One of the most important components on a bike, the chain is often the most maintained part whether it’s made from plain carbon or alloy steel, but some are chrome-plated or stainless steel to prevent rust, or simply for aesthetics. It gets worn out, needs lubing and constantly picks up dirt and even mud when its raining.
Ever wondered when is the right time to replace the chains on your bike? This great article byLennard Zinn of VeloNews can give you tips when to finally get a new one.
As a chain wears, the pins and plate holes wear, increasing the spacing between rollers. This concentrates load on the top gear tooth, rather than distributing it over all of the teeth around which the chain is wrapped. Over time, the gear teeth will become hook-shaped and the tooth valleys will lengthen. A new chain will skip and jump when running on worn cogs and vice versa.
Chains are cheaper than cogsets and chainrings, and to avoid having to change all of them at once, check your chain regularly and replace it as needed.
The easiest way to check your chain is to measure it. Since bicycle chains measure a half-inch between adjacent rivets, there should be exactly 12 inner and outer link pairs in one foot. Set one end of a ruler on a rivet edge, and look at the rivet 12 inches away. If its edge is 12-1â„8 inch away, replace the chain. If it is 12-1â„16 inch away, replace it if you use titanium or aluminum cogs or an 11-tooth cog.
Source: Active.com
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