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| >Maintenance Why do I need to replace my chain? Chains, especially on mountain bikes, have a very hard life as they are constantly being sprayed with dirt, grit, mud and water. This stuff mixes with our chosen lubricant to form a wonderfully efficient grinding paste, which wears our chain and gears from day one. As the chain wears it becomes longer thus increasing the distance between each link. This larger dimension of each link of the chain creates wear on sprockets and chainrings thus demanding their replacement too. It has been proven that if chains are replaced before they become too worn and stretched then you will get much longer life out of your sprockets and rings. It is not unusual, with regular replacement, to go through three chains before the rear sprockets are too far gone. If the sprockets are too worn when a new chain is installed then the new chain will ride up on the teeth of the old sprockets and skip a tooth as torque is applied to the drive train. If you have been using the same chain and/or cassette for many, many miles, or longer than you can remember, and your gears are starting to skip or you are dropping the chain frequently, then it may be time to replace chain, cassette, or both. In general, chains and cassettes wear down simultaneously (because they work together), and for best results, both should be replaced at the same time. Go Back >Fixing A Broken Chain What if my chain breaks while I’m out on a ride? You should always carry a tool with you in case you are faced with this situation. Many multi-tools have a chain tool on them, but a simple chain tool also small enough to fit in your pocket or your gear bag. Should your chain break while on a ride, use the chain tool to the push the first usable pin on an unbroken link out far enough to disconnect the link, but not all the way through the other side of the chain (this will make it easier to reconnect the chain at another link). Reconnect the link to an unbroken link on the other end of the chain. This may be easier if you put the chain on your small chainring. If you had to take out a few damaged links, your chain will be shorter than it should be, so your gearing may be limited – for example, you may want to avoid using your big chainring to avoid another break. But this should do the trick to get you home, or to a location where you can repair or replace the chain. . Go Back >When To Replace A Chain Why does my chain keep dropping off of my chainrings or cassette? If your chain and cassette are both new, it may be that your chain is simply too long. Take out a few links and that should solve the problem. If you have been using the same chain and/or cassette for many, many miles, or longer than you can remember, and your gears are starting to skip or you are dropping the chain frequently, then it may be time to replace chain, cassette, or both. In general, chains and cassettes wear down simultaneously (because they work together), and for best results, both should be replaced at the same time. How do I know when it’s time to replace my chain? By simply measuring the chain with a ruler or tape measure. The distance between any two pins on a new chain is 1/2". As the chain wears this distance increases by a few thousandths of an inch. Over the distance of many links, this increase can be readily measured. We take the measurement over the distance of 24 links and as the measurement of each one is 1/2" then 24 of them should measure 12". Measure the chain while it is on the bike as the derailleur tension stretches the chain slightly. You may also hang the chain from a nail to give the necessary stretch. So - measure 24 pins from center to center (or edge to edge) and the distance should be 12" on a new chain and no more than 12 1/16" for a chain in use. Measure the chain often - like once weekly - and discard when the measurement reaches that extra 1/16". If you allow the wear to increase to 12 1/8" you will probably have to replace the sprockets too. Anything above 12 1/8" will have done serious damage to the front chainrings also. Go Back >Chains and Cassettes What is “Chainline”? Chainline is the route your chain follows as it runs on your front chainrings and rear cassette. A good Chainline means that your system is running smoothly and you do not have a large overlap. You want to keep your Chainline as parallel as possible to the direction you are going. Avoid using the small chainring with the smallest rear cog, as well as the large chainring and large cassette cog. These combinations will cause excess wear and may cause the chain to fall off the chainring. Go Back >Sizing How do I determine the appropriate length for my chain? One way to make sure you have the correct chain length is to use your old chain as a guide. Your old chain will stretch out with age so make sure you use the same amount of links as the old chain. Don't forget to replace your cassette and if necessary, your chainrings. The best shifting performance will be realized when you replace all three. There is no specific way to calculate chain length as all systems are different – road bike set-ups, mountain bike set-ups, chainring and cog sizes will all influence the length of the chain. When installing a new chain run it through your derailleurs and place it over the small chainring and smallest cog. Then pull the chain together until there is slight tension on the derailleur. Take off the excess links and make sure that there is still a bit of tension on the derailleur. After you install a new chain make sure you can still shift into the largest chainring and largest cog, ensuring that the chain is not too short.. Go Back >8-speed vs. 9-speed Do I need to use an 8-speed chain with 8-speed chain rings and a 9-speed chain with 9-speed chainrings? While 9-speed rings have thinner teeth, and the offset of the tooth can create a narrower space from the teeth of one ring to the teeth of the next, there is not a very large difference. You can usually interchange the 8 and 9 speed rings. However, using the incorrect ring type may cause over-shifts, under-shifts, unsuccessful shifts, skipping, and chainsuck. You are best advised to use the appropriate chain and chainring combination for flawless shifting. Go Back |
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