I’ve been riding my mountain bike 21 miles a day this week. On Wednesday, I noticed that I was laboring to maintain a pace that had been easy for me last week. After I got home, I checked out my bike and saw that the chain was extremely dirty and had almost no lubricant left on it. If you ride your bike hard, as I do, you quickly discover that a bicycle needs maintenance just like a car. Here’s how to keep your bike’s drivetrain in working order:
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Get a chain cleaning tool.
I have a Nashbar Chain Cleaner, like the one shown in the picture. Gadgets like these are available on-line or at any local bike shop.
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Fill it with degreaser.
The chain cleaner has to be filled with a degreaser like Nashbar Big Blue Degreaser.
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Roll the chain through the chain cleaner a number of times.
I use my hand to turn the pedals on my bike in reverse. This rolls the chain through the cleaning chamber without causing the wheels to turn. I keep turning the pedals until all of the gunk is off the chain and inside the cleaning chamber.
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Apply chain lubricant.
Finally, I apply Pedros Ice Wax, a “dry” lubricant, by putting drops of it on the links of my bike’s chain.
This entire process took 10 minutes before my next ride. I was able to ride at a slightly faster pace with less effort after I cleaned and lubed the chain.
I would recommend that every cyclist perform this maintenance on their bike after every 100 to 200 miles, depending on conditions. This generally needs to be done more often in wet conditions, and less often in dry conditions if you are riding on the road. Off-road cyclists may need to perform this maintenance more often than I have suggested.