Bicycle Mechanics - aaaahhhh.....a fresh start.

i finally replaced the drivetrain on my commuter bike, and what an amazing difference it makes!

im so glad to have a fresh, unworn drivetrain. smooth shifts, no skipping, no broken chains.......very enjoyable. in fact im enjoying my commute much more because of it, nothing better than a good performing bike:)

i dunno why i posted this, i guess its just a friendly reminder to make sure your drivtrain is running properly.....do not let it get as bad as mine did! keep it oiled, cleaned...and replace the chain before it starts to damage the cogset/chainrings.

as for me, ill be enjoying my ride to work monday:)

As soon as I get my next check, I intend to get my MTB drive train refurbished: new middle chainring, new cassette (which I already have), new chain. Then I hope to take better care of the chain and to replace it more frequently. Every time I ride the MTB these days, I try to imagine what (relatively) smooth shifting, and smooth chain movement would feel like! I do enjoy those on the road bike. Probably ought to replace the chain on it pretty soon, but it still measures "unstretched."

Originally posted by biztyke

i dunno why i posted this

Because you know we're a bunch of bike geeks and the only people in your life who understand or care what it means to YOU because we know what it would mean to US! :D
Rainman

Biztyke, I dearly hope you replaced your cassette @ the same time !!??

Originally posted by Buddy Hayden
Biztyke, I dearly hope you replaced your cassette @ the same time !!??

of course i did! i replaced the chain, cassette, rear der pulleys and big chainring up front(big ring is really the only one i use on my commuter, so the middle ring is fine....and i dont even have a small ring on it).

the chain was breaking on a daily basis the last wekk, i needed a new chain anyways...so i went and replaced everything. not good to have worn parts working with new parts.

oh and rainman, your probably right...somewhat. but my dad is just as much of a bike freak as i am...in fact he got me into biking. so hes always around to talk bike stuff, but i must say i like the fellow bike geeks here too:)

I know just what you mean Biz, I replaced the crankset, BB, chain and cassette on my Mongoose this Spring. It's like getting a new bike, ain't it? :D Plus when you do it yourself there's a great feeling of satisfaction.

If you measure your chain and replace it before it wears out, you will very rarely have to replace other drivetrain parts. If you run a "fresh" chain the links contact ALL of the cogs/teeth evenly, not just putting pressure on one or two.
The easiest way is to get a chain gauge and use it regularly especially after 1,000 to 1,500 miles maybe more if you don't ride very hard and in "clean" conditions.
Park tools makes a very good chain gauge, your local LBS can order you one, and has mechanical dial gauge with a blue "good" area and a red "bad area- easy to read, no guesswork.
You can use a tape measure- With the chain UNDER TENSION, measure from the center of one connector pin to the center of another pin 12 inches away, not 9 like you see in the mags- this is a very old industry standard used in every bike shop I've worked in and every team mechanic I've talked to, if the 12 inch line hits on center of the pin- it's good, if the line gets near the edge of the pin- it's bad.
How to get the chain under tension by yourself?
Stick a big screwdriver or stick etc. into the spokes just above the chainstays to keep the wheel from rotating. Push down on the pedal with your foot to tension the chain while you measure it.

I love this forum. :) Thanks for posting your chain news, Biztyke! I have not needed (so far) to replace the chain. I was reading the Zinn book of MTB Repairs and it mentioned keeping the bike chain clean. After almost every ride, I wipe off my chain, and then lube the chain. I actually, cleaned it a few days ago, and relubed it immediately after its cleaning. My bike seemed/felt so much better.

I am going to this free bike clinic next Friday, to learn more about maintenance/basic repair on my bike. I'm really quite excited about it, and I wish I could learn more about repairing my bike. My immediately close LBS, I'm not too fond of, but I know other LBSs that are good. I'm too shy/afraid to ask about volunteering time, so I don't know where to begin on learning more.

Anyway, it's cool that you got that all done! :D

An additional note;
KEEP YOUR CHAIN CLEAN
Take it off and soak in, an old coffee can comes in handy, it some type of solvent the team pros traditionally use diesel oil, it leaves a lubricating film rather than harmful solvent film. If I have time and it's nasty I'll use use a three or four steps process soak in kerosene, then diesel, diesel again then washing, scrubbing and rinsing in hot water and dishwashing detergent, so it won't degrade the lubricant rinsing in hot water makes It dry very fast. The last step gets most if not all of the lubrcant out so it won't degrade the lubricant.
Don't worry I recycle solvents myself by dumping the dirty stuff in a jar to settle out the grime and reuse it .

If I'm in a hurry I squirt it with WD40 or wipe it good and lubricate
Carburator cleaner works well too but is expensive

I've tried lots of other things to be more environmentally friendly and to see if I can find a better process but....

Originally posted by pat5319
I've tried lots of other things to be more environmentally friendly and to see if I can find a better process but....
Try Simple Green, works just as good as Pedro's Orange Peelz for a fraction of the cost. Put the chain in an old water bottle, fill 25% w/ Simple Green, shake. Work on your bike, come back and shake, repeat a couple more times if the chain is real dirty. Rinse and lube. Works great w/ little effort.

I buy "Citrus Magic" full-strength citrus cleaner at a quart for $4.99 at a local supermarket. The only drawback I know is that it's flammable. I don't know if Simple Green is flammable or not.

A caution to those who might want to try citrus cleaners: they are so strong they will dissolve some plastics, so be careful using on or around plastic and in the choice of bottle for storing diluted (or full-strength) cleaner.

thanks all for the tips, although i am aware of the whole drivetrain maintenance thing. in fact, this is really the first "bad" drivetrain ive ridden.....the reason, because my commuter is a bike that i built from spare parts. i had an 5 year old worn 7sp cassette, running with a warped big chainring with teeth missing....and the best part, the chain was a mix of differently worn spare sections of links from different chains. quite the experience riding that for 2 months.

but now ive got all new fresh parts working like a dream together......very nice indeed.


hmmmm....this reminds me of something rather funny i saw/heard today. i was stopped to do a quick tune on my rear der(new cable, streched)....when i hear this kind of loud, grinding, squeaking sound(reminded me of an old rusty chainsaw from a horror movie, without the motor) comming up from behind me. when the sound passed i saw that it was a guy riding his bike slowly! i noticed his chain and cassette were completely coated in rust, and had obviously never seen a drop of oil. i thought *geeez, that poor bike!*:)

honestly, ive never heard a bike make a sound like that.....