Categories: Accessories and GearThe Rules

On Rules #26 and #65: Spring Theory

Always store your bike in the mechanic's position: small-small to ease tension on the derailleur springs. Photo: Pedale.Forchetta

To hold opposing truths in one’s heart is a beautiful thing; to find resonance within contradiction is a liberating force that opens one’s mind to a wide world of possibilities. Life lived in black and white is a bland, simple world, after all: everything interesting in life happens in the gray space in between.

There is nothing outwardly in conflict between Rules #26 and #65, but within the application of Rule #26 we run the risk of violating Rule #65. Whenever storing one’s bicycle, whether for the evening or for an extended period of time, one is to take care to place the chain in a little-little configuration. This is done by Pro racers out of respect for their mechanic by making their life just a little bit easier when they remove the wheels before getting the bike a clean and sparkling for the next day’s training or racing.

We, the humble plonkers, presumably don’t have a personal or team mechanic who rubs our beloved steed with a diaper post-ride. But there lurks another reason why this practice is an important one to undertake: leaving the chain in the big dog and mid or high cassette as we would when gussying our girl up to be photographed puts the springs in the derailleurs under tension, causing them to wear out more quickly. Placing them little-little leaves them nice and relaxed, all rested up for your next soul crushing session.

I can not overstate that this in no way allows us to photograph or allow someone else to photograph our steed in this relaxed state, much like we would not allow ourselves to be photographed while laying on the couch wearing compression socks and moaning about our guns.

[rule number=26]

[rule number=65]

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

Next The Wipe Down »

Previous « Anatomy of a Photo: Top Dog

View Comments

Unc V says:

Jan 6 2016 at 8:44 pm

How about this scenario ,park your car on a hill ,throw it in park or 1st gear ,if you like your car you,ll put the parking brake on before releasing the brake ,if you don,t forget the parking brake and just let it kinda bounce into place giving the poor transmission the work of holding the car in place . It,s perfectly ok to be kind to some of your inanimate objects . I have practiced little little religiously for years now ,it can,t hurt , and is miles better than the heinous mistake of leaving it all alone large large .
pistard says:

Jan 6 2016 at 10:01 pm

If you really want to “rest” the springs, you should remove both derailleurs, disassemble them, and allow the springs to uncoil completely. (Careful they don’t take a eye out.)

I do this between every ride to optimize springiness.
pistard says:

Jan 6 2016 at 10:13 pm

And how the fuck do we reconcile this heresy with Rule #90?
Philonius says:

Jan 6 2016 at 10:29 pm

@frank

Well then, Tullio sure did his job vvell, because that old beast still shifts right every time. Of course, it helps to have learned how to feather a set of downtime friction shifters properly at a tender age. Now- those old Record brakes, sorry, but they pretty much suck.
frank says:

Jan 6 2016 at 10:31 pm

@pistard

And how the fuck do we reconcile this heresy with Rule #90?

Riding is where the magic happens. All this non-riding folklore is only intended to preserve the bits for when we're actually on the bike and crushing fools.

Putting the drivetrain under tension and load is what it's all about when we're riding, my child.
cognition says:

Jan 6 2016 at 11:51 pm

While I dearly love celeste and enjoy the yellow/blue/red of Colombia and the memories of Café de Colombia and Lucho Herrera, I'm not sure those color combinations should mix.
pistard says:

Jan 7 2016 at 12:05 am

@frank

@pistard

And how the fuck do we reconcile this heresy with Rule #90?

Riding is where the magic happens. All this non-riding folklore is only intended to preserve the bits for when we’re actually on the bike and crushing fools.

Putting the drivetrain under tension and load is what it’s all about when we’re riding, my child.

Respect I have for mythopoetics, tension, I maintsin, track-slack.
osbk67 says:

Jan 7 2016 at 1:08 am

@Oli

@frank

Of course you’re right. And even though I know it makes no difference I still do it every time I put my bike away.

Have you considered the additional wear incurred in shifting from the end-of-ride gear to the small/small combination and back to the start-of-next-ride gear, as against shifting directly from the former to the latter? And balanced this additional wear against reduced spring tension and cable stretch over the expected duration until the next ride? Or not?

If you haven't I guess it's not worth considering...
RobSandy says:

Jan 7 2016 at 1:43 am

I'm going to add this one to the list of things I didn't know.
Oli says:

Jan 7 2016 at 3:57 am

@osbk67

These are excellent points, and I'm herewith changing my protocol.