The chain is arguably the most important part of any bike. Tubes and tires can easily be patched or fixed while riding. Broken spokes still allow you to get back home. Busted cables might make things a little difficult, but you’re still able to ride. But break or damage a chain while on the road, and most times you’ll need to make an emergency call for someone to pick you up.
Yeah, unless you carry a chain tool and know how to fix it…..a busted chain can definitely mean the end of a ride. Even worse…..a fall.
In all my years of riding, I’ve never had any major chain issues. That is, until recently. I was well over the 1,000ish miles recommended for replacing a chain but just kept pushing it off. It hadn’t been slipping or giving me any trouble so I just kept riding. Wrong move.
One day while doing the 27% grade climb to my house, my chain slipped off. When it’s that steep there is zero reaction time. The bike stops instantly. It caught me off guard, and I was laying on the ground before I knew it. A harmless fall…this time (yeah, I did actually crack my arm once with a 0 mph fall).
The next day I planned on replacing the chain once I got to work, but still set off for a ride before heading in. Big mistake. About 3 miles into my ride, one of the links bent slightly and wouldn’t move past the derailer. I was grounded. For the first time ever, I needed to have my Wife come pick me up.
So I’m here to tell you to respect your chain. Keep an eye on it. Follow these tips on how to tell if your chain needs replacing. If you’ve ridden between 800 and 1,400 miles (depending on what chain you have), replace it.
#MakeitHappen. Enjoy Your Ride.