Should I wash a bike before or after cleaning the chain?

TurnUpForTheBooks_2

I think Avoriaz is essentially correct - whatever lubrication qualities exist in WD40 sufficient to unstick things, should not be relied upon for lubrication beyond a day or two

Kernel_Sanders

TurnUpForTheBooks wrote: »

I think Avoriaz is essentially correct - whatever lubrication qualities exist in WD40 sufficient to unstick things, should not be relied upon for lubrication beyond a day or two

I know; you gave this advice in post #9, which I said I would follow as suggested.

Richard53

Kernel_Sanders wrote: »

Choice of two Bell chains but sadly both the same size and suitable only for minimum ten gears (How can they specify this when surely the sprocket for e.g. a 7 speed will be the same as for a 14 speed?)

A 14-speed will have a large and small chainwheel at the front too, with possibly a 10-tooth difference. The total chain length needed for a 14-speed may well be greater than a 7-speed, by several teeth.

With a decent derailleur, the mechanism can cope with a variety of lengths within reason, so it's not critical. If you have a chain tool, of course you can just get a longer chain and remove a couple of links if necessary.

One thing: don't waste your money on a cheap chain tool. Buy the best you can afford. The link pins are made of extremely hard metal, and the pin on the tool needs to be equally hard. A cheap chain tool will be nothing but heartache. I know; I have owned several.

glasgowdan

Referring to a chain as 10 speed relates only to the cassette...this chain would be fine for 10, 20 or 30 speed drivechains.

That chain in the photos looks fine.

Singlespeed doesn't put any more pressure on a drivechain than gears. There is, overall, LESS pressure on a SS chain as it doesn't get any sideways/shifting forces. It should last a lot longer.

Wash the bike then oil. My gears are always silver/shiney as new because each ride I give the bike a 3min wash then spray fs365 onto the gears. This stops muck sticking in the first place.

Technically, chains don't stretch. They wear out. Links loosen due to wear and tear. Nothing stretches.

Strider590

TurnUpForTheBooks wrote: »

It is interesting but just three or our weeks ago I resurrected a 15 speed deraillieur that had been standing outside I think, and the chain contained maybe a dozen seized links. I sprayed the chain with WD40 and using my fingers and thumbs simply cracked each seized pair of links. Clearly a bicycle chain is a very very old designed piece of kit so it will be very robust so long as it isn't constantly used on a beach, or totally devoid of a good lubricant.

The former will very quickly create the later.......

WD40 is primarily a solvent.

Kernel_Sanders

Strider590 wrote: »

The former will very quickly create the later.......

WD40 is primarily a solvent.

He did go on to say Then a couple of days later I used a good quality chain lubricant.

Richard53

glasgowdan wrote: »

Technically, chains don't stretch. They wear out. Links loosen due to wear and tear. Nothing stretches.

Someone else who gets it, thank you. I have had this argument on any number of motorbike forums. The chain has a breaking strain of several tonnes so it will take a huge load to actually stretch it (and it should be scrapped if that happens). What happens is that tiny amounts of wear in each link pin add up to a noticeable amount overall. 0.1mm wear in each pin adds up to 1 cm on a 100-link chain.

What I can't understand is that some chains are (or were) sold as 'pre-stretched'.

mttylad

Has the bike been washed yet?

armyknife

mttylad wrote: »

Has the bike been washed yet?

Tune into next week's thrilling installment to find out.

:-)

Generali

1. Measure 10 links of your chain. They were 25.4cm when new. If they are 25.5cm or more, your chain is useless and needs replacing as it will be chewing up your gears.
2. If you want to save the chain, scrub with a brush of some sort and meths. While the meths is drying off, clean the rest of the bike.
3. Lubricate the chain using bike chain oil. WD40 will wash off the first time it rains, 3-in-1 will act as a grit magnet and wear your gears more quickly as a result.

For further details, Google 'Sheldon Brown chain maintenance'. He is (actually was as he's dead) the guru of bicycle maintenance.