KNOW WHEN TO REPLACE YOUR SPROCKETS

We all like riding around and doing all kind of fun stuff. The problem is that this wear out parts on your bike and while the act of replacing your cogs and chainrings is simple, knowing when to do so isn't. Here is the BIG RED WARNING sign: a worn sprocket is measured in mere 100ths of a millimeter, not easy to see at a glance. Even worse, is  the consequences of doing the wrong thing in the drive train department can be very hramfull indeed.

Do not fear, fellow mounties, help is near. Like they say: prevention is better than cure, so here are a few tips to help your drive train parts lasting longer.

WHAT IS THE BEST REGULAR MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE?
If you spend between 8 and 15 hours per week on your bike, you need to change your chain about 3 times a year and up to six times if you ride in extra muddy or dusty terrains. The elements are very hard on drive train components — especially the chain. There are 116 separate bearings between the cogs and the chain rings. Recreational riders who ride 5 to 8 hours a week should replace their chains twice a year. Casual riders (less than 5 hours a week) can simply replace their chains at the start of every year.

WHY CHANGE THE CHAIN INSTEAD OF THE SPROCKETS?
By keeping your chain fresh, wear on the cogs is greatly reduced. When a chain wears, it grinds away at the cogs and wears them out. If you replace your chain at regular intervals, the sprockets will last five times longer than the chain. If you continue to ride on a worn-out chain, you can expect to wear out both the chain rings and rear cogs.

WHY DOES MY MIDDLE CHAIN RING HAVE CHAIN SUCK?
The middle chain ring is the most commonly used chain ring, so it wears out first. Chain suck occurs when the teeth of the sprocket refuse to release the chain drawing it up and over. The solution to chain suck is almost always new chain rings, but if money is a problem a temporary solution is to file the edges of the chain ring. It may extend the life of the ring for up to six months.

WHAT CAUSES CHAIN SKIP?
Worn out parts. When a chain rides up on a worn rear cog, it fails to get a firm grip on the angled teeth. The chain inches its way up each tooth as the cogset spins until the chain eventually skips off, causing the cranks to jerk forward on hard pedaling efforts (very "eina" and dangerous to your knees).

What should you do if you suffer chain skip? Immediately stop riding the bike until you replace your cogset and maybe your small and middle chain rings as well. Or once again if you know what you are doing use a file to deepen the grooves on the chain ring.

WHICH CHAIN RINGS WEAR OUT FIRST?
The ones you use the most. If you have a bike with aluminum chainrings, expect the granny and middle chainrings to wear out first. If your bike has a steel granny, it will last longer and the middle chainring will show signs of abuse sooner. If you have a steel granny and steel middle ring, they will still wear out before the big ring. The big ring takes the least abuse because you aren't in it as much. Unless you are one of those roadie riders then probably you will wear out your biggest chainring faster.

Happy riding.