Bike Maintenance - Replacing Your Chain
Look after your bike and it will look after you! This time in ‘bike maintenance’ we’ll take a look at checking and replacing your chain.
The cassette teeth on your bike should be even but as time goes on they will wear on one side, becoming hooked and pointy. This means the chain won’t run smoothly over the teeth and you may find that you start jumping sprockets. To check you chain, try lifting it from the chain ring at the point nearest the front wheel (see picture). If you can lift in more than 4mm, you should replace it.
Replace the cassette at the same time you replace the chain, as they wear together. It’s important to get the correct chain length by wrapping the chain around the big ring on the front and the big ring on the back (but not through the derailleurs) and then add two links to this. You need a chain tool to do this and various multi-tools have one. There are two different types of chain; Sram, which are easier to replace because they have special links called ‘power links’ which make it easier to assemble/diassemble the chain. Shimano chains require that you use specific chain linking pins and are more fiddly.
If you do get stuck trying to replace your chain, your local bike shop should be able to put you right within seconds, however I’ve been able to replace mine and if I can, I’m sure anyone can!
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Tags: Bike Maintenance
