Caring for the old Cog and Chain
My experience teaching workshops on bicycle repair and maintenance have taught me to regard two mechanical skills as essential for the well-prepared bicycle commuter: flat repair and drivetrain maintenance. You’re better off learning how to fix a flat from a practical demonstration, so I’m going to put forward my thoughts on how, how often, and why the conscientious cyclist should work on her drivetrain.
A bicycle’s drive train is the system that transfers the rider’s pedalling to the rear wheel of the bicycle.
In terms of regular maintenance, the parts we’re going to focus on include the chain, the front cog(s) and the rear cog(s). On a geared bicycle I would add the rear derailleur, or more specifically the rear derailleur pulleys, to this list.
When your bike (or drivetrain, if you’re replacing) is brand new, all of the parts of your drivetrain are in their optimal state. Your chain is covered (literally, both inside and out) with a thin layer of lubricant, and nothing else.
Each of the 50+ links of your bike’s chain is composed of several tiny, connected, metal parts. As you ride, these parts are constantly moving, rotating and rubbing against one another and the chain rings, and being pushed this way and that as you change gears. For all this to happen quietly and smoothly, proper lubrication is essential. Your chain came out of its box covered in a thin layer of lubricating oil, but as you ride two things happen. First, the oil is attracting dirt, sand, dust, etc. all of which is ending up on your chain. And second, the oil is being broken down through exposure to the elements – especially water, which, over time, will strip all of the oil off your chain.
Proper maintenance of a bike’s chain deals with both of these issues: the objective is to get your chain back to its optimum state, clean and well-oiled. At the end of this process, your chain will be clean, lubricated on the inside (where it counts), and dry on the outside (where dirt tends to collect).
Put away that lube! The first thing we have to do is clean the chain. If this is your first time doing so, you might to want to rip up an old t-shirt so you’ll have no shortage of rags – this is going to be messy. If you have a repair stand, stick the bike in it – if not, flip your bike upside down. Next, move the pedal with one hand – as if you were riding the bike – and with the other, take a rag and squeeze it around the length of chain running from the top of your rear chainrings to the top of your front chain rings. Keep pedalling and cleaning like this, using new rags as necessary and rubbing all sides of the chain, until it starts looking substantially cleaner and your rags aren’t coming away all black and nasty. If this is your first time doing a thorough clean, you’ll also want to use a rag and something thin, hard and pokey (and old spoke works well, so does a small flat head screwdriver) to wipe and pry off the greasy dirt that is caked onto the other parts of your drivetrain – especially on and between your chain rings and on your derailleur pulley wheels.
Now that your drivetrain is clean and shiny, continue pedalling the bike as if you were riding it, dribble or spray a thin layer of lubricant on your chain. Pick a spot, point the lube applicator, and apply as you move the chain slowly along until the whole chain has been oiled. Once you’ve applied lube to the whole chain, keep pedalling for ten seconds or so to give the rotating links a chance to pull the oil inwards.
Grab a clean rag and, following the same process outlined in step one, wipe all of the lube off the outside of the chain.
Now your chain is clean and well-lubricated on the inside. As a bonus, as you follow this process again and again, you should notice that your drivetrain stays cleaner longer – all the oil is going to the inside where it’s needed, and not on the outside attracting dirt from the road – so there’s less need over time to keep scraping your pulleys and chain rings clean. (Note: there are more thorough processes for cleaning your chain. One of note, the ShelBroCo Bicycle Chain Cleaning System, is available online).
How often should you clean and lube your drivetrain? It depends on how often and under what conditions you ride. If you’re a fair weather cyclist who only rides on sunny, summer days, once a month may be plenty; if you’re a dedicated commuter who rides every day, even in “the suck,” you’ll want to go through this process at least once a week when the weather is bad.
As for what kind of lubricant to use: different products are better suited to different conditions and personalities. If you ride in the rain a lot and don’t want to be constantly lubricating your chain (but will do a thorough job when you must), a heavier oil like Phil Tenacious Oil might suit your need – it’s thick, so it will stick around longer, but it’s also tacky, so it will attract more street crud. If on the other hand you’re a fair(er) weather rider who doesn’t mind doing a quick clean-and-lube more often, go for a lighter weight oil – it won’t last as long, but it will run cleaner and collect less gunk.
----------
