Cassie Posted March 19, 2012 Share I just so happend to stumble on a bike maintenance demo/workshop this past weekend...on on-trail repairs etc. - mostly aimed at inexperienced & female riders... I did not learn too much that i doi not know already BUT the instructress (!!!??? - yeah she was female and VERY knowlegeable..) did tell me something new... She ALWAYS marks her chain before taking it off...with a cable tie - in order to replace it exactly the same way it came off...i.e. her chain is always running in the same direction. {She also uses 3 x chains which she swappes around with each clean...} This puzzled me a bit...and i'd like to find out some more about the science behind this...how does the wear on the chain pins & links depend on the orientation? does this in fact "save' the drivetrain from unnecaessary wear? I was always under the impression that the wear will be on the cassette teeth (i.e. chain riding up the one side...) I swop my chain back & forth every weekend and and has never paid any attention to orientation at all... C'mon JB, I'd like to hear your take on this as well. {amongst all thhe others as well...} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W3RN3R Posted March 19, 2012 Share On my Sram Red chain and 10spd mtb chain. There are clear instructions to make sure your chain is fitted correctly, links facing inward and outwards. The chain link on Sram has a directional arrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mojoman Posted March 19, 2012 Share I thought its just the 10sp chains have have to face a certain way? I have had no issues with my chains on a 9sp. Take them off, clean them, put them back on whichever way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules Posted March 19, 2012 Share "Directional" chains are to assist with shifting. I can't see how turning a non-directional chain round periodically can reduce the rate of wear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Drongo Posted March 19, 2012 Share I just so happend to stumble on a bike maintenance demo/workshop this past weekend...on on-trail repairs etc. - mostly aimed at inexperienced & female riders... I did not learn too much that i doi not know already BUT the instructress (!!!??? - yeah she was female and VERY knowlegeable..) did tell me something new... She ALWAYS marks her chain before taking it off...with a cable tie - in order to replace it exactly the same way it came off...i.e. her chain is always running in the same direction. {She also uses 3 x chains which she swappes around with each clean...} This puzzled me a bit...and i'd like to find out some more about the science behind this...how does the wear on the chain pins & links depend on the orientation? does this in fact "save' the drivetrain from unnecaessary wear? I was always under the impression that the wear will be on the cassette teeth (i.e. chain riding up the one side...) I swop my chain back & forth every weekend and and has never paid any attention to orientation at all... C'mon JB, I'd like to hear your take on this as well. {amongst all thhe others as well...} If you seldom remove your chain - and it is heading towards well worn - and you remove and replace in the 'reverse' direction you might pick up a skipping effect on the rear cluster. If you regularly remove and replace your chain (cleaning, if you are like Inspector Monk) it won't make any difference. If you regularly rotate 2 - 3 chains on your drivetrain, it won't make any difference. Provided that the chain is not specifically marked as uni-directional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassie Posted March 19, 2012 Share I thought its just the 10sp chains have have to face a certain way? I have had no issues with my chains on a 9sp. Take them off, clean them, put them back on whichever way. yes, exagetery! i know that the 10spd chain link has spesific direction...but this here post deals with the old, normal 9spd MTB chain... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BushGoblin Posted March 19, 2012 Share how often do you take off and clean your chain. I have been told not to dip it into any degreasers as it removes the lubrication inside the pins. Thoughts on that? now days I just give it a good scrub and that's pretty much it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassie Posted March 19, 2012 Share Drongo..I'm with you on that one!! I simply cannot see how thsi directional issue on a chain that is often maintained is going to (1) save your cluster and (2) improve your shifting... So, basically no need to "store " that new piece of advice in my already-to-capacity- grey matter... Bussiness as usual.... By the way...I currently riding a chain that is way way past it's "elongation" criteria!! I know that i'll have to change the cassette as well..but i'm getting so much more trouble free km's out of my current set-up that I'm just goin to carry on till soemthing fall off!! Call it my experiment and I'll report back when it happens... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mojoman Posted March 19, 2012 Share how often do you take off and clean your chain. I have been told not to dip it into any degreasers as it removes the lubrication inside the pins. Thoughts on that? now days I just give it a good scrub and that's pretty much it.Removal and cleaning for me its every 2-3 rides (depending on conditions). I use Squirt so I just wash the chain in warm water and sunlight, leave to dry and relube. Chain has done plenty of K's with no issues. Most conditons for me are dry and dusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassie Posted March 19, 2012 Share how often do you take off and clean your chain. I have been told not to dip it into any degreasers as it removes the lubrication inside the pins. Thoughts on that? now days I just give it a good scrub and that's pretty much it. Hold on to you hat... After every ride (if it was 30km's of dirt - which it normally is...) My procedure: remove quick link and drop it all into ice cream dish...Add parrafin or whtever degreaser you fancy -soak for a while and brush with one of those dish cleaning brushes.. Dry very well - using a rag and swinging chain aslo helps... Apply lube on rollers only - no need to put it anywhere else...I was initially a very big advocate of these "wet lubes" Motorex etc.BUT since i started using white lightning and now recently Squirt...i'll not be going back to wet lubes unless I know I'm going to have a mud bath.. that Squirt is just the bee knees in the dusty roads here in the western cape!! Apply it so that the squirt (or any lube) actually penetrates INTO the rollers...that is the golden rule...all lube only need to work on the inside of the roller & pins ..anywher else is a waste!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BushGoblin Posted March 19, 2012 Share Apply it so that the squirt (or any lube) actually penetrates INTO the rollers...that is the golden rule...all lube only need to work on the inside of the roller & pins ..anywher else is a waste!! thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Deon) Posted March 19, 2012 Share By the way...I currently riding a chain that is way way past it's "elongation" criteria!! I know that i'll have to change the cassette as well..but i'm getting so much more trouble free km's out of my current set-up that I'm just goin to carry on till soemthing fall off!! Call it my experiment and I'll report back when it happens... Cassie, you are causing premature wear on the chainrings. You'll find the new chain will be incompatible with the chainrings after replacing the chain and cassette.. although, if you know it is too late, then no point changing if it still shifts.. ride on! ..and I do also see some value in the three chains, it does the same thing as catching a worn chain in time to get three chains' use out of one drivetrain. Will be interesting to get JB's opinion on this.. Edited March 19, 2012 by Pain or Shine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Drongo Posted March 19, 2012 Share Hold on to you hat... After every ride (if it was 30km's of dirt - which it normally is...) My procedure: remove quick link and drop it all into ice cream dish...Add parrafin or whtever degreaser you fancy -soak for a while and brush with one of those dish cleaning brushes.. Dry very well - using a rag and swinging chain aslo helps... Apply lube on rollers only - no need to put it anywhere else...I was initially a very big advocate of these "wet lubes" Motorex etc.BUT since i started using white lightning and now recently Squirt...i'll not be going back to wet lubes unless I know I'm going to have a mud bath.. that Squirt is just the bee knees in the dusty roads here in the western cape!! Apply it so that the squirt (or any lube) actually penetrates INTO the rollers...that is the golden rule...all lube only need to work on the inside of the roller & pins ..anywher else is a waste!! You're cleaning your drivetrain to death mate. Ease up. Unless you are OCD. In which case.............scrub away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Drongo Posted March 19, 2012 Share Cassie, you are causing premature wear on the chainrings. You'll find the new chain will be incompatible with the chainrings after replacing the chain and cassette.. although, if you know it is too late, then no point changing if it still shifts.. ride on! ..and I do also see some value in the three chains, it does the same thing as catching a worn chain in time to get three chains' use out of one drivetrain. Will be interesting to get JB's opinion on this.. Been there. Done it. It works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caerus Posted March 19, 2012 Share You're cleaning your drivetrain to death mate. Ease up. Unless you are OCD. In which case.............scrub away.I'm the same Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassie Posted March 20, 2012 Share I'm the same Definately not OCD...I'm actually quite allergic to cleaning bikes... BUt it's just so easy...takes all of 5min to get a squeaky clean chain...cleaning the rst of bike is more painful... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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