If there is one thing I will urge all riders to do: lube and clean your driveline (chain, cassette, chainrings, pulley wheels). Not only will everything work more efficiently and precise, it will also last longer and need replacing far less often. When lubing the chain (I’ll get into seasonal and condition specific lubes a little later), apply to the top of the lower run while spinning the cranks backward, one rotation is usually plenty. Once applied, spin the cranks several more times to work the lube deep into the rollers where it’s needed. Use a rag to wipe off the excess. Don’t worry about wiping too much off, worry more about leaving too much on. Sticky lubes (Tri-Flow etc.) attract dirt like a magnet in a ball bearing factory, and dirt is abrasive to expensive alloy rings. I know it’s grimy down there, but we have to clean other grimy “down there” places, consider it equally important. I’ll post some methods for cleaning all those nooks and crannys, but for now, contemplate the implications of a well cared-for driveline. Many of the problems I see at the shop are a direct result of abuse/neglect, so please do yourself and your bicycle a favor, love it.
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And as for cross-chaining (straining the chain at severe angles from the big/big or small/small combos), this is very ungood. There will be further discussion on this, because it’s so widespread and destructive, as well as drastically reducing the performance of all things shifty. Trust me on this, keep your chain in as straight a line as possible, moving it up and down the front and rear chainrings/cassette together.
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Meditate on these things, for they will carry you smoothly down the path of enlightened motion…
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UPDATE: Seasonal and condition specific lubes.
Throughout the year, as the seasons turn and conditions change, it is wise to use a lubricant suited to those conditions. Dry, dusty conditions require a lube that is less sticky, such as Prolink Gold or Boeshield T-9 (there are many others of this same type); and wet, muddy conditions call for something more resilient, such as a bio-lube (soy-based) or Tri-Flow. By taking this fairly simple approach to driveline care, you will find things working a bit smoother, staying cleaner, and lasting longer.
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Roll in Peace!
