Winter ate my chain

[TurbosSuck]

Hi,

This is the first year that I have commuted through winter on my bike and I do not think I have given my chain enough attention. On Monday I noticed how noisy it was and gave it a good spray when I got home. It is now much better but still quite noisy and spinning the rear wheel reveals a tight spot.

I've heard that you can take off the chain and soak it. Is this worth a try and if so what tools do I need?

I'd rather not buy a new chain unless absolutely necessary as the bike will be part exed in a month or two and I doubt I'll get more than a few hundred anyway.

Thanks

[Total Drivin]

Give said right spot a liberal squrtiting with plusgas or similar roll it on to the rear sprocket and belt the fk out of it with a rubber mallet like your daddy used to go at you with the buckle and of a belt after a bottle of wife beater.

[trickywoo]

Not much point removing it unless its a non-o-ring version which I doubt as it would have given up without proper care well before now.

Give it a really good clean and lube and see where you are. If you still aren't happy with it you could put a non-o-ring chain on it if you can find one in the right specs. They are way cheaper than an o ring chain and off the top of my head I'd have thought around £30 should buy one.

[smcapstick]

Oiling it and using it will free it off faster than any other method.

[Rubin215]

smcapstick said:

Oiling it and using it will free it off faster than any other method.

Nope.

The fastest way to free it off is to work the sticky link backwards and forwards with two old screwdrivers or drifts between the neighbouring links. Works best if the chain is slack, so clean it with parafin, loosen off the axle nut and adjusters and get to work.

Afterwards, adjust properly, tighten up and lube again.

[TurbosSuck]

Thanks for the suggestions, I've got chain cleaner so I'll try dousing it in that and working the kinks out.

How often should I be oiling the chain through winter? I don't have a long commute so I'm wondering if it should be a set number of miles or a set number of days.

Thanks

[Dakkon]

TurbosSuck said:

Thanks for the suggestions, I've got chain cleaner so I'll try dousing it in that and working the kinks out.

How often should I be oiling the chain through winter? I don't have a long commute so I'm wondering if it should be a set number of miles or a set number of days.

Thanks

Depends how many miles you do and how grubby it looks, but I do 500 miles a week and I clean my chain every week. riding through winter you find that some weeks are better than others in terms of how much grime gets on the bike.

It is something you need to stay on top of, the salt / grime can get everywhere.

[TurbosSuck]

A lot less miles than that. It's an old bike and judging by it's low miles and condition when I bought it I don't think it had ever seen rain let alone salt, ice and road sludge. It's started to rust away before my eyes.

Can't wait to get my hands on a new bike!

[Cylon2007]

If you are using it daily through winter the minimum should be a clean/lube and check over once a week. Bear in mind the chain is exposed to the weather and muck off the roads so if it's very wet the chain will need more attention. If it now has tight spots it's probably F*CKED however a good clean and lube may help it if it is just sticky links. Also bear in mind that if the chain is suffering the sprockets will be as well.

[7w7]

TurbosSuck said:

A lot less miles than that. It's an old bike and judging by it's low miles and condition when I bought it I don't think it had ever seen rain let alone salt, ice and road sludge. It's started to rust away before my eyes.

Can't wait to get my hands on a new bike!

Once a week minimum, how often were you checking it? Bear in mind lube quickly disappears when the chain gets wet.

[horsemeatscandal]

Winter knackered my chain too. Had to get a new one and sprockets recently.

I spray mine once a week during the winter, maybe a bit less if it’s been dry/non-salty. Well, I do now anyway, based on the advice of the mechanic who fitted it.

[supercommuter]

I use Autosmart Lubrice Silicone Free Spray Grease on my chain. Have done for years.

I suggest you clean it up with WD40 and then apply a grease of some type

[Cfnteabag]

Sorry to take this in another direction but did anyone else read the title as "winter has eaten my chin"?

I came here looking for images of a frostbitten face!

[mygoldfishbowl]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00LJYAESY/ref...

These have gone up, I paid 71 new pence a few months ago.