Chain Maintenance

anagotja-<< Ideas & Best Results for getting hi performance
out of your chain... >><BR><BR>

Keep it and the cogs, rings, pulleys clean. Connect the
chain with a snap link, take all above off regularly to
clean, lube, ride the next day.

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St.
Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 vecchios.comvecchios.comOpen ↗ "Ruote convenzionali
costruite eccezionalmente bene"

On Mon, 07 Jun 2004 07:30:07 GMT, angotja

may have said:

Ideas & Best Results for getting hi performance out of
your chain...

Performance is in the rider, not the chain.

Did you mean to ask about durability? Then follow the
manufacturer's recommendations.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via
e-mail. Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature. Words
processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Werehatrack
On Mon, 07 Jun 2004 07:30:07 GMT, angotja
<[email hidden]> may have said:

Performance is in the rider, not the chain.

Did you mean to ask about durability? Then follow the
manufacturer's recommendations.

W/respect, of course I mean durability (I wasn't aware that 'performance' had such a specific connotation). I know there are a couple of schools of thought on this issue, and I thought it might be interesting/beneficial to see a discussion on this subject.

I generally just wipe it clean and re-lube. If it is heavily soiled, I will use a solvent and some q-tips to clean it up as best I can, then re-lube & ride. I lube on a weekly/75 mi schedule, and clean as needed.

I am interested to learn the techniques of others...

If you're riding a 9 speed rear end, I WOULD NOT be removing
that chain unless you put a high strength replacement pin in
to replace the one you removed. Existing pins have a peaned
end and removing and replacing will weaken the end of the
pin and may cause you to break the chain. I speak from
experience. By using a thinner or petrol solvent bath, you
are washing away all the existing internal lubricant from
the chain rollers and can cause rust to start and thusly
also weakening the chain..

Just go to Academy Sports or Nashbar and get a Finish Line
chain cleaner gizmo ($20). Their bio cleaner works well
without completely stripping the chain. You don't need to
be cleaning it that much!!! Then generously recoat the
chain with chain lube, wipe excess off, clean and oil the
jockey wheels and you're done!! Shouldn't take more than
10 minutes.

Chris 2200 Trek

On Tue, 08 Jun 2004 11:47:30 GMT, angotja

may have said:

I generally just wipe it clean and re-lube. If it is
heavily soiled, I will use a solvent and some q-tips to
clean it up as best I can, then re-lube & ride. I lube on a
weekly/75 mi schedule, and clean as needed.

I am interested to learn the techniques of others...

As noted in another thread just a few topics above this one
(and in countless others over the years), chain lube rituals
are as varied as the people performing them. Results seem to
be just as varied. The recommendation from SRAM for their
chains is a wipe/relube regimen using no solvents or
degreasers. Shimano's recommendations for their 9-speed HG53
chain only advise that detergents used must be neutral;
Shimano sells a chain lube product, which SRAM does not.
Campy recommends that chains be cleaned on the bike using a
brush or cloth saturated with a suitable detergent or
degreaser prior to relubrication with their chain lube
product. I don't know what KMC recommends. From what I can
see, though, none of the chain makers advise removal of the
chain for cleaning. There is a school of thought which holds
that the makers are providing only a minimum and not an
absolute spec in their recommendations, but as with
everything else about chain lubrication, opinions vary.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via
e-mail. Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature. Words
processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Which is your school of thought?

angotja said:

Which is your school of thought?

Our Lady of Perpetual Amazement.

Bill "at certain posters, that is" S.

Chris H said:

If you're riding a 9 speed rear end, I WOULD NOT be
removing that chain unless you put a high strength
replacement pin in to replace the one you removed.

Either that, or get a master link from Craig, SRAM, or KMC.
The KMC one is like $2.50 -- well worth it. You won't have
to deal with this issue again.

Quoted message said:

Existing pins have a peaned end and removing and replacing
will weaken the end of the pin and may cause you to break
the chain. I speak from experience.

Yup. You could go for months or years with no problems, but
then one day...

Quoted message said:

By using a thinner or petrol solvent bath, you are washing
away all the existing internal lubricant from the chain
rollers and can cause rust to start and thusly also
weakening the chain..

You can't wash away the dirt without washing away the lube.
But that's why you relube.

Quoted message said:

Just go to Academy Sports or Nashbar and get a Finish Line
chain cleaner gizmo ($20). Their bio cleaner works well
without completely stripping the chain. You don't need to
be cleaning it that much!!!

Chain cleaners work fine, but take a long time to do a good
job. You really have to keep changing the fluid until it
runs clear -- otherwise you're not doing any good. This
takes many fluid changes, and a lot of time, and it's a
pain. Also, if you're using bio degreaser, make sure you
wash it all off with water afterward.

BTDT.

Chain cleaners are an OK idea, but they really need a much
larger fluid reservior. As yet, no one has marketed a really
good design.

Quoted message said:

Then generously recoat the chain with chain lube, wipe
excess off, clean and oil the jockey wheels and you're
done!! Shouldn't take more than 10 minutes.

It shouldn't take that long, total.

My method, these days:

Use parts cleaner can, available in any auto parts store,
for under $10. This is like a large paint can, filled with
solvent, with a parts washer basket inside.

When cleaning the bike, first remove the chain and drop it
in the parts cleaner. Swish it around in the fluid with a
big screwdriver. Proceed to clean the rest of the bike.
Every so often, give the chain another swish, and lift the
basket to let the fluid and dirt drain away. Continue
cleaning the bike. When you're done, remove the chain from
the parts cleaner, rinse it out with water, and put it back
on the bike. Relube when it's dry. Total time spent handling
the chain -- about 2 minutes. The dirt, oil, and cleaning
fluid remains in the can, which can be reused for years,
without polluting anything.

Again, the best method is probably an ultrasonic parts
cleaner. I've seen suitable ones selling on eBay for under
$100 -- well worth it for a lifetime cyclist. It would pay
for itself in 2-3 years.

Matt O.

Werehatrack said:

On Tue, 08 Jun 2004 11:47:30 GMT, angotja <usenet-

may have said:

I generally just wipe it clean and re-lube. If it is
heavily soiled, I will use a solvent and some q-tips to
clean it up as best I can, then re-lube & ride. I lube on
a weekly/75 mi schedule, and clean as needed.

I am interested to learn the techniques of others...

As noted in another thread just a few topics above this
one (and in countless others over the years), chain lube
rituals are as varied as the people performing them.
Results seem to be just as varied. The recommendation from
SRAM for their chains is a wipe/relube regimen using no
solvents or degreasers. Shimano's recommendations for
their 9-speed HG53 chain only advise that detergents used
must be neutral; Shimano sells a chain lube product, which
SRAM does not. Campy recommends that chains be cleaned on
the bike using a brush or cloth saturated with a suitable
detergent or degreaser prior to relubrication with their
chain lube product. I don't know what KMC recommends. From
what I can see, though, none of the chain makers advise
removal of the chain for cleaning. There is a school of
thought which holds that the makers are providing only a
minimum and not an absolute spec in their recommendations,
but as with everything else about chain lubrication,
opinions vary.

Forget all this "schools of thought" [censored]. This is basic
mechanics and mechanical practice. There is no mystical
knowledge to be had from chain manufacturers, who, remember,
are in the business of selling chains (at an overpriced
rate, too).

Matt O.

Matt O'Toole said:

Again, the best method [of cleaning a chain] is probably
an ultrasonic parts cleaner.

I can't argue with that.

Quoted message said:

I've seen suitable ones selling on eBay for under $100 --
well worth it for a lifetime cyclist. It would pay for
itself in 2-3 years.

How do you figure? What costs will be saved by using a
chain cleaner?

I like to spend $$$ on tools as much as the next tech-nerd.
And I think an ultrasonic cleaner would be handy on many
occaions. But I can't see the justification for an
ultrasonic cleaner.

--
Dave dvt at psu dot edu

dvt said:

Matt O'Toole wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Again, the best method [of cleaning a chain] is probably
an ultrasonic parts
cleaner.

I can't argue with that.

Quoted message said:

I've seen
suitable ones selling on eBay for under $100 -- well
worth it for a lifetime cyclist. It would pay for itself
in 2-3 years.

How do you figure? What costs will be saved by using a
chain cleaner?

I like to spend $$$ on tools as much as the next tech-
nerd. And I think an ultrasonic cleaner would be handy on
many occaions. But I can't see the justification for an
ultrasonic cleaner.

Well, if you go through 3-4 $20 chains a year like I do --
you can cut this chain consumption by 2/3, in addition to
the convenience and time savings. You can also use it for
other stuff, and share with your bike-riding neighbors.

Matt O.

I'd like a ultrasonic cleaner but my 15,000 mile (~3 years)
per 240-link chain hardly justifies it then.

"Matt O'Toole" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:2ip6drFpq9hdU1@uni-
berlin.de...
| dvt wrote:
|
| >|
| Well, if you go through 3-4 $20 chains a year like I do --
| you can cut
this
| chain consumption by 2/3, in addition to the convenience
| and time savings.
You
| can also use it for other stuff, and share with your
| bike-riding
neighbors.
|
| Matt O.
|
|

Doug Huffman said:

I'd like a ultrasonic cleaner but my 15,000 mile (~3
years) per 240-link chain hardly justifies it then.

If you're getting that kind of mileage, you're definately
doing something right!

Matt O.

In article <[email hidden]>, angotja

Quoted message said:

Ideas & Best Results for getting hi performance out of
your chain..

I posted the results of cleaning two halves ot the same
chain with the two main methods (completely cleaning out by
trashing the chain in solvent for one and a careful wiping
of the outside of the chain with a rag with WC-40 and then
with a dry tooth brush for the other) and then by
lubricating both in exactly the same way. I measured the
chain halves after cleaning and kept doing it until one of
them hit 1/16 elongation. The chain half that was solvent
thrashed reached 1/16 before the other half. I still have my
original post if you wish to see it.

My best guess for why is that there is lubrication that
remains deep within the chain when one doesn't "solvent
thrash" the chain.

I quit "solvent thrashing" my chains.

Want to buy some used paint thinner?

Tom Gibb <[email hidden]

On Wed, 09 Jun 2004 06:30:37 GMT, angotja

may have said:

Which is your school of thought?

Why waste time contemplating the inscrutable when you've got
clear, unambiguous information from the people who made the
item? If it's not broke, don't fix it; if the manufacturer's
instructions didn't work for me, I'd have to figure out
something else. That's not the case, so I don't.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via
e-mail. Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature. Words
processed in a facility that contains nuts.

On Wed, 9 Jun 2004 12:02:41 -0400, "Matt O'Toole" <[email hidden]>

may have said:

Forget all this "schools of thought" [censored]. This is basic
mechanics and mechanical practice. There is no mystical
knowledge to be had from chain manufacturers, who,
remember, are in the business of selling chains (at an
overpriced rate, too).

And the people who sell expensive chain lubes and cleaning
widgets have no interest in increasing the amount of
effort and expense invested in a task that ordinarily is
quick and cheap if the instructions of the item's
manufacturer are followed?

Everyone in the supply side can be accused of distortion
in furtherance of a vested interest, but chasing that
chimera merely for the sake of paranoia is a fool's errand
in my opinion.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via
e-mail. Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature. Words
processed in a facility that contains nuts.

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

If you're riding a 9 speed rear end, I WOULD NOT be
removing that chain unless you put a high strength
replacement pin in to replace the one you removed. Existing
pins have a peaned end and removing and replacing will
weaken the end of the pin and may cause you to break the
chain. I speak from experience.

Many chains now come with a quick disconnect link that makes
it very easy to take your chain off to clean it.

Quoted message said:

By using a thinner or petrol solvent bath, you are washing
away all the existing internal lubricant from the chain
rollers and can cause rust to start and thusly also
weakening the chain..

I've never had this problem. I rotate through two chains and
at times one chain will sit solvent for a month with no ill
effects. No rust ever.

Quoted message said:

Just go to Academy Sports or Nashbar and get a Finish Line
chain cleaner gizmo ($20). Their bio cleaner works well
without completely stripping the chain. You don't need to
be cleaning it that much!!! Then generously recoat the
chain with chain lube, wipe excess off, clean and oil the
jockey wheels and you're done!! Shouldn't take more than
10 minutes.

These devices do an ok job at cleaning the outside of the
chain. You want to clean the inside of the chain. That is
where all the wear occurs. The outside of the chain is
really unimporant. It only matters if you want to keep your
clothes/leg clean.
----------------
Alex

[email hidden] (TBGibb) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...
--

Quoted message said:

My best guess for why is that there is lubrication that remains deep within the

chain when one doesn't "solvent thrash" the chain.

Quoted message said:

--
Tom Gibb <[email hidden]>

Right-O, solvent stay inna chain and further lube is trashed.

But what the heck, some folks boil their gunky guitar strings too...

ST

On Thu, 10 Jun 2004 01:24:47 -0400, Alex Rodriguez <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

If you're riding a 9 speed rear end, I WOULD NOT be
removing that chain unless you put a high strength
replacement pin in to replace the one you removed.
Existing pins have a peaned end and removing and replacing
will weaken the end of the pin and may cause you to break
the chain. I speak from experience.

As someone who unwittingly removed a fairly new Campag C9
chain from his road bike to clean it and then simply
replaced it using the existing pin I was concerned to read
this warning. I took my bike to my LBS quite prepared to
replace the chain but, after subjecting the drive train to
some stress, his view was that the chain was safe to use and
no replacement was necessary. I'd be interested in any
comments on that opinion.What is the risk of this chain
breaking under normal riding conditions? While I'm not keen
to test my teeth against my handlebars or the road, where I
live, chains, and Campag in particular, are relatively
expensive items to buy

Thanks