Chain Care

[Nevica]

Hello,

I have just completed a Sportive. Unfortunately it was raining the whole time and the chain has been left bone dry to the metal. I use Finish Line with Teflon has my normal lubricant but this washed off during the wet Sportive.

Does anybody have any avdvice on getting the chain (and sprockets) back to good condition?

I thought that Finish Line was not meant to get washed off with raim/water?

Nevica

 

[Tynan]

tha sounds ike the finish line dry, which I did like when I tried it one summer but the slightest waft of rain washed it off, silly gimmick I reckons

I went back to wet after that, as long as you keep the chain cleanish and don't overoil I find it best

the mickle method for cleaning is a winner, I did it today and was once again chuffed with how easy it was

 

[Nevica]

tha sounds ike the finish line dry, which I did like when I tried it one summer but the slightest waft of rain washed it off, silly gimmick I reckons

I went back to wet after that, as long as you keep the chain cleanish and don't overoil I find it best

the mickle method for cleaning is a winner, I did it today and was once again chuffed with how easy it was

What is the Mickle Method please?

 

[Tynan]

search the site fella for much discussion

but if I remember it right, with the chain on the bike, run the chain through a cloth (I use an old sock) for a bit, reoil, repeat about four times, oil and light wipe and then ride and wipe again

it really shifts the gunk I forgot my chain was silver and it's very low effort

 

[HJ]

There is a long thread on "chain cleaning" here if that is any help...

 

[Nevica]

There is a long thread on "chain cleaning" here if that is any help...

I think what most concerns me is the fact that I have ridden the bike for 30 - 40 miles with effectively no oil on the chain. (I should have used Finish Line - Wet, although it does say on the can of Finish Line Dry that it can be used in all conditions so I thought I would be OK.)

Anyway, does anybody have any advice on what to do with a chain and sprockets that has been ridden dry for 30 -40 miles?

Nevica

 

[PpPete]

Use a chain checker
If it has gone beyond 0.75% replace it, if it has gone beyond 1% replace it AND cassette

Otherwise use Mickle method to re-apply your favourite lube.
Or you could try this

 

[Davidc]

The important bit for lubrication is out of sight, where metal meets metal under compression inside the chain. It's unlikely that water will have washed finish line dry out of there.

Porky pete's post above (#7) says all that's needed. The mickle method is here.

You need to do a lubrication to get oil back on the outside of the chain to keep air and water (which + steel = rust) out.

 

[zigzag]

i think one should not go crazy about the cleanliness of the chain (unless you've got an ocd ). i ride on paved roads most of the time, so chain doesn't get too dirty. in dry conditions i wipe and lube it every 200-400miles with dry weather oil or whenever it's getting noisy. in rainy weather wipe-lube-wipe after each wet ride. old t-shirts are good for wiping the chains. if the forecast is wet before the ride, i take some lube with me on the ride. i use two bikes so it's hard to tell exact mileage, but my guestimate is that chain lasts for about 5000-7000 miles.
i've tried removing and rinsing chains in solvent in the past, but found out that the result is not worth the hassle.

regarding nevica's case - i wouldn't worry too much if the chain was wet and not oily for last 50miles. water itself is quite a good lubricant. if the chain was dry and squeeky - i would check it for wear and replace if required.

 

[02GF74]

water itself is quite a good lubricant. if the chain was dry and squeeky - i would check it for wear and replace if required.

wot ^^^^ said.

Dunno where you did this ride but unfortunately I suspect the road surface will have samll particules of fine grit/sand that no dbout will have been thrown onto the chaing, whcih act as gridnging paste.

check the chain for wear, then spray on some motorcyucle chain lubricatn, wipe off exxcess by running chain thorugh a cloth and job done.

not sure why the mickelmethod (TM) requires this to be done 4 times though, each to their own I guess.

 

[Davidc]

not sure why the mickelmethod ™ requires this to be done 4 times though, each to their own I guess.

I wasn't aware that it did. I'm usually content with applying lube, which softens up the crud, wiping it to get the now softened crud off, relubing, wiping the excess off, and that's it until the next time (which depends on weather and use).

 

[- Baz -]

... i use two bikes so it's hard to tell exact mileage, but my guestimate is that chain lasts for about 5000-7000 miles.

Holy moly! I've kept my KMC chain scrupulously clean and mickled (Finish Line Dry Teflon) from new and only got 600 miles out of it! And I'm a spinner not a grinder.

What chain and lube are you using?

 

[2Loose]

Holy moly! I've kept my KMC chain scrupulously clean and mickled (Finish Line Dry Teflon) from new and only got 600 miles out of it! And I'm a spinner not a grinder.

What chain and lube are you using?

I had heard that KMC chains can be a bit soft, but you got a real humdinger!

My last shimano 9spd chain lasted 4K even through the daily salt and snow of last winter with a weekly oil and very little attention unless it squeaked. Mind you, I probably should have replaced it a whole 1K earlier tbh. It would have saved the cost of a cassette!

 

[battered]

I think what most concerns me is the fact that I have ridden the bike for 30 - 40 miles with effectively no oil on the chain. (I should have used Finish Line - Wet, although it does say on the can of Finish Line Dry that it can be used in all conditions so I thought I would be OK.)

Anyway, does anybody have any advice on what to do with a chain and sprockets that has been ridden dry for 30 -40 miles?

Nevica

40 miles is buttons. It's got a bit worn. Ah well. Chains wear, that's life. Oil it and carry on riding.

In future use a wet lube, I favour light oil and find that with regular oiling the crud finds its way to the jockey wheels, then you can scrape it off.

If you want to check your chain either get a gauge or learn how to measure it with a steel ruler and estimate wear. 30 miles mostly sans oil will have done virtually nothing to it.

 

[snailracer]

Most of the road spray is thrown up from the front tyre onto the chainwheel/chain/bottom bracket.

Which is a good reason to fit a front mudguard, with a long flap (invariably DIY, stock mudguards never come with decent flaps).