Keeping the bicycle chain in perfect condition is essential. That means you have to have adequate lubrication and not suffer from your links to increase your duration. But you have to be clear about maintenance deadlines and know when it has worn out to replace it.
The proper functioning of bicycle transmission depends on the good condition of the chain. A dirty chain, with dust, mud and oxidized will emit noise, will cause jumps when changing and will not engage well with the crowns or the teeth of the plate, hindering the pedaling.
In addition, a chain with inappropriate maintenance will accelerate the wear and tear of the toothpaste of the dishes and the crowns, which can force us to have to replace them early, with the consequent economic disbursement it supposes. To get an idea of the difference in the cost of substitution, chain change has an average expense of between 25 and 40 euros, being similar prices both in Mountain Bike and on the road.
However, the cost of replacing cassette, plates (and chain, logically) can be triggered at 120 or 140 euros for a mid -range group. Much more if we have a high -end transmission group. And all of them without counting your workforce, if you decide to do the replacement in a workshop.
How to know if the chain is worn?
There is a very simple method to know in a few seconds if the chain of your bicycle is worn out and needs to be replaced. But this method requires getting a chain caliber. It is a metal or plastic tool that they sell in any cycling store and measures the elongation or stretching of the links.
The wear of the links will cause them to stretch and begin to make more friction with the crowns and dishes. The chain caliber is able to measure the percentage of elongation, with two main measures: 0.75 mm and 1 mm, each located on each side of the caliber.
You must introduce one of the projections of the 0.75 mm side in the hole of one of the links, and drop the other tooth on the chain. If the latter is introduced without problem into another link, leaving the caliber completely parallel and attached to the chain, it must be changed because it will be spent.
On the other hand, if you try to introduce the 1 mm side in the links and both outgoing enter, you must also change the plate, cassette and roldanas, since they will also be spent. In this video of Thepersontube you can see in detail how to use this tool well:
https://youtu.be/bgYc92I_P-k
Incompatibilities between chains
It should be remembered that the average wear of a bicycle chain ranges between 3,000 and 8,000 kilometers. It is a wide margin because the deterioration will accelerate or delay depending on the use, cycling modality, the quality of the chain, etc.
Also remember that if you have recently started in cycling, you should inevitably change the chain one or several times during the useful life of your bicycle. And when that time comes you must choose a compatible with your transmission group.
It is not advisable to buy a 10 -speed MTB chain to put in an 11V transmission or vice versa. You must also attend to the number of links in the chain. It is indicated in each product and, when installing it in your transmission, you must overlap it on the old one so that the number of links and therefore its length coincides.
How to change your bicycle chain
Chain change is a simple operation that, little to be curious and a little hands with mechanics, you can do it at home without problems. But the above recommendations will always have to be taken into account: to ensure that the chain you are going to install is compatible with the relationship of our transmission (2x10, 2x11, 1x12, etc.) and that it has identical length than the old one.
https://youtu.be/ZlSQ9Flep80
Tips for prolonging the useful life of your chain
The chain is one of the bicycle components most exposed to wear for use. But there are certain tricks to delay their degradation. Applying them, it is possible that it lasts several years, even riding a bike in a regular basis.
Clean and grease the chain after each output
More than a trick, it is almost a primary maintenance operation. After each bike outlet, especially if you practice MTB, it is necessary to degrease, clean with water and grease the chain. In this article we explain to you What type of lubricant is more convenient For each situation.
Avoid crossing the chain
In double or triple plate transmissions choose a plate-pye combination that does not cross the chain and thus reduce friction. In a 2x10 or 2x11 group, the most common on the road, combines the small dish with the five large crowns and the large plate for the smallest 5 or 6.
Do not abuse change
Many cyclists use more than both the rear and the striker should. Sometimes it is inevitable for the type of route, if it is a race, a demanding march, etc. But an intelligent use of the buttons, which go through a constant rhythm, will make the jumps between crowns or dishes less and directly have the increase in the useful life of the chain.
Opt for a coating chain
It is advisable to get the chain spare of the group mounted on your bicycle. If you have a Shimano Deore XT group, the chain should be the group's own. But among the groups of each brand, and among the latter, there are numerous chain compatibilities, but always between transmissions with the same relationship (1x11, 2x11, 1x12, etc).
At this point, it is possible to customize the transmission with a chain with special anti -corrosion or anti -oxide (generally chrome), or with special design, such as flat surface surface, which guarantees less friction and softer changes. Other outstanding brands with lasting chains are KMC, Taya or Sunrace, which have models compatible with the main market groups.
