That New Chain Feeling
I replace my chain every year, more or less. It tends toward less as I don’t have a set anniversary for new chains. Usually I notice the shifting is lagging a second and it dawns on me that the chain is in need of replacement. In my youth I would keep the same chain on the bike forever. I even used to take it off, and reinstall it inside out (?!) thinking…thinking that I was a cheap idiot. The result of that was the rear cogs were always ruined too, reinforcing the cheap idiot thing. Since replacing the chain on a yearly basis I’ve never had to replace a cassette. I’ve heard that the Fabian Cancellara’s of the pro peloton get a new chain once a week. The pros are fifty-two times more mighty.
This most recent chain replacement had me using a Campagnolo Chorus chain I had attempted to install on another bike and failed. I shamefully put the chain on a shelf until I had stocked up on Campagnolo’s special bullet shaped, don’t drop this on the shop floor or you will never find it, you only get one shot at this, very special chain pin. Maybe it’s like redoing your handlebar tape or filing taxes; these jobs only done once a year never go perfectly. Installing the Campagnolo chain is like what I imagine arming a field tactical nuclear weapon is like. It is cramped. It requires small hands. It requires excellent vision. It requires mechanical skills and you only get one shot at it. Luckily, for me, the whole mess was contained with a KMC 11-speed quick link, whew, done and dusted.
My point is, when one changes just one component on one’s bike, the change is very noticeable, The first few pedal strokes out on the road with a new chain is a subtle revelation. It feels different. It feels better. Damn it feels excellent.
Or is it all in the mind. This article was linked in the Velominati posts a while back. In a world full of anecdotal evidence I do enjoy an article where our perceptions are put to the test. Maybe my new chain feeling is all in my head? Who cares, I can still enjoy it and “in my head” is where enjoyment happens anyway.
@Teocalli
Yup, missed it by 1/8th bean of a lord’s left testicle (or some other particularly obscure representative base).
@KogaLover
One tool to check them all. You are correct, it is only the width of the chain that decreases as you add cogs to the cassette. The length from pin to pin is constant… unless you apply too much V (or not enough care), in which you have to swap out the chain.
Also, a 6 speed steel steed!?! Pics pls.
@DeKerr
Yup. Link length hasn’t changed. Park tools does make another chain checker that costs about 3 times as much to tell you the same thing the one I posted does. For a home mechanic this will work perfectly.
An accurate steel ruler works fine to check chain wear too: any more than 1/16″ ‘stretch’ at 12″ and you should replace it.
Ironic that chain is still specced in inches. If only Shimano’s 10 Pitch system had taken off…
@DeKerr
Yeah, but then @TBONE ruins the mystique by admitting that he avoids Rule #9 conditions. Not that I ride in the rain much, mainly because it never fucking rains in the desert. A quick look at the weather history shows it’s only rained 1.75cm so far this year.
@frank – I agree with the DuMonde Tech comment, love this stuff. Thanks for bringing it to my attention with your Reverence article.
@wilburrox
Tyres, now thats a whole other thread!
@bea
Quite possible now I’ve read the wiki list of uses for this natural wonder substance. Keeping sheep dry to nipple lube and everything in between! Now where’s the VMH put her hand cream?
@Ron
Good stuff that fizik. I must admit that I am changing bar tape at the half-life just for the sake of switching from black to white, or Cinelli to 3T to ZIPP, etc. And note that I changed the Campa hoods with the matching bar tape as well. I did ride fizik years ago but witnessed the micro-whatever surface degrading too quickly. I think ??
Correction: It was ZIPP CX tape that lost its thin surface faster than you would imagine.
@Teocalli
Um…yeah. Woopsiedaysies.
@Ron
The only reason I ever change my fizik tape is when the cables or handlebars wear out.
@JohnB
Don’t know if any manufacturers are using it, but there are several lanolin based chain lubes available (Biomaxa, Inox, Lanotec). I’m guessing they could do double duty as chamois cream.
Some KMC track chains (the D-101, at least) come with a little packet of that factory grease to pack the bushings of the quick link. It’s magical and smells heavenly.
@Gianni
Grease attracts dirt, dirt means grit, which wears shit out.
@MangoDave
Here’s me winning in the rain, on a waxed chain, this time last year. It should be noted that the last half of May, and the better part of June were a write-off due to the cough I developed from this race.
Well, zero. If you mean graphite, I just dump a bunch in to the wax once it is melted.
@DeKerr
Oddly enough, it’s less time and maintenance than standard lube to wax. 20 minutes or so every 3 weeks.
– I now use a generic use digital micrometer of 9$ from ebay to measure my chain stretching, in centesimals of milimeter. I like to change them when 10 links measure 133,30mm. So not only I check it, but I see when that number is approaching. So there are no surprises.
– I use only the best chain; KMC X10 SL, or X11 SL. Much better than shimano, which is way better than sram and campy (i´m talking chains only here).
– Was lube, like skirt of finish line wax seems to be the best for fair weather, you have to re lube every ride, just a bit. Chain clean for many many miles. In rain it doesn’t work, it goes out after 30km. spring-autums; finish line red. winter: finish line green.
@Owen
Interesting. So, the shifting issue went away when you switched back to the Ultegra chain? I also switched to a SRAM chain (easier to remove and replace for cleaning) but it hasn’t functioned as well as the Ultegra.
@Bespoke
Yeah changing the frame out helped a ton but it didn’t quite index right until I changed to the ultegra chain. Something about the shape of each link does it. In retrospect for what I paid for the bike plus wheels I shouldn’t have balked at a 30 dollar chain but here we are.
@Owen
Bitch to remove the pin every time you want to clean the chain though. Or do you clean the chain on the bike?
@TBONE
Well, graphite *is only* carbon, so yeah. I’m just interested in the ratio becase spend my working hours in a world where ratios like that matter. But in this case there may be some tolerable slop. So some carbon added to some wax may be a fine working solution.
@Bespoke
I use a master link. Maybe not a purist in that regard but if it’s good enough for Frahnk it’s good enough for me. If need be I’ll take it off but mostly it’s a CIP situation.
@Bespoke
Let me back that one up one step. I use the packaged screw with your mind breakaway pin the first time it’s installed but a master link thereafter if I have to take the chain off for some reason.
@Bespoke
I learned awhile back “why would you ever take the chain off to clean it?” Finish Line sells and brush/degreaser that cleans the chain in 5 min. Then I run it thru again with just warm soapy water (another 3 min). Then dry by running chain thru a rag.
@unversio
It’s just so much nicer to soak the chain and cassette – everything gets clean. Plus, it’s less finicky without having to work around the frame.
Anyway, good advice on the master link (I didn’t know that was possible).
@frank
Then there’s this little gem, which is going to mess up posting super bad, that’s for sure. Couldn’t find the metric calendar one…
https://screen.yahoo.com/dan-aykroyd-metric-alphabet-050000965.html
@Owen
Frank should follow Chris, who went to the trouble to find the proper Campy UT-CN 200 tool for sell from me. I had two of these chain tools at one point and sold one to Chris at a bargain. Removing and inserting the new connector pin is one of those small joys. Why would you (or Frank) pass that up ??
@Bespoke
Jenson sells a Shimano compatible master link. 6 for 20 bucks or something like that. Bought a set a couple years ago at the LBS.
@unversio
I’ve dropped one under the shelves in the garage before and the VMH doesn’t like me scaring the neighborhood kids.
@Bespoke
Agreed. Remove the cassette and polish each “sprocket”. The chain runs on a PRO axle with a 14t while you clean it. Running the chain thru the Finish Line also somewhat cleans the chain rings while you are at it.
New Campa 10s chainset comes with a darn pin, so… I will upgrade my drivetrain soon enough.
Clearly why Im so shit atm. KMC chain from ultergra changeout coming up. Then Ill be awesome
A question; lube chain pre or post ride? a couple of the guys at the bike shop I work at advocate lubing post ride.
@RedRanger
Lube post-ride, wipe down pre-ride.
@frank
thats what I started doing after they told me the reason behind it.
@RedRanger
Do tell more Obi Wan
@Barracuda
Let the love soak in overnight, and wipe off the excess pre-ride. As @Oli says, you want the love in the chain, not on it.
But you also want none of the HATE in the chain, so clean it with a chain cleaner like the Park Chain Cleaner or this Finish Line one if it was exposed to any real filth like a muddy Roubaix or some such.
While I use a quick link, its more out of stubbornness than reason; those chain cleaning tools work perfectly well and even help clean the cassette and chain rings while you’re at it. I almost never take my chain off, but like the idea that I can without having to buy a special kit to do it.
@Barracuda
Basically a freshly lubed chain is gonna attract more dirt and grit so it off sets the lube benefit. lubing post ride lets the lube work into the rollers a bit more also.
@Ron
Why are you trying to join a chain whilst it is under tension? Put it onto the 11, and drop it off the chain ring to hang around the crank axle and there will be plenty of slack to join with no tension.
@Bespoke
I used to be in that camp. Chain of and into a bath and agitate. These days though I have found some excellent soaps/degreasers and don’t bother. Then again I wash the bike/degrease/relube once a week so that probably is a factor. I also wipe the chain down each day after a ride (I have a theory that it’s hot so the lube comes off better) and this keeps the chain very clean to start with.
@frank
Or somebody finds some killer orange cable housing for you….
@RedRanger
I saw that pricier tool as well. But since my LBS uses the cheaper chain checker, I thought that that one would be pro enough. I just got Park’s TW 5 tork wrench and now need to find adapters….
@RedRanger
@frank
Not according to Campagnolo
@TommyTubolare
Have the cows come home yet? Been having this argument for years.
@TommyTubolare
Nice!
I’m just besides myself considering that all this thought can go in to the maintenance of the chain and I’ve never been one to really think at all about it. Strange as I love obsessing about my bikes but the chain’s just not been on radar. Hmmm…
just ordered new chain for my 9 bike, a park tool checker, and lube. very influential this thread!
love the ‘encrustations’ on the chain in the Campag guidelines!
Damn, what a timely article. There’s me out of the office all day yesterday and missed its first showing. Funnily enough, I rode #1 on Monday night and noticed some clicks from the drivetain. Wanting to adhere to the PoS, I checked the chain. Stretched! 5 mins later a new KMC is installed and lubed. I always buy a couple of chains when I see them on sale (same for cassettes). Being of an age before such things as reusable links, I think they are the best thing since sliced bread. Shimano and Campag pins? Never again.
Of course the replaceable link is not exactly new. I remember using these as a kid.
Jaysus Gianni, you are a genius for getting the minutiae ball rolling! This article and discussion is perfect for a rare rainy day in Miami.
Back in the day my LBS had an industrial ultrasonic degreaser and two days before race day the chain would spend 20 minutes in the bath then get hung from a rafter in the basement where it would get a blow job @120psi from the industrial compressor that ran all the air in the shop above. Then I would use a needle thin applicator to drop the perfect amount of lube into each link, one side at a time. Lastly a clean rag would polish the chain off of all external lube.
I miss that ritual and dream of the day where I can replicate it. Yes, I know that I have striped off the factory lube, yes I could have used paraffin (graphite too), all those good things but this was a weekly thing and the chain was new every three to four weeks. Also I’m talking 5 – 7 speed casettes not this new fangled 11 stuff. The reason for the 2 day rule was to make sure the reattached link had a pre ride in case there was an issue.
My chains were spotless, quiet and I never skipped a gear in 5 years… Now not so much but my only competition is the Sunday morning race to espresso!
As a PS someone above mentioned degreasing, then rinsing and drying with a rag. The nice thing about the air compressor is that there is no chance of moisture remaining, which would interfere with the lube.
@rfreese888
Spaghetti alla Vongole anyone?
@Puffy
Why was I, you mean. Those were my early days of personal bike maintenance. That’s why I wrote that enough time has passed that I can laugh about it, because I was pretty pissed I couldn’t find the link for around a year. Thank heavens the VMH decided to bake a cake and needed that mixing bowl!
Also, I’m sure most of you know this, but the new-ish Park Tool chain tool works on all the chains I use, Campa, KMC, Shimano, etc. I’m only on 9 and 10 though, no 11.
For me, first installation of Campa I use the pin. If I mess it up, I have a KMC Campa-specific master link on hand. After the first chain breaking, I then install a master link and can remove/reinstall easily whenever needed.