I’m not yanking your chain when I tell you that the chain is one of the most overlooked and neglected bike component. A bad chain can cause all sorts of problems from poor shifting to premature drivetrain wear. Most people only really think about their chain when it gets squeaky and noisy. At that point, it’s probably in need of some serious help. Here are a few tips to help improve the relationship with your chain and receive some love in return…
- Keep your chain clean and lubed…don’t wait for it to get noisy. Dirt and lack of lubricant will lead to premature drivetrain wear and tear. That can be a lot more expensive than wiping dirt from your chain and keeping it lubed. There are tons of good bike lubes out there, and I would talk with your local bike shop about what’s the best one for you. They can give you lots of good advice. Also, don’t use WD-40!!!! All that will do is make your chain dirtier. BTW, I tend to relube my chain every 200-300 miles.
- Check your chain regularly for wear. You should be able to get several thousand miles out of a chain if you keep it cleaned and lubed. However, it’s best to check it periodically just in case. I like using a chain checker like the Park Tool CC-3.2. These can often be had for <$10 and are worth their weight in gold.
- Be on the look out for signs that your chain has had it. Is your shifting bad no matter how much you adjust your derailleurs? Does your chain skip periodically under heavy load? These are just some of the signs that you need a new chain.
- Get a new chain! Chains run $15-$50, and will help make your bike feel brand new. Most shops tend to charge $10-$15 to install a chain, so it’s not expensive maintenance item. If you want to do it yourself, I’ll be covering that in Part 2 tomorrow…
