When The Bike Need Replacing a chain

When replacing a chain you will require a chain tool. You can count the number of links in your elderly chain an install and exact duplicate. If, however, you for some reason are not sure of how plenty of links you ought to have, follow this procedure.

Put the new chain on the largest sprockets front and rear and bring the ends together. (Make sure that it takes the proper path thru the front and rear derailleur and pulleys). This ought to pull your rear derailleur cage until it is parallel with the chainstay (or the ground). Give it some assistance by pulling the chain taught if needed, then lift the chain at the top of the chainring (the front sprocket). You ought to then have between half and full link of additional chain at this point. Mark this length, as this is the length that you install. Another rule of thumb for chain length is this: when you are on the large chainring in front and the tiny cog in the rear, the rear derailleur ought to be straight up and down, or 90 degrees to the ground. An imaginary straight line thru both pulley wheels will be perpendicular to the ground.It will be simpler to then go to smaller sprockets to join the chain at this length as it won't pull as much or be as tight on the smaller sprockets.

Keep in mind not to push the connecting link pin all of the way out while using the chain tool! Also keep in mind that if your chain needs replacement due to age, then you may also require to replace your sprockets . Some chains, such as Shimano 9 speed, also require that you use a new pin every time you take the chain apart.

If your chain is long, it may come off simpler in low gears, or rattle and hit the chainstay. If it is short, it may destroy your freewheel or chainring, or break, while going in to high gear...

Keep in mind that a chain will stretch with use, and when you install a new chain, it may not fit the teeth on the sprockets well. If it doesn't appear to interdigitate smoothly on the chainrings or freewheel, you may require to replace those as well..

Read More... »»  

How To Cleaning Your Bike

1. One of the most important items of maintenance involves taking excellent care of your bicycle after riding it by cleaning off any mud, dirt, or debris accumulated in the work of your ride. Sometimes in case you are riding in neat and dry conditions the bicycle can be cleaned basically. More often, however, the bicycle will need a more time consuming and tedious cleaning. This is true in case you have ridden in muddy or wet conditions, through water, in the rain, or in wet creek beds or bog areas. The Wrecking Crew believes it is most important to neat your bicycle directly after a ride before it is put away. Some preliminary cleaning can be done before loading up your bicycle in your vehicle. This may be necessary if your bicycle is muddy. Use any obtainable water source (stream, creek, water fountain, river, etc.) and try to rinse off as much mud as feasible. Be cautious to not to make use of water from an environmentally sensitive area and let it runoff back in to the stream. The lubricants on your chain can be damaging to the stream ecology. Use a water bottle filled with water to spray down any difficult areas such as the brake pads, freewheel, underside, etc. . . Use a stick to remove chunks of mud and wipe off any hard to reach areas. In case you have a towel you can dry your bicycle. Don't get extensive as you will neat the bicycle when you return back to your camp or home after you unload it from the automobile.

2. When you get back from riding is the time to take action!! Although you may be fatigued from your ride (they hope it was a lovely!) it is important to neat your bicycle ASAP so it does not stay dirty and wet. If it doesn't get cleaned now it will only be more difficult later and lead to other issues! If your bicycle is not wet, muddy, or very dirty, a lovely process involves wiping it down with a dry towel. Sometimes they use Armor All which is an automotive interior dash cleaner and protector! Spray a tiny on a dry towel and wipe down the frame, crank arms, handlebars, fork tubes after the bicycle is cleaned. Do not apply to the rims however, as it will adversely affect the braking. While you do this you will even be inspecting your bicycle and noticing any issue areas (loose cables or bolts, debris in freewheel, dirt on derailleurs, etc.) You can then neat and lube your chain. Never leave a chain wet as it will promote rust and lead to chain failure in the future. Other maintenance steps can be completed after your bicycle has been cleaned.

3. If your bicycle was muddy or wet & requires a more extensive cleaning, here is how to do it. First, you need to make use of a hose as well as a bucket with a sponge or cloth & some soap. You can use bicycle soap or automotive soap you would use to neat your automobile or vehicle. Dampen your bicycle while holding it upright with hand. You can roll it to neat the wheels or lay it down & let the hose spray spin the wheels to rinse them off. It is also helpful to make use of a scotch pad to neat dirt & grease off of the rims to permit for lovely braking. They like the use of Simple Green cleaner on your bicycle, the rims, & the drivetrain. The treads will probably be the worst area for mud. Avoid alot of high pressure spray in the area of the crank bearings or wheel hub bearings if feasible. Direct the hose spray in to the front & rear brake shoes, the chainrings & freewheel (rear gear cluster), & other areas as needed. Turn the bicycle upside down & rest it on the stool & handlebars to dampen the underside. Then use your soapy water & neat the underneath. Next, upright the bicycle or lay it on it's side & soap down the remainder of the bicycle. Rinse off with the hose & then towel dry everything.

4. It is important to now neat the chain and lube it. Also, it is a lovely suggestion to remove any sticks, leaves, or other debris from the inside of the rear gear cluster (the freewheel) with a narrow, long tool such as a screwdriver, tableknife, or tool which is designed to get between the gears and take out debris. It is as well as a lovely suggestion to make use of a regular screwdriver or cloth to neat off the pulleys on the rear derailleur. These are the "gears" which the chain rides over and are usually are dirty. You ought to neat the inside and out of doors surface while moving the chain through the pulleys. Very always there is a build up of dirt, grease, etc. which ought to be removed. Keep in mind to oil your chain after washing and cleaning it so that it repels water... You will feel lovely to know that you are putting your bicycle away CLEAN and now you can RELAX and enjoy your post ride festivities!

Read More... »»  

Why WD-40 is not good to use on a bicycle chain?

WD-40 was developed by the military in the 50s as a solvent / remover in preventing rust and de-mechanic to protect missile parts. WD-40 quickly became household goods when people find a thousand other uses as cleaning, rust prevention, squeak-stopper and more. It also works wonders as a light lubricant on small items such as hinges, locks, and toys.

Bicycle chains, on the other hand, too heavy and moving quickly to force lubricant WD-40 to have any effect at all. In fact the WD-40 will actually remove any lubricant that is dry and leave your drivetrain - metal on metal. Basically, you spray on the chain is worse than not using a lubricant at all!

Obviously, it is advisable to use chain oil purchased from your local bike shop. Just go there and ask them to ordinary chain oil waterproof. There should be no more than 10 or 12 dollars, and that's the best you can buy for your bike.

Tags: WD-40, Lubricant, Chain, Bike

Read More... »»  

How to Adjust Rear Bike Derailleur

Adjusting your rear derailleur can be frustrating. I'm hoping that this tutorial will help you understand how each part of your derailleur works, and how to set up and adjust it properly. One time your derailleur is set up correctly, most future adjustments can be completed by hand. Let's start!
Necessary Tools

You'll need a rag, a phillips screwdriver, a 5mm allen wrench, as well as a light oil like Triflow or Phil Wood Tenacious oil.

How They Work

Rear Derailleur Parts

Almost all modern derailleurs function the same basic way. They are designed to move (or derail) the chain from sprocket to the next. The upper guide pulley (or jockey pulley) moves the chain in both directions. For example, when you need to climb a hill, you shift down to a lower gear. This pulls the shift cable and forces the guide pulley to change to a bigger sprocket. When you need to go faster, you fine-tune the shifter to a higher gear. This releases shift cable tension and allows the derailleur springs to pull the guide pulley back down to a smaller gear. Each time you shift gears, the length of chain changes. The lower tension pulley is spring-loaded to take up this slack.

Limit Screws

There's three alteration screws the B-Screw (B-tension alteration), the H-Screw (high gear limit cease) and the L-Screw (low gear limit cease). Adjustments on these screws ought to always be made in 1/4 turn increments.

B-Tension Alteration

The B-Screw controls the derailleur body's angle in relation to the sprocket-set. Shift down to the largest sprocket and check the distance between the guide pulley and the huge sprocket. If the guide pulley is rubbing on the sprocket, tighten the B-screw clockwise to increase tension and move the pulley away from the sprocket. If there is a immense gap between the pulley and sprocket, loosen the B-screw until the pulley rubs the sprocket, and then tighten it until it clears.

High Gear Limit Cease

The H-Limit screw high gear limit cease prevents the guide pulley from shifting any further past the highest gear and in to the axle. In order to fine-tune it properly there has to be no tension on the lower inner cable. In case you feel tension, loosen the cable adjuster until there is none. Now check from behind how the chain is riding on the smallest sprocket. If it looks like it desires ride off in to the axle, tighten the H-screw clockwise until it lines up. If it looks like it is rubbing on the next gear, loosen the screw until the chain is nicely centered on the sprocket. Now re-adjust the cable tension until the derailleur shifts smoothly down to the next gear.

Low Gear Limit Cease

The L-Limit screw prevents the guide pulley from shifting any further past the lowest gear and in to the wheel spokes. Shift down to the lowest gear, step behind the bicycle, and check how the chain rides on the sprocket. If it looks like it wishes to ride in to the spokes, tighten the L-screw clockwise until it is centered on the sprocket. If it looks like it wishes to shift down, loosen the screw until it lines up. As an additional precaution you can use your thumb to gently push the derailleur body and make sure the chain won't run in to the spokes, as this might obviously have a disagreeable effect on both you and your bicycle.

Cable Adjusment

The cable tension adjuster defines how far up or down the derailleur moves. Step back so you can see the chain & sprocket alignment, & then through the gears in both directions, first shifting up & down, & then down & up. The chain ought to look centered on each sprocket. If it is rubbing on a bigger gear it means there is much tension on the cable. Loosen the stress by turning the adjuster clockwise. If it wishes to jump down to a smaller gear it needs more tension. Increase the stress by turning the adjuster counter-clockwise.



You can also use sound to check the modification. There is always a base-level of noise that can be heard in every gear. This noise will increase in a slightly different way depending on which way the stress is out of modification. If there is much tension you will listen to a metallic rubbing sound, but if there is tiny tension you will listen to a clicking noise as the chain tries to jump to a smaller sprocket. There is usually a cable tension adjuster on your shift lever. With practice it is possible for you to to make little cable tension adjustments while you are riding.

Lubrication

Now that the derailleur is adjusted, always apply a drop of lubrication to the derailleur's plenty of moving parts. This will help prevent wear from dirt and rust, and it will keep your gears shifting smoothly. Wipe away any excess lube and take your bicycle for a check ride to make sure all the gears are working smoothly.

Read More... »»  

Mountain Bike Care Tips

Cycling will feel comfortable if the bike we drove was always in good condition, how to care for MTB mountain bike to keep it in maximum performance. One way is to always wash it, wash your mountain bike will make a clean of dirt bikes that interfere with optimal performance and the performance of our mountain bikes.

Here are Tips and Tricks for treating mountain bike MTB bicycle by washing properly, tips and tricks to techniques ranging from cleaning MTB saddle up to the braking system. The entire process can be done no less than 35-40 minutes.

Here are the steps MTB bike wash properly:
1. Unplug all accessories in the handle bar (handlebar), eg bell, lights, speedometer, etc.. If you use V brakes off the connecting wires by pressing both sides of the calipers. Mechanical disconnect the brakes v is true if you use V brakes on the rear wheels.

2. Rewind your bike, to avoid blisters on the saddle and grips you can use the base that is not too hard and soft for example, we can use a mat with a thickness of 5mm.
How to turn your bike properly is standing next to hold the front suspension bicycles (down tube) and one hand holding the seat post (saddle seat). Then rotate slowly until the bike upside down.

3. Removing the front and rear wheels, open the front axle fasteners to open the locking clip if there is, if your bike does not use a clip, you must use a wrench in accordance with the size of the bolts are in use as locking the front axle.To remove the rear wheel, rear axle loose fasteners, pull backward gear shifting system (RD) rear derailleur just enough so that the rear wheels can pull up and apart.
4. Cleaning the drive system (chain, gears, pedals, rear derailleur). Prepare a brush and soapy water. RD Start brushing with a brush on wet soapy water, to clean the chain using a soft cloth, dampen the cloth with soapy water by turning the chain around your pedals so that the chain rotates the fore. Hold the cloth on your bicycle chain so that the dirt that is stuck on the last lap.Proceed with cleaning the Crank (front gear, the pedal arm and pedal) with a brush that was in the wet with soapy water, brush evenly and thoroughly so that all exposed parts of the front drive of soapy water and dirt off, then wipe with a clean cloth.Clean the sides of the pedals and gear shift with a brush moistened with soapy water, continue to dry with a clean cloth.
5. Clean the bottom of the frame, use a cloth and soapy water. Wipe evenly to all parts of the frame, handle bars (front handlebar), the top tube (top frame), and seatways (rear frame). Do not forget to clean the gear shifting cable and towing brakes.
6. System cleaning the wheels.Use a cloth and soapy water front and rear wheels, you can use a cleaning liquid manure if there is dirt that is difficult in the waste, eg using WD-40. Clean the dirt on the axles, wheel hubs and a whole including the spokes of a wheel.If you use the disc on the wheel you simply brush thoroughly in all parts of the disc.
7. Checking Wheel SystemReplace the front and rear wheels, make sure the clip is attached premises pengenceng wheel well and can lock the wheels perfectly. Maybe we're a little trouble replacing the rear wheel, rear gear input tips in between the chain and press down so it can fit into the holder rear wheels perfectly, do it carefully.After all checks wheel mounted wheels both front and rear rocking observe carefully whether or not, if the shake is most likely need wheel spokes on the sets again. You can fix it yourself by using a key jari2 wheel or take it to a bicycle repair shop.
8. Check the braking systemIs one vital part of any bike brake, if it can not work properly because our salvation is at stake. To check the front wheel brake stand in front of your bike and hit the brakes the front wheel, then pull the bike forward when the frame and rear wheel lift means the front wheel brakes are still functioning well, if not immediately replace the front brake is still good.For the rear wheel brake, stand in front of your bike and hit the rear brake, if the front wheel between your legs elevated among likely the rear brake still works fine, if not immediately check and replace the brake with a new one.Both tips for checking the braking system can be applied both brakes with V brakes or disc brakes. Check all of the cables or brake fluid (brake dish with oil).
9. LubricantsTip to lubricate critical parts of your mountain bike is the chain, shifters, pengerak system front and rear wheels (FD-RD), Pedan and pedal arm.Use a good lubricant should not use used oil, use a special lubricant for chains, many in the market is the lubricant for the chain 2 wheel motorized vehicles.
from:zonasepeda.com
 

Read More... »»