If your chain uses a reusable quick-link to install, then you’re welcome to remove your chain for cleaning and not worry about creating a potentially weaker link.įor those with (officially) non-reusable links, Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo all recommend using a brand-new quick-link every time a chain is installed. “The better master links… ‘click’ into place, and taking it off and on and off and on removes this feature. If your chain uses a joining pin to connect, rather than a quick-link, they are typically designed to go on once and then be removed only when worn out.Ĭalvin Jones of Park Tool expands on this, saying that “if the chain has a ‘connection rivet’, you invite creating a weak link every time you remove and install a new connection rivet. With chains becoming more precise as further gears are added to modern drivetrains, our techniques for cleaning have had to adapt. Removing a chain from the bike and shaking it in a jar of degreaser used to be common practice, but not so much anymore. Jonny Ashelford / Immediate MediaĮveryone has a slightly different view on whether the chain should be on or off the bike for a thorough cleaning. Whether or not you need to split your chain depends on your drivetrain. Should I take my chain off my bike to clean it? However, it’s better to lube a grease-covered chain prior to a ride than do nothing at all. You also run the risk of having a ‘chain tat’ if your leg comes into contact with a dirty chain on a ride. If you lube a dirty chain, it will only continue to attract more contaminants and not be of particular benefit. Many riders make the mistake of not degreasing their chains, prior to lubrication. Because of the high number of links constantly articulating, it is crucial to make sure the friction is minimised within the links.” At 95rpm with a 53t front ring, 40,280 chain link articulations occur every minute as the chain snakes through the drivetrain. “When a chain is not properly cleaned and lubed, friction levels increase at the sliding surfaces of each chain link. In extreme cases (MTB or cyclocross for example), we’ve seen a muddy chain add 12 watts of losses over baseline. Smith explains that number increases with the grit: “Riding on several road rides without cleaning or relubing can cost about 5 watts of losses. The light road grit kicked up from a couple of ‘clean’ road rides can cost an additional 3 watts of frictional losses.” “For example, say a properly cleaned and lubed chain consumes about 7 watts. “The numbers can vary based on the ‘dirtiness’ of the chain, but on average, testing shows a dirty road chain can decrease efficiency by about 3 to 5 watts (at 250-watt rider output) – about 1 to 2 per cent of power loss,” he says.
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