4 Worst Mistakes In BICYCLE CHAIN Maintenance. How NOT to do it. SickBiker Tips.

The more you read and watch about chains, the only thing you learn is that people (manufacturers, mechanics, posters on forums, people on Youtube) disagree about absolutely everything.

I have a great tip. I ride in the caribbean climate, and chain rust with rain and salt is a big problem. Also the sand and dust is collected into the chain quickly if oil is used as a lubricant (even dry oil)... and then the chain requires frequent major cleaning. I found a solution to use rust resistant chains like KMC X10SL Gold, and then use a wax lubricant. The result is great lubrication, no need for frequent cleaning... and no rust!

1: Don't reuse master link 2: Remove packing grease 3: Don't use alkali or acidic solvents 4: Dry the chain. There I saved you a bunch of time. You owe me a beer.

I've been pushing pins back in my 8,9, and 10 speed chains for over a decade and its worked just fine. Some of the advice was very good. Thanks.

I have used the original pins when breaking the new original chain. I have gone through over a thousand miles with no issues. It has been done many times on every bike that I have used. Cleaning the chain and relubing is a great idea.

I used a re-assembel chain on all of my bikes even my trial bike and it never broke even under serious pedal kick jumps. You just have to do it correctly. Flatten the bolt head a tiny bit after pushing back, then loosen back the chain by moving it a bit around so it won't stick. I am amazed how every "expert" starts to reinvent everything that worked for literally a hundred years.

I always carry a quicklink with me and I recommend it to everyone! It saves ass.

That Funny ,,, I've been braking my bike chains for over 30 years and never had trouble reusing the same pin !!!

Thanks for the video. Been using a quick link on a 160Nm ebike for the last 5000km with no problems whatsoever, certainly recommend this system. Most chain cleaning systems, such as Park tools, completely soak the chain in degreaser. Surely if this was such a problem, they would use a different system. After cleaning my chain in this way (once it's completely dry) I use a ceramic lubricant on each link bearing, and must say, I'm happy with the results.

Before the 6+ sprocket clusters came along, it was perfectly normal to use a chain breaker to push the pin part way out and push it back in to assemble. This was because the pins protruded out from the plates a small amount, so you weren't tearing the swaged edge off. I've been working on bikes for 45 years, and my Park chain breaker pliers have been quite handy.

Back before chains came with links, the only way to pin the chain back together was to reinstall the original pin. This is the way it was done by everyone. For 35 years I assembled my chains by pushing back in the pin used when cutting to length. In 30 years my chain never broke, even though I was a pro racer and trained with extreme pressures on the chain, it never broke. Are todays chains different? Back in the old days we used 6 speed freewheels, and there were no such thing as "speeds". All chains worked on 10 or 12 speed road racing bikes. It could be your mechanics skills causing the chain to break, it is very important to reinstall the pin by pressing it to a perfect seated position. I have used plain old WD-40 for bike chain cleaning and lubing, it will last 3000 miles for a high skilled rider of 200 pounds. I spray on and immediately wipe it off, then lube the jockey pullys and the derailleurs with the same lube.

I wish I'd seen this before my bike tour last year!!! I had problems with my brand new chain splitting... but this where I'd split it at home before my trek... I now see why it didn't hold!!!

WD-40 changes from a solvent that penetrates into a thick grease that lubricates after a couple weeks of the volatile components evaporating. This makes it ideal for a chain because it will penetrate down to the o-rings and be held there by it's surface tension until it changes to grease. Only the excess will fling off if the chain is used before the conversion process takes place. I spray it on my bike chains with cardboard under the chain to catch the over spray. This cleans the chain. Then, I wipe off the excess, leaving the small amount that penetrated. It, also, is an excellent anti-oxidant to prevent rubber cracking from oxidation. I use it on my motorcycle seat before winter storage and it prevents cracking. Salt spray testing in an environmental lab showed it to be the best at corrosion prevention.

After degreasing/cleaning and washing the chain, I use a compressor and blow the water out of the chain. This works well and then lube. Good video.

I always use the extruded pin a second time to extend a new chain from 116 to 120 links. The trick is that it is not enough just to press the pin back, it should be slightly riveted at both ends.

Very helpful! Excited to take even better care of my mountain bike chain. Time for some more biking adventures!

Thanks for making this video. I have definitely made most mistakes in the book and still forget about cleaning the chain sometimes. Winter here in Alberta is an absolute chain killer. You think the chain is perfect and two small rides later it looks like rusty mess full of road grime. For my next winter bike build I'd like to go with an internal hub and a Dutch style chain enclosure. I like to home brew my chain lube from sewing machine oil and graphite powder. It seems to work well, but it can leave nasty stains on your pant legs. I believe the graphite is an inexpensive way to get better protection.

Reusing the pin is no problems for 7 speed chains as the chan links and pins are wider and tapered on both sides. This is only a problem on bikes which use thinner chains ( more than 9 cogs) where the pin is short so it compresses more thus you need a new pin.

Knowledge is power and I love to ride! With many literally thousands of miles of my Cannondale M500, it's time for the chain to be replaced. Thankyou for the info!

Great advice as always. What I take away from this is that for some of the big debates, there is truth in both sides, and you are pointing out the correct middle ground eg remove or keep the original grease - well, remove it from the outside, keep on the inside. Re wash chain with water or not, - well, use water, but then dry carefully and relube soon after