Chain replacement: when & why exactly? [Archive]

sootie

16th September 2012, 22:17

I would like to start a thread about bike chains. It has been done before on this forum, but even the WOF testers still disagree about this one.
Here are some ideas:
- Never replace because it doesn't matter much!
- Replace every 10,000 kms to be on the safe side!
- Replace when it looks really dirty (one testing station argument I had!)
- Replace when the sprockets show clear "forward hooking" wear (how clear?)
- Replace when it can be lifted clear of rear sprocket (how easily?)
- Replace when reverse wheeling of bike makes chain/sprocket movement jumpy (means??)
- replace when wheel rotation gives low & high tension positions (how big?)
- Replace when chain link wear allows a stretch limit to be reached
- replace when frequent tension re-adjustment is needed. (ie more than once every 5,000 kms.)

I guess I like the stretch limit because it is definitive, and the need for frequent re-adjustment because it is indicating a rate of deterioration of chain condition to maintain a fairly standard amount of chain play.

More comments:
90% of chain wear can be avoided by keeping the chain & sprockets clean.
A high pressure water hose, relub & short run every few months and particularly after off seal use (roadbike) are the best way to avoid this????

Always replace both sprockets whenever a chain is replaced.

Love to hear some experts discuss this - what other ideas are out there?
- agreement is probably an unreasonable expectation!

Coldrider

16th September 2012, 22:34

just mail order a clip on shaft drive.

bogan

16th September 2012, 22:52

Some of that list could be separated into high torque, high lifetime, and improper maintenance effects. There's no single one to look out for, so check a few. Personally I keep an eye on sprocket condition, tight spots in the chain, and chain sag on the rear sprocket (where you can pull the back links out a significant amount). Sideways deflection is also a good indicator of chain condition, I'm surprised that isn't in your list, cos it used to me in the manuals that came with bikes...

One thing to check every now and then is the cush drive (if your bike has one obviously), play in that will jolt the chain, creating higher than normal tensile forces on the chain.

I'd be wary of pressure washing, you don't want to force crud into the important bits. Just keep the orings properly lubed to prevent any crap from working its way past, and to encourage its expulsion from the chain. I highly rate the teflon stuff as a great chain lube, non-sticky so it has minimal crud buildup.

Gremlin

16th September 2012, 22:55

sootie

17th September 2012, 09:49

The front sprocket always wears faster than the rear due to the smaller size (more wear).

Wear depends on riding style, power output of bike, quality of chain etc.

Come to think of it... a shaft drive is much easier :lol:

Had not considered the front sprocket thing before - thanks

Some of that list could be separated into high torque, high lifetime, and improper maintenance effects. There's no single one to look out for, so check a few. Personally I keep an eye on sprocket condition, tight spots in the chain, and chain sag on the rear sprocket (where you can pull the back links out a significant amount). Sideways deflection is also a good indicator of chain condition, I'm surprised that isn't in your list, cos it used to me in the manuals that came with bikes...

One thing to check every now and then is the cush drive (if your bike has one obviously), play in that will jolt the chain, creating higher than normal tensile forces on the chain.

I'd be wary of pressure washing, you don't want to force crud into the important bits. Just keep the orings properly lubed to prevent any crap from working its way past, and to encourage its expulsion from the chain. I highly rate the teflon stuff as a great chain lube, non-sticky so it has minimal crud buildup.

Quite true - I had heard the sideways movement one before, but will claim a senior moment!
My impression with the water blasting (used sensibly) is that it is the most cost effective way I know to extend chain life by removing grit before much wear sets in. Removing a continuous chain from a bike for cleaning is a pretty big hassle.
Some other good points here too - thanks :cool:

SMOKEU

17th September 2012, 11:07

Paul in NZ

17th September 2012, 11:22

Replace it as often as you like...

When walking to the train I'll hear bikes going past where you can literally hear the chain rattling around over the exhaust noise... That guy is probably pushing it a little...

Or - if you have a bike like an old triumph 650 where a busted chain will smash out a piece of the crankcase and since replacement chains are cheap as chips for them, replace it often...

Its up to you - its your bike ...

Hawkeye

17th September 2012, 13:05

You also don't want to be on a bike if the chain decided to snap while riding......
A chain can do a lot of damage not only to crack cases but lower limbs as well

sootie

17th September 2012, 15:29

To clean the chain you should use a plastic dish scrubbing brush from a supermarket, and gently scrub the chain with kerosene to clean it. Don't use petrol or other chemicals as that can dry out the O rings and fuck the chain. Don't use a high pressure wash.
The brush plus kero chain clean is what has been recommended as the "standard way" since the 1950s at least.
"Bin there done that" and I am not actually impressed. ( Agree totally regarding no use of stronger solvents.)
Firstly brush cleaning involves chain removal to be even fairly effective. That is not so easy with a continuous chain as recommended for higher powered bikes (& by the Kawasaki workshop Service Manual).
Secondly, unless you use heaps of kero which has to be disposed of, you leave a lot of grit still on the chain.
Thirdly, I have never understood why brushing dirt around the O-ring edges is better than a water pressure wash at a suitable pressure. (ie just enough pressure to remove all the dirt/grease residue)

My present chain has been maintained by water blast cleaning & relub for at least 50,000kms - better than I have ever manged by other methods, and chain is only showing a bit of usage wear at this stage. (It is still within the Kawasaki specified stretch limit.)
I see no reason why dirt should be forced past O-rings by water more than by a brush, and also, water is reasonably volitile & should soon vapourise out of a chain provided it is being used & not stored.
The chain certainly appears far cleaner after a good water blast, and the cleaning in place is heaps easier.

I am aware of the issues involved in a chain break, and I agree that I do not want to go there!
I guess I am trying to follow the Air NZ maintenance idea of monitoring when the rate of deterioration starts to rapidly increase. Hence my original suggestion. Still open to ideas on this, but it seems to me it is all a bit of "guess & by god" for most bikers.

James Deuce

17th September 2012, 15:39

A pressure washer is the best way to ruin an O-ring, X-ring, or Z-ring chain. It will force crud past the seals and turn the grease contained into grinding paste. I think you've simply been lucky. I've seen some utter disasters caused by the method you describe. I've had chains last between 35,000 and 50,000kms, manually cleaning with kero, a rag and a the softest toothbrush you can buy.

A chain lube system of some sort like a Scotoiler is probably best.

bogan

17th September 2012, 15:46

Water doesn't break down the chain lube, in fact most lubes are hydrophobic. The grit is generally suspended in the lube, with not a lot else holding it on. So using kero to dissolve the lube, will require less force to then displace the grit. Disposing of the kero isn't ideal, but it doesn't take that much (less than a liter) to clean a chain, and its not that hard to do on the bike. Use a good lube means you can get away with only cleaning it once or twice per year.

sootie

17th September 2012, 16:13

The reality has just not matched the predictions of disaster in this case, and this is not the first chain I have used this technique on with great success. Please keep in mind that I just use enough force to slowly work the gritty grime across & off the lower edge of the chain links. I think we have some incorrect paradimes about what actually happens in practice. Lucky ????
Are you sure this is not a bit like mercury amalgam being a deadly poison which should never have been used for tooth filling? The main problem with this one is that heaps of people have walked around with a jaw full of amalgam fillings for 50 years, and have still not popped their clogs!
As a kid I was never allowed to swim for an hour after eating. Now totally rubbished. Long distance swimmers are actually advised to eat a small meal before an event.
Surely when something does not work out as predicted, it is time to re-look at the theory??
[ding-dong : round 1]

bogan

17th September 2012, 16:25

Surely when something does not work out as predicted, it is time to re-look at the theory??
[ding-dong : round 1]

So whats your theory? That the technique you use keeps the force low enough so as not to push crud past the o-rings? Or that high pressure washing doesn't generate enough force to push crud past the o-rings?

Rhys

17th September 2012, 16:41

I scrub with kero then wash it of with a finger over the end of the hose and re lube, seams to work ok for me

sootie

17th September 2012, 16:42

So whats your theory? That the technique you use keeps the force low enough so as not to push crud past the o-rings? Or that high pressure washing doesn't generate enough force to push crud past the o-rings?
I will go with a bit of both of those and say that I believe I have proved that it is a better & easier way.
I will add the proviso (not proven) that the chain needs to be relubed thoroughly, and then used within a day or so afterwards to make sure that any unwanted water is disposed of. (Maybe a bit does get past the O-rings.)

I have read that the main reason cam chains last far longer than drive chains on bikes is because they operate in a cleaner environment, not because of any loading difference. If you can keep a chain clean by any means, it must last longer & grit is far worse than water. (Again this is my belief, but I can not prove it.)

sootie

17th September 2012, 17:21

I scrub with kero then wash it of with a finger over the end of the hose and re lube, seams to work ok for me

That was pretty much how I started with this idea, and I agree that it does work.

When we got a high pressure sprayer for general cleaning, it occurred to me that this would really move the grime & grease. It certainly did.
Just slowly turn the rear wheel & aim at the chain as it goes past. Repeat 2 or 3 three times at different angles & you are done in maybe 10 minutes. Straight away I had cleaner chains than I had ever seen before. The WOF testers never look a second look, they think the chain is almost new!

What I have been less sure of, was the effects of the water. It all looked OK, and after nearly 10 years of doing this, I am a believer. A pair of gumboots survive a direct close up hit with the high pressure sprayer, so why would an O-ring have any problem? The dirt gets blown off it so fast it is hard to believe it could get inside to the bearing surface, and I don't believe this.

bogan

17th September 2012, 17:21

I will go with a bit of both of those and say that I believe I have proved that it is a better & easier way.
I will add the proviso (not proven) that the chain needs to be relubed thoroughly, and then used within a day or so afterwards to make sure that any unwanted water is disposed of. (Maybe a bit does get past the O-rings.)

I have read that the main reason cam chains last far longer than drive chains on bikes is because they operate in a cleaner environment, not because of any loading difference. If you can keep a chain clean by any means, it must last longer & grit is far worse than water. (Again this is my belief, but I can not prove it.)

Tis a bit of a stretch to say you have proved it; you probably want to prove it because it is an easier way, but first you'd need to normalise for the other factors. Unless you had the same bike with same chain brands and chain tensions and environments used in, and same chain lube and same lube frequency before you moved to this technique with no loss of chain life, I'm skeptical that waterblasting is the best solution.

I agree, but o-ring chain is a different story. It comes lubed, and that lube should last the lifetime as the o-rings should keep it in there, while keeping the crud out. The purpose behind keeping it lubed and clean, is to ensure the o-rings don't deteriorate and allow things past, not to provide lubrication for the pins. I just think the increased pressure blasting the crud around to achieve the same level of clean as with kero, will do more damage. But I'm open to opposing theories if you have any?

sootie

17th September 2012, 17:32

Tis a bit of a stretch to say you have proved it; you probably want to prove it because it is an easier way, but first you'd need to normalise for the other factors. Unless you had the same bike with same chain brands and chain tensions and environments used in, and same chain lube and same lube frequency before you moved to this technique with no loss of chain life, I'm skeptical that waterblasting is the best solution.

I agree, but o-ring chain is a different story. It comes lubed, and that lube should last the lifetime as the o-rings should keep it in there, while keeping the crud out. The purpose behind keeping it lubed and clean, is to ensure the o-rings don't deteriorate and allow things past, not to provide lubrication for the pins. I just think the increased pressure blasting the crud around to achieve the same level of clean as with kero, will do more damage. But I'm open to opposing theories if you have any?

OK, "I have proved it is a bit strong". I think I have made it pretty obvious that no extreme & immediate damage is likely to be suffered.
Approaching it another way; have you tried to damage an O-ring with a water blaster? With the jet at 25mm plus, I don't think a common household cheapie blaster could do any damage. That is how I use it.
It certainly is an easier way. I use it at least twice a year, and sometimes again after a long stretch of off the seal use, but this is a matter of rider choice I guess.

AllanB

17th September 2012, 17:44

I scrub with kero then wash it of with a finger over the end of the hose and re lube, seams to work ok for me

Fuck that sounds painful!!!!!

bogan

17th September 2012, 17:45

OK, "I have proved it is a bit strong". I think I have made it pretty obvious that no extreme & immediate damage is likely to be suffered.
Approaching it another way; have you tried to damage an O-ring with a water blaster? With the jet at 25mm plus, I don't think a common household cheapie blaster could do any damage. That is how I use it.
It certainly is an easier way. I use it at least twice a year, and sometimes again after a long stretch of off the seal use, but this is a matter of rider choice I guess.

I'd be surprised if that sort of use didn't force water and crud into the pin rolling surfaces. And no I wouldn't try it because even once it is forced in there, it will still take a while to do damage.

Put it this way, a cam chain is in ideal conditions and lasts the lifetime of the bike, why are you happy with only 50 thousand k out of your drive chain?

Fast Eddie

17th September 2012, 18:45

The front sprocket always wears faster than the rear due to the smaller size (more wear).

hmm interesting, I noticed the opposite.. i got a couple of fronts that are useable from replacing sets. but the rears are never useable.

I change when chain gets tight spots/cannot be adjusted anymore via swingarm. or sprockets start losing teeth :D

Akzle

17th September 2012, 18:46

Love to hear some experts discuss this...

...then. why are you posting on kb??? :facepalm: :killingme

sootie

17th September 2012, 18:46

I'd be surprised if that sort of use didn't force water and crud into the pin rolling surfaces. And no I wouldn't try it because even once it is forced in there, it will still take a while to do damage.

Put it this way, a cam chain is in ideal conditions and lasts the lifetime of the bike, why are you happy with only 50 thousand k out of your drive chain?

I actually said at least 50,000kms. I have only ridden the bike for the last 30,000, and I don't think I have seen much chain deterioration. Prior to that the bike had been given little servicing, but I find it hard to believe the chain was any younger than 20,000 when I bought the bike. The chain was pretty dirty at that time & had not been recently fitted. My previous bikes I did not have very long, but one, a KZ400 had 22,000 on it when I bought it (original chain). It was sold at 55,000kms. Chain & sprockets were still OK but not pristine. Again, water blast cleaning was used on it for years.

How long do your roadbike chains last? Whatever you do, they do get dirt on them & have to run like that for thousands of Kms. I just try to keep them cleaner by using an easy clean method & fresh lube a few times each year. I think my chains last well.

Why do you think that a jet of water sweeping across the O-ring must force water + grit past its sealing edges?
I think it would blast 99%of the dirt far away. Why would this be worse than the bristles of a brush? It certainly leaves it cleaner afterwards.

I did say that I believed a cam chain lasted well mainly because it operated in a clean environment. No open drive chain can match that!

Fast Eddie

17th September 2012, 18:46

Put it this way, a cam chain is in ideal conditions and lasts the lifetime of the bike, why are you happy with only 50 thousand k out of your drive chain?

hehe, honda wasn't so keen on giving us lifetime cam chains. mine only lasted 50,000km.. and I think baffa may have run into problems with his? I don't know any other old blade owners

sootie

17th September 2012, 18:47

...then. why are you posting on kb??? :facepalm: :killingme

I have great faith in you brother!

Fast Eddie

17th September 2012, 18:49

I clean the chain with simple green and wax chain pretty much after each bike wash, or after riding through some rainy days. every 1,000 or so kms it gets a lubing and cleaning... its not hard.

I wouldn't water blast anything on the bike. simple green and a bucket and a sponge.. no forcing water into bits to rust them out or corrode.

dry it off after too :D

bogan

17th September 2012, 19:00

I actually said at least 50,000kms. I have only ridden the bike for the last 30,000, and I don't think I have seen much chain deterioration. Prior to that the bike had been given little servicing, but I find it hard to believe the chain was any younger than 20,000 when I bought the bike. The chain was pretty dirty at that time & had not been recently fitted. My previous bikes I did not have very long, but one, a KZ400 had 22,000 on it when I bought it (original chain). It was sold at 55,000kms. Chain & sprockets were still OK but not pristine. Again, water blast cleaning was used on it for years.

How long do your roadbike chains last? Whatever you do, they do get dirt on them & have to run like that for thousands of Kms. I just try to keep them cleaner by using an easy clean method & fresh lube a few times each year. I think my chains last well.

Why do you think that a jet of water sweeping across the O-ring must force water + grit past its sealing edges?
I think it would blast 99%of the dirt far away. Why would this be worse than the bristles of a brush? It certainly leaves it cleaner afterwards.

I did say that I believed a cam chain lasted well mainly because it operated in a clean environment. No open drive chain can match that!

Like you, I've never replaced a chain more than once, so I can't comment on the lifetimes.

A brush has relatively wide bristles which can transmit a lot less force than the much narrower and more powerful waterblaster. Its like pushing a knife down between the o-ring and chain instead of a pencil. I'm surprised you get it cleaner with water, I've found the opposite, maybe its in the technique....
You know how a waterjet cutter works right? high pressure water with grit added will cut through steel; so not inconceivable that much lower pressure water shoving grit around will damage rubber.

sootie

17th September 2012, 19:12

Like you, I've never replaced a chain more than once, so I can't comment on the lifetimes.

A brush has relatively wide bristles which can transmit a lot less force than the much narrower and more powerful waterblaster. Its like pushing a knife down between the o-ring and chain instead of a pencil. I'm surprised you get it cleaner with water, I've found the opposite, maybe its in the technique....
You know how a waterjet cutter works right? high pressure water with grit added will cut through steel; so not inconceivable that much lower pressure water shoving grit around will damage rubber.

I can only suggest you try it. At around 25mm I dont think it will damage an O-ring, and there is not much grit (as a cutting tool would have). As I say, my gumboot stops it OK without damage. I just can't see why bits of dirt should find it easier to go through an O-ring edges than to simply follow the bulk of the water out in to the environment.

Gremlin

17th September 2012, 19:13

why are you happy with only 50 thousand k out of your drive chain?
When I had a ZX10R, it spat the OEM set out in 17k... 50k? I'd have been stoked!

hmm interesting, I noticed the opposite.. i got a couple of fronts that are useable from replacing sets. but the rears are never useable.
Very unusual. The front, being smaller, has to work 2-3 times as much as the rear, therefore, it gets worn 2-3x as fast...

sinned

17th September 2012, 19:14

To clean the chain I just wind up the Scottoiler and go for a ride. There is a bit of oil splash over the chain guard, wheel and wof label; otherwise all if fine and the chain is nicely oiled and any dirt whisked away. Chain and sprocket seem fine at 34,00kms.

Corse1

17th September 2012, 19:34

hmm interesting, I noticed the opposite.. i got a couple of fronts that are useable from replacing sets. but the rears are never useable.

Very unusual. The front, being smaller, has to work 2-3 times as much as the rear, therefore, it gets worn 2-3x as fast...

Interstingly I was reading a 2011 Kiwirider mag last night where a Hyosung 250 had been ridden 134000kms. On the consumables list I noticed the front sprocket lasted longer than the rear and thought "how The feck can that be"

From the article Changed at KM:
Chains: 11982km, 35792km, 84214km, 109000km
Rear sprocket: 35792km, 64212km (still on 3rd sprocket)
Front Sprocket: 64212km, (still on sceond)

Gremlin

17th September 2012, 19:39

My personal policy is to replace the whole lot as a set, otherwise you're prematurely wearing the new parts into the old parts, as such. I think the Hornet does about 35-45k per set. Mid range gear, not cheap shite, not ridiculously expensive. Has a scottoiler fitted, but it doesn't always have oil... I blame the BMW shaft for that, as it's been very easy to start ignoring maintenance :lol:

I remember the shop showing me the difference between front and rear, rear was worn and needing replacement, the front completely fucked and missing teeth...

bogan

17th September 2012, 19:40

I can only suggest you try it. At around 25mm I dont think it will damage an O-ring, and there is not much grit (as a cutting tool would have). As I say, my gumboot stops it OK without damage. I just can't see why bits of dirt should find it easier to go through an O-ring edges than to simply follow the bulk of the water out in to the environment.

I don't think you understand the failure-mode, it isn't going to be immediatley apparent, it'll just cause extra wear over time which is very hard to quantify; I don't know why I should risk doing that to my chain when I won't be able to tell one way or th other.

Have you ever water blasted stickers off? Why doesn't the water just all flow off without working its way under the edges? And its not just stickers with a nice edge to work with, I've blasted paint off by accident before. These things don't fit with your "follow the bulk of the water out in to the environment" theory. It's more like a conservation of momentum theory or something...

When I had a ZX10R, it spat the OEM set out in 17k... 50k? I'd have been stoked!

hehe, must be a kwaka then...

bogan

17th September 2012, 19:43

Interstingly I was reading a 2011 Kiwirider mag last night where a Hyosung 250 had been ridden 134000kms. On the consumables list I noticed the front sprocket lasted longer than the rear and thought "how The feck can that be"

From the article Changed at KM:
Chains: 11982km, 35792km, 84214km, 109000km
Rear sprocket: 35792km, 64212km (still on 3rd sprocket)
Front Sprocket: 64212km, (still on sceond)

Aluminium rear, hardened steel front? Pretty common setup these days which would explain more wear on the back.

The Lone Rider

17th September 2012, 19:53

This link pulled from 13

http://chain-guide.com/toc.html

sootie

17th September 2012, 23:09

I did say the ZZR chain was at least 50,000kms old. It is quite possible that it has never been replaced & is the OEM chain. How can I tell? It just seemed impossible to me from what other riders have said. I can state that there has not been much wear in 30,000kms. It has been re-tensioned exactly twice in that time (once when I bought the bike) & not by huge amounts.

If it is the original chain, it has done 94,000kms & is still truckin'! Someone please tell me.
I do know that very little maintenance had ever been done to the bike when I bought it.
I don't think I am particularly hard on the bike in my riding style, but the law has taken an interest in me from time to time.

Fast Eddie

18th September 2012, 11:13

Very unusual. The front, being smaller, has to work 2-3 times as much as the rear, therefore, it gets worn 2-3x as fast...

yep it definitely makes sense... yet here I am with a couple of spare front sprockets for the blade haha..

s'all good.

chain n sprockets aren't even that dear.. wish I wouldn't go through so many tyres!

Fast Eddie

18th September 2012, 11:18

Aluminium rear, hardened steel front? Pretty common setup these days which would explain more wear on the back.

it would.

hard to tell, I'v had an aluminium sprocket before, they don't last long at all but weigh almost nothing. not sure what came in last couple of trademe kits I bought. surely cheap steel at the price I paid, didn't feel light tho

Flip

18th September 2012, 16:06

On my last bike a Trophy 1200. The first chain lasted 24k, then I fitted a new one with a scott oiler. It was still going strong after 85k on the clock.

Bassmatt

18th September 2012, 16:42

. It has been done before on this forum, but even the WOF testers still disagree about this one.

I've never noticed anyone even glance at my chain for a wof. Is it something they are supposed to check?

george formby

18th September 2012, 16:49

I'm in an odd situation. My chain only gets adjusted when I replace the back tire. A first for me. This includes gravel riding but very little wet riding, I'm a gentleman rider now. I clean with kero & lube as necessary. Apart from having a super tough chain & sprockets (it's an x ring) which is unlikely, the only reasons I can think of for the longevity are regular maintenance & a wee clue, the very little wet riding. I chewed through chains in the UK, even with a scottoiler, but I rode all weathers, mainly wet. At open road speeds in decent rain you are waterblasting your chain for the duration of the ride. When you looked at the bike in the morning the chain would be rusty & dry. A friend chewed through a new set of chain & sprockets on a 24 hour dash to the South of France, pished down the whole trip, t'was a GSXR 1000, though.
When is it worn? Well, i reckon when you spot the first tell tale, whether it be loose on the rear sprocket, a tight spot or a bit of sideways slop, start saving, it will wear faster & faster.
A chain stretch indicator would be useful, once it has lengthened by a certain percentage then it's time for a new set.

spanner spinner

18th September 2012, 21:45

I've never noticed anyone even glance at my chain for a wof. Is it something they are supposed to check?

Yep they are meant to check the chain in a WOF for both tension and wear, but your right most places don't.

Fatjim

18th September 2012, 21:53

Modern bike chains don't need lubing for the sake of the chain internals as the o-rings keep the lube in. Lubing is for the chain to sprocket face.

In terms of wear, check your chain for sticky links, links that don't move easily. If you have these, replace the chain as this eats up horsepower and fuel.

sootie

18th September 2012, 22:18

Yep they are meant to check the chain in a WOF for both tension and wear, but your right most places don't.

I use the local AA for WOF testing. They only allow one older guy to check big bikes, and he is a biker of obvious long standing. He does a very thorough check on my bike which I watch & he usually comes up with a few suggestions which are sensible & which I respect. Most are fairly minor, and don't affect the WOF pass.
He picked me up on chain tension last time, and just suggested a tweak tighter which I agreed with & did.
Local LTNZ were previously pissing me off. Their expert retired & I then struck several recent immigrant idiots in a row so I changed.

I can miss something wrong with my bike, and I want someone independant to go over it & convince me afterwards that they know what they are doing. Happy with the guy I have now. If something goes wrong with my bike at speed, I might die!

Lozza2442

19th September 2012, 18:36

SMOKEU

19th September 2012, 18:55

Anyone know how much it costs to get yer chain tightened? Bike came with new chain, needs tightening. Not sure how much it'll cost. I live by Barrys Point Rd so somewhere like cycletreads with be the go.

Do it yourself as it's very easy to do, even for someone with no mechanical skill such as myself. All you need is some spanners. If you're unsure what to do then download a workshop manual.

Bassmatt

19th September 2012, 19:10

Lozza2442

19th September 2012, 19:20

10charchar

Lol.. Was srs. Wasn't aware you could do it without a chain tightener, as I don't have one I thought I'd have to take it in. Shall find the manual for doing it with just spanners

Lozza2442

19th September 2012, 19:26

Just watched an ehow. Seems easy enough

bogan

19th September 2012, 19:27

Lol.. Was srs. Wasn't aware you could do it without a chain tightener, as I don't have one I thought I'd have to take it in. Shall find the manual for doing it with just spanners

Only eccentric adjusters need special tools. The GN just has the standard setup, undo axle nut, undo lock nuts, tighten adjuster bolts to the same distance each side (there are usually indicator marks to use). When tightening the adjuster bolts ensure the lock nuts don't go tight (you'll see what I mean when you do it). And don't use shifting spanners (with the possible exception of the axle nut), they are called nutfuckers for a reason.

There's probably a step by step on youtube somewhere.

Akzle

19th September 2012, 19:42

I have great faith in you brother!
regular miracles i can handle... but getting sense, let alone wisdom on KB... that's god-incarnate type miracular.

Anyone know how much it costs to get yer chain tightened? Bike came with new chain, needs tightening. Not sure how much it'll cost. I live by Barrys Point Rd so somewhere like cycletreads with be the go.
^_-

Lol.. Was srs. Wasn't aware you could do it without a chain tightener, as I don't have one I thought I'd have to take it in. Shall find the manual for doing it with just spanners
-_^

Only eccentric adjusters need special tools. The GN just has the standard setup, undo axle nut, undo lock nuts, tighten adjuster bolts to the same distance each side (there are usually indicator marks to use). When tightening the adjuster bolts ensure the lock nuts don't go tight (you'll see what I mean when you do it). And don't use shifting spanners (with the possible exception of the axle nut), they are called nutfuckers for a reason.

There's probably a step by step on youtube somewhere.

you left out cotter pins. and axle nut is no excuse for a shifter. (insert witticism regarding my handle)