Gravel Cycling

268 readers

5 users here now

If you love crunching gravel under your tires while on the drops and you want to share this passion with a Fediverse community, this could be a place for you 🚴🏼

Useful links:

founded 2 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

Chain/overall maintenance (self.gravel_cycling)

submitted 1 week ago by ellisk to c/[email protected]

2 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Pulling the bike out now that the snow's mostly melted way up here and realizing I probably need a new chain based on stretch last year... what's your chain (and other bits) maintenance routine? I definitely need to get something better going than a casual clean... I guess streams/mud/insane amounts of road dust are pretty hard on the system.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago

You can rotate 3 chains around the year, that helps a lot to reduce the wear on the chainring, which causes chain stretching too soon.

I use a hydrocarbon-based degreaser to soak a dirty chain for a short time then clean it with brake cleaner or isopropyl alcohol using a toothbrush and a rug. Put it in a zip lock bag with some chain oil. Rinse, repeat.

I prefer Sram or KMC chains over Shimano. In my experience they are cheaper and last longer. AFAIK they are compatible except the 12spd systems