Should the rusty chain on my bicycle be replaced?

If your chain is all rusted, should you replace it? That depends on whether you can remove the rust off your chain. Once that is done and there are no kinks or stiff link pins in any of the links, you do not have to replace it.

It is easier to clean it by taking the chain off your bicycle and soak it in a rust removing solution like Q12. Lubricate the chain after you have re-installed it on the bicycle.


Note that as dirt and grime can easily stick onto the lubricating film, let it “dry out” (absorbed) on the chain overnight, if possible, before you start cycling on it.

Check out your bicycle owner's manual and learn how to take care of your chain to prevent it from getting rusty any sooner. It usually include a schedule to advise you when you should be lubricating the moving parts on your bicycle.

Chain Often Came of Your Bicycle?

Sometimes customers come to the shop asking us to help install their chain which had fallen off their bicycle. That can be fixed by adding a master link or rivet.



If the components on your drivetrain are worn out, it would be best to change them if you are installing a new chain, especially, if it is an expensive one. This is because each time you ride and change gears, any worn out parts on the drivetrain, such as, the freewheel/cassette or chainrings or derailleur wheels will pull and rub against the new chain. Your new chain will be damaged and you will have to change it sooner than it should.

If the mechanic informed you that the cassette needs to be changed too, it is possible that the teeth on the cogs of your cassette are damaged. If you do not change it, the chain will keep skipping over the top of the cog and fall off. Ask the mechanic to show you where the damage is. If you cannot see any wear, or burrs or bents on the teeth, you can always send your bicycle to another shop for a second opinion.

The following are some questions a good mechanic should ask you before re-installing your chain:

1) Is it a new chain? New chains for bicycles are always longer than needed. A chain that is too long will slack and fall off the bicycle. We can use the old chain, if it is still on the bicycle, to determine its required length. However, if there is a slack in the old chain, it is possible that it has worn out, in which case, we will have to determine the correct length required for the new chain.

1b) If it is a new chain, did you get the right chain for your bicycle? There are differences in chains for single speed and geared bicycles. Bicycles running on higher speed need the narrower chain which is more expensive. The cheaper single speed chain installed on a geared bicycle can cause it to fall off the chainring due to its width and thickness.

2) Did you fell off your bicycle while cycling? If you did, we will have to check if any components on your drivetrain have been damaged or need adjustment. Your new chain will be damaged if there are bents in the chainring teeth or on teeth of cogs on your cassette.

3) Did the chain come off only when you change your gear? That will mean either the chain is worn out and need to be changed or that the gears need to be set. Chain wear or dirt on it will affect the efficiency of your gears. If that is the case, just putting the worn out chain back on will not help as the chain will fall off again when you shift your gears.

Before the mechanic put your chain back on, he will have to check it for bents or stiff links. The chain will have to be cleaned first if it is clogged with dirt. Once installed, the chain should be lubricated together with the components on your drivetrain.

When should I change my gears?

You do not have to zoom down a slope when descending if you put more resistance on the pedals by using the "higher" or "harder" gears.  The lower gears are easy gears are for ascending hills.

Shift down to a lower gear = Ride uphill = ride on lower gears to climb uphill with less effort.

You are cycling on low gear when

1) your chain is on cog of smallest chainring = gear 1
2) your chain is on cog of biggest sprocket at the rear = gear 1

Shift up to a higher gear = Ride downhill = add resistance on the pedals and to reduce cadence (in your own term, heaviest).

You are cycling on highest gear of your bike when
1) your chain is on cog of largest chainring at the front = gear 3
2) chain on cog of smallest sprocket = gear 8 = you are running on 24 speed

This diagram of cogs on a chainring and freewheel of a 24 speed bike gives you an idea on which cog your chain is sitting on when you change your gears.

What this video if you would like a clearer picture of how your chain moves on the chainrings and cogs when you change your gears.

What is a chain guide for mountain bike?

The chain guide is only required if your chain keeps falling off the cranks.

MRP, one of the manufacturers of chain guide provides a very good explanation about the different guide systems and what is best for your drivetrain and style of cycling.

Chainguide Overview

You will get a better idea of how installing one can help hold your chain in place after watching this video.

 

Bicycle chains? Here's how to put it on?

Learn how to put the chain back on your bicycle so that you can ask for labour discount when you buy new chain from Jom Johan.

   

Clattering sound when cycling?

If you hear a clattering sound when you are cycling but don't see anything stuck on your chainrings, that could cause the noise when you checked, it is likely the sound of your chain rubbing against your derailleur.

To verify if that is the cause, check where your gears are at when the noise starts.  Is your chain sitting on the larger chainring while the other end is sitting on the largest ring of your cassette?  If it is, look at your rear derailleur.  You will notice that it is stretched way forward.

If your chain is sitting on the smallest chainring while the other is sitting on the smallest ring of your cassette you will noticed that the rear derailleur is stretched way backward.  That means that you are cycling on extreme gear combinations and the grinding noise you hear is the chain rubbing against your rear derailleur.

This cross chaining process puts the chain at too much of an angle which adds tension and can cause your chain fall off the bike and wears it out faster than it should.

So now you know that you should avoid the following combinations:
Front gear is at 1 while back is at top gear
Front is at 3 while back is on lowest gears

Watch this video and you will have an idea of what I am talking about.