How to extend the life of your bicycle's chain

Photo: J.P. Squire

You can apply chain lube using the bike kickstand by kneeling next to the cassette, pushing your helmet against the bike rack to lift the rear tire off the ground and applying lube onto the chain going around the cassette while rotating the pedals.

This is the third part in a series on bicycle riding, maintenance and repairs, featuring tips from free clinics hosted by Garry Norkum, owner of Cyclepath in Kelowna (plus a few from the Sheriff).

First up is how to extend the life of your bicycle chain.

• Use dry lube chain lubrication in the hot and dry Okanagan, not WD-40, not cooking oil, not automotive engine oil or motorcycle chain lube (the latter has higher chain speeds). Dry lube is thin, evaporates and leaves a teflon lubricant on the chain. Use wet lube when off-road mountain biking.

The Sheriff's solo technique - nicknamed "Use Your Head" - is for those with a bike kickstand on the left rear side and a bike rack. Kneel on the right side beside the cassette, place your head (with helmet) against the rack and push gently, raising the rear wheel slightly off the ground. With your left hand inside the bike rack supports, drip lubricant onto the chain as the chain rotates around the cassette while your right hand slowly rotates the pedals. Any excess lube on the sprockets goes onto the rollers as the chain rotates around the cassette.

Many cyclists try to lube the chain midway between the cassette and pedals, and the excess drips onto the ground (or on your rear tire). No kickstand? Have your cycling buddy lift the rear tire off the ground by pulling up on either the seat or bike rack.

Photo: J.P. Squire

Cyclepath technician Adam Drouin uses biodegradable chain cleaner inside a plastic chain-degrease chamber with brushes to remove grease and dirt buildup on a bicycle chain. You should clean your chain often, especially after riding on dry, dusty trails.

• Use a biodegradable chain cleaner. A plastic chain-degrease chamber with brushes does a decent job of removing grease and dirt buildup. Use often, especially after dry, dusty trails. Move the braided edge of a dishcloth soaked in cleaner up and down to clean between chainrings or buy the long-bristle brush with its curved chainring cleaner. That stiff brush with cleaner can also remove built-up grit from the derailleurs.

• Think of the three contact points (five actually) - feet on the pedals, bum in the saddle and hands on the handlebars.

You can vary the height of the saddle (and add a suspension seat post for more comfort) so the angle of your legs is correct. You can raise or lower the handlebars if you have the older style "quill stem" which can move up and down. A newer style of stem can only move up and down a small amount so you can adjust the height with a limited number of spacers or change the stem to one with a more upright angle.

Norkum says there are probably 30 different stems to vary not only the height but to bring the handlebars closer to you or further away. There is also an adjustable (heavier) stem that rotates at an angle up and down, and is then tightened at the correct height (not recommended for serious mountain biking).

Handlebars also come with different heights so you don't have to stick with the standard flat bars that come with many bikes. The handle grips on the ends of the handlebars also come in a variety of shapes and softness from hard plastic to foam to gel. Softer grips will wear out faster. Some have an ergonomic design to better support your palms.

• Don't bend your wrists when your hands are on the grips.

• If you lean too far forward, it can be hard on your back and neck. Road cyclists typically lean right over putting a lot of pressure on their hands. Comfort hybrid cyclists sit in a more upright position. The key is finding which position is the most comfortable for you and your biking style. The more upright you are, the more weight you put on your bum and the less weight on your hands. Don't forget that you can move your saddle back and forth on its rails about two inches. "It's a matter of finding the right compromise and comfortable fit," says Norkum.

• Look at the width of the front or "nose" of the saddle, which will fit between your thighs. If it is too wide, it could potentially rub and chafe your inner thighs, in which case you should choose a narrower saddle.

Many saddles come with a cutout in the middle which takes the pressure off that area of your body. They're intended for both men and women now, says Norkum.

Once your saddle is set at the correct height with the supplied quick release, you won't likely change it. However, that quick release means someone can steal your expensive saddle and post so a lockable clamp should be considered. There are also lockable axles to prevent wheel theft.

•••

• Friends of the South Slopes will hold its annual general meeting Wednesday, April 17 at the Robert Hobson Environmental Education Centre, 2363A Springfield Road in Kelowna, A social is planned for 6:30 p.m., with the meeting at 7 p.m. A limited number of Myra-Bellevue park maps will be available for $5 each. A $20 donation or more and will get you a free map.

• Friends of Knox Mountain Park will hold its annual general meeting at 5 p.m. April 24 at the Ellis Street branch of the Okanagan Regional Library in Kelowna. The guest speaker will be UBCO professor Greg Garrad, who will speak on the Kelownafonia Project, as it relates to Brandt's Creek and Knox Mountain Park.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.