In winter I look at my chain with gratitude for its service and remorse for the near certainty that the only maintenance it will receive before April is a squirt of whatever lube is handy, should it squeak or show obvious rust. Come April the I will clean the chain along with the rest of the bike -- by then almost to filthy to touch -- with a garden hose. I will then dry it, squirt on some new lube and hang it until the first solid freeze of the fall.
I know this is very slack and sad. But the winter bike being a single speed, at worst I'm out a cog and a chain a bit earlier than I would be with more adequate chain hygiene. The current drivechain is on winter No. 3 and has plenty of life left, according to the chain stretch tool. Eric ________________________________ From: Mark Shahan <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Mon, January 11, 2010 2:49:07 PM Subject: Re: [Bikies] Chains in Winter and Cleaning Robin, I clean & lube my chain in a similar fashion to what Sheldon Brown recommends. I use SRAM chains with the PowerLink so I can remove the chain without tools and soak it in solvent if necessary. Thanks for the article. Mark On Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 9:19 AM, Robin <[email protected]> wrote: >Blah, blah, Sheldon Brown R.I.P. >>"A Religious Question > >>Chain maintenance is one of the most controversial aspects of bicycle >>mechanics. Chain durability is affected by riding style, gear choice, >>whether the bicycle is ridden in rain or snow, type of soil in the >>local terrain, type of lubricant, lubrication techniques, and the >>sizes and condition of the bicycle's sprockets. Because there are so >>many variables, it has not been possible to do controlled experiments >>under real-world conditions. As a result, everybody's advice about >>chain maintenance is based on anecdotal "evidence" and experience. >>Experts disagree on this subject, sometimes bitterly. This is >>sometimes considered a "religious" matter in the bicycle community, >>and much vituperative invective has been uttered in this regard >>between different schismatic cults. > >>This article is based on my personal and professional experience and >>my own theories. If you disagree with them, I won't call you a fool or >>a villain, you may be right. I hope you will extend me the same >>courtesy." > >><http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html> > >>Madison winter riding is particularly rough on chains. I like the >>banana flavored Triflow®, and have to replace my drivetrain pretty >>much every two years. > >>Now, how about those bike lanes on East Johnson/Gorham? POOF! They're gone! > >>R. > -- Mark N. Shahan ------ __o 607 Piper Drive ------- _`\<,_ Madison, WI 53711-1338 ---- (*)/ (*) (608) 274-9367 [email protected]
_______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org
