread it around, and then wipe the excess. TriFlow is probably no the absolute best chain lube, but it works and I like keeping a big bottle around to use on everything, rather than a bunch of small, specialized lubes.

If I ride for a while in wet weather, I'll sometimes take 5 mins afterward to quickly wipe the chain of most grit and run a bit of oil. Fenders do help a lot in wet weather, not only for your chain but for your bottom bracket and headset bearings, and yourself! Consider getting a set if you don't have some already.

Whatever you do, the most important is checking for chain wear! Running a worn out chain for too long can dramatically accelerate wear on the rest of the driveline, which is a much more expensive fix. From http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html :

Quote
The standard way to measure chain wear is with a ruler or steel tape measure. This can be done without removing the chain from the bicycle. The normal technique is to measure a one-foot length, placing an inch mark of the ruler at the side of one link pin, then looking at the corresponding link pin 12 complete links away. On a new, unworn chain, this link pin will also line up exactly with an inch mark. With a worn chain, the link pin will be past the inch mark. [For accurate measurement, the chain should be held under some tension -- either on the bicycle, or hanging. Also, use a metal ruler or tape measure. Wood, plastic and cloth all can expand or shrink.-- John Allen]

This gives a direct measurement of the wear to the chain, and an indirect measurement of the wear to the sprockets. first, let's look at how to do this with a ruler that measures in inches.

    If the link pin is less than 1/16" past the mark, all is well.
    If the link pin is 1/16" past the mark, you should replace the chain, but the sprockets are probably undamaged.
    If the link pin is 1/8" past the mark, you have left it too long, and the sprockets (at least the favorite ones) will be too badly worn. If you replace a chain at the 1/8" point, without replacing the sprockets, it may run OK and not skip, but the worn sprockets will cause the new chain to wear much faster than it should, until it catches up with the wear state of the sprockets.
    If the link pin is past the 1/8" mark, a new chain will almost certainly skip on the worn sprockets, especially the smaller ones.

KungfuRabbit

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Re: Bike chain maintenance
« Reply #3 on: May 30, 2015, 08:12:43 AM »
i realize this was a non-mustachian purchase on my part, since it was frivolously expensive, however when i'm still saving >50% i give myself the right to splurge. 

i bought a belt driven bike (http://www.gatescarbondrive.com/) and it is flipping amazing.  The ride is soooo smooth, sooooo quiet, it has better power transfer, and it needs absolutely no maintenance.  there are kits to convert old bikes, but like i said not cheap (probably a few hundred $$s).

Heckler

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Re: Bike chain maintenance
« Reply #4 on: May 30, 2015, 09:45:04 AM »
Measuring the wear (how stretched it is) on a chain monthly, and replacing it before it affects the gears, is the best way to maximize the life of your drivetrain.

A chain is cheap compared to the cassette and chainrings, which will wear quickly with a stretched chain.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ca/en/x-tools-chain-wear-indicator/rp-prod10219

http://www.parktool.com/product/chain-wear-indicator-CC-3-2

http://youtu.be/Y54ekC8PHB0

« Last Edit: May 30, 2015, 09:47:16 AM by Heckler »

Heckler

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Re: Bike chain maintenance
« Reply #5 on: May 30, 2015, 09:49:04 AM »
And the badass mustache will use a tape measure, not a purchased tool that does the same.


Guses

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Re: Bike chain maintenance
« Reply #6 on: May 30, 2015, 07:10:12 PM »
And the badass mustache will use a tape measure, not a purchased tool that does the same.



Dont you have to remove the chain from the bike to make that measure?

I think the 10$ for the lifetime of use of the tool is worth it versus the pain and time it takes to remove the chain... And cleaning your hands!

BlueMR2

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Re: Bike chain maintenance
« Reply #7 on: May 31, 2015, 12:55:26 PM »
I do very little maintenance on mine.  I only oil it if it looks really dry or starts to get surface rust.  Cleaning, almost never, running less oil accumulates less dirt to begin with (similar to how over oiling firearms makes them jam up, only use the required amount of lube, no more, no less).  If it does get really nasty, I will wipe it off though.  I own a stretch gage and check "occasionally" (depends on how much I've been riding a particular bike).  I've run a chain so long in the past that it wouldn't shift properly at all.  Finally checked it with a gage and it fell right on through...  Slapped a new chain on and was back on the road (still haven't ever changed the chainring or rear cassette on that old beater, so IMO the bike maintenance websites tend to overstate the criticality of some of these items...).

auxym

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Re: Bike chain maintenance
« Reply #8 on: June 01, 2015, 07:45:19 AM »
Dont you have to remove the chain from the bike to make that measure?

Not if the chain is tensioned (such as by a derailleur). I always do it on the bike. In fact, if you take it off, you have to hang it vertically so it is tensioned by gravity before measuring.

The tools aren't that expensive and I could certainly see some value if you maintain a large stable of bikes, or do shop work or whatever. Checking a single chain once a month? Meh, not worth it (to me).

prime95

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Re: Bike chain maintenance
« Reply #9 on: June 16, 2015, 08:54:03 AM »
On motorcycle chains I've used the procedure that involves:

1. Remove Chain
2. Soak in bucket with kerosene
3. Scrub in bucket
4. Rinse with kerosene while removing from bucket
5. Dry with rag, old tshirt (no lint!)... then let sit and thoroughly dry
6. Heat oven to warm (about 125 ish?)
7. Place chain in oven for 10-15 minutes
8. Listen to wife tell you all the reasons she hates your motorcycle, especially now, cause the house smells a little
9. With work gloves, handling hot chain with care, lube that chain
10. Let sit and cool
11. Reinstall



12. Reconsider steps 1-11 because it's not a $150 motorcycle chain.. and for $10 new.. you're saving yourself a lot of time and hassle...

realityinabox

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Re: Bike chain maintenance
« Reply #10 on: June 17, 2015, 10:57:04 AM »
I've run a chain so long in the past that it wouldn't shift properly at all.  Finally checked it with a gage and it fell right on through...  Slapped a new chain on and was back on the road (still haven't ever changed the chainring or rear cassette on that old beater, so IMO the bike maintenance websites tend to overstate the criticality of some of these items...).

I had the exact opposite experience.  I put ~1500 miles on a single chain before I learned about chain "stretch".  Got a gauge from Parktool and measured mine.  It was still shifting pretty well, but the tool said it was way past worn out, so I threw a new chain on and threw the old chain out.  Left on my commute the next morning and my derailleurs were binding like mad because of the chain was trying to skip up the cassette.  I ended up finding a high gear that was less worn and rode in that single gear for about a week while I waited for a new cassette to come in (then for my bike co-op to be open so I could swap it out).  Felt pretty badass riding a single speed for a week (which unfortunately has given me a nagging desire to buy a single speed bike), but like a dumbass for ruining the cassette in the first place.

I guess your millage may vary, but I'd definitely recommend the chain gauge.  A $12 fix turned into a $35 fix with a week of enforced badassity training.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2015, 11:03:33 AM by realityinabox »

alsoknownasDean

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Re: Bike chain maintenance
« Reply #11 on: June 22, 2015, 06:23:29 AM »
The bike's chain is all squeaky again, and it's riding slower. Shit.

Considering that a new chain is only ten bucks, I might just bite the bullet and get a new one. I can compare the old and new chains side by side to see if there's any significant stretch in the old one.

Really I need to take the bike into the backyard and scrub the shit out of the derailleurs/chainrings/cassette with some degreaser too.

Is there anything I can do that allows me to reduce the frequency of relubing the chain?

GuitarStv

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Re: Bike chain maintenance
« Reply #12 on: June 22, 2015, 06:59:01 AM »
Your chain should never get to the point it's squeaky.

I use White Lightning's Wet Ride lube pretty much year round and find it to be very good on my chain (especially in winter and in rain).  I wipe the chain down with a rag for a couple seconds at the end of each ride.  Every 100 km or so I reapply the lube on the bike, let sit overnight, then wipe off the excess in the morning before heading on my way.

I take the chain off the bike and clean it once or twice a year.  Don't clean your chain on the bike, the degreasers splash all over your rear hub and will strip the grease off of your bearings.

Chain stretch happens.  I just use John Allen's measuring tape method to check and replace when stretch is over 1/16th of an inch.

Guses

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Re: Bike chain maintenance
« Reply #13 on: June 22, 2015, 08:31:12 AM »
Your chain should never get to the point it's squeaky.

I use White Lightning's Wet Ride lube pretty much year round and find it to be very good on my chain (especially in winter and in rain).  I wipe the chain down with a rag for a couple seconds at the end of each ride.  Every 100 km or so I reapply the lube on the bike, let sit overnight, then wipe off the excess in the morning before heading on my way.

I take the chain off the bike and clean it once or twice a year.  Don't clean your chain on the bike, the degreasers splash all over your rear hub and will strip the grease off of your bearings.

Chain stretch happens.  I just use John Allen's measuring tape method to check and replace when stretch is over 1/16th of an inch.

How long do your chains last?! I do 100-150KM a week and my chains last me only 6-8 months. I keep them fairly clean too.


Slam

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Re: Bike chain maintenance
« Reply #14 on: June 22, 2015, 09:14:46 AM »
I will give my advice, then bow out.  I'm not here to argue about this.

If you ride in the rain, get wet lube.  If you don't ride in the rain, get dry lube.  Wet lube is thick, sticky, and water resistant; however in dry weather, dirt will stick to it and clog up everything.  Dry lube is thinner, but will rinse off in the rain.

You do not need to remove and soak/scrub your chain.  The grease that comes with the chain is way better than any aftermarket lube you can spray on the outside of it.  Don't do anything to remove the factory grease.  When it is time to add lube, remember that most lubes also contain a small amount of degreaser.  This is sufficient to clean your chain.  Always wipe off excess lube off the chain (your old t-shirt is fine for this).

Personally I use dry lube about once a month, and after every single time I get caught in the rain.

If you're riding 75 km/week, you should be fine with a new chain once per year.

Slam

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Re: Bike chain maintenance
« Reply #15 on: June 22, 2015, 09:18:17 AM »
I do 100-150KM a week and my chains last me only 6-8 months. I keep them fairly clean too.

You're doing it right.

GuitarStv

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Re: Bike chain maintenance
« Reply #16 on: June 22, 2015, 09:36:13 AM »
Your chain should never get to the point it's squeaky.

I use White Lightning's Wet Ride lube pretty much year round and find it to be very good on my chain (especially in winter and in rain).  I wipe the chain down with a rag for a couple seconds at the end of each ride.  Every 100 km or so I reapply the lube on the bike, let sit overnight, then wipe off the excess in the morning before heading on my way.

I take the chain off the bike and clean it once or twice a year.  Don't clean your chain on the bike, the degreasers splash all over your rear hub and will strip the grease off of your bearings.

Chain stretch happens.  I just use John Allen's measuring tape method to check and replace when stretch is over 1/16th of an inch.

How long do your chains last?! I do 100-150KM a week and my chains last me only 6-8 months. I keep them fairly clean too.

I get about 4000 km out of the ones on my summer bike.  Maybe half that on my winter bike.  I usually find a nice day at the beginning of the spring to clean up my winter bike and put it away, and then a nice day at the end of fall to clean up my summer bike and put it away . . . so once or twice a year I take the chain off and get it shiny.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!