Tech Tip: Proper Chain Lubrication | News | mountain-bike-action

A Penny-Farthing is a great example of the symbiosis between man and machine; a bicycle propelled by nothing more than geometry and a willing participant, often ridden in your Sunday's best.  You'll recognize these bikes by the conspicuously large front wheel and less unusual rear wheel.  The bikes' cranks were mounted directly to the front wheel hub and moved you forward with each rotation of the pedals.

Bikes of course have evolved since then and arguably one of the greatest innovations to influence bicycle design is the drive chain.  Today, a bike without a chain is merely a conveyance and a rather primitive one at that unless pointed downhill.  The modern chain has helped transform the way a bike is engineered and is often one of the most ignored components on a bike.

My history with chain maintenance goes way back.  I grew up about an hour from the coast and if you didn't take the time to care for your chain you'd find yourself riding Fred Flintstone style.  Keeping your chain in good condition has many benefits and will extend the life of your chain.  Personally, I clean mine after every ride especially after a day of water crossings and mud puddles.  I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to cleaning my bikes so don't feel like you have to be as obsessed as I am with it.

What you'll need: a wire brush, chain clean spray or degreaser, shop rag or cloth, gloves, nail polish and of course lubricant.

I'll first spray some chain cleaner over the entire chain.  I use a product by Motorex, works great on motorcycle chains too.  I'll then run a wire brush along all sides of the chain, this tends to send particles and drops flying so watch your eyes.  I like to brush until the chain takes on a bit of a shine before rinsing with water.  Once I'm done rinsing, I'll wipe it down with a soft dry cloth before taking a compressor to it to dry those hard to reach places.  I'll usually let the bike sit for a while before applying any chain lube.  I'll lube each individual link then moisten a rag with a little lube and wipe the chain for a clean shiny finish.  Most chains don't have a master link so I'll take a dab of my wife's nail polish and mark a link with a colorful dot to mark my starting point as I rotate the cranks to lube each link.  Sometimes lube will drip if you applied too much so make sure there's nothing you care to keep clean laying underneath.  You can also use dry lube although I'm not a huge fan.  I use Tri-Flow from a drip bottle on all my bikes because it goes on clean and keeps my chain quiet.  Finally, you might not want to lubricate your chain just before riding because it attracts a lot more dirt.

It doesn't take much time for proper chain maintenance so don't put it off too long, especially if you live in an area with high humidity.  I linked an article from Mountain Bike Action Magazine for some visuals to help you get your own routine started.

Check back often and enjoy your rides.  Alan Romero

Tech Tip: Proper Chain Lubrication | News | mountain-bike-action