Chain Wear

Chain wear can be a confusing thing...

Sometimes you'll get a year out of a bicycle chain, sometimes two months.

Many factors contribute to chain wear including:

riding style

environmental exposure

the lube you apply

how it is applied -- and much more 

Many lubes are marketed as chain lubes, but they are either are too light and bleed out of the chain very quickly, or they are gummy and sticky, which means they'll only attract dirt and cause further wear on the drivetrain. Changing the chain before it becomes too worn is imperative to keeping the rest of the drivetrain from wearing out.

A chain that is newer fits into the gaps between the teeth of your gears perfectly, spreading the load across many teeth.

A chain that is worn stretches longer and does not fit as well between the teeth. This puts all your pedaling pressure on just a few teeth.

Come by the shop anytime and learn how we take care of your chain by both measuring for wear and also keeping it clean and lubed. Stop by next Friday, February 5, 2016 for our inagural FLAT-FREE FIRST FRIDAY at the shop beginning at 6 p.m. We'll spend a little time reviewing chain care, too. (Thanks to Zach Wolz for these great tips!)

Love, Peace and Bicycle Grease,

Matt & Julie