Check your Chain

Bicycle chains can wear out after a certain amount of use and should be checked fairly often.  Some people refer to a worn out chain as “stretched” but this is not true.  You measure the distance between the pins to gauge how worn a chain is.   The chain’s plates do not get longer, but the pins and bushings degrade over time, creating a larger distance between them.  That gap causes the chain to not seat properly on to the chainrings and cassette.  This will lead to missed shifts, clanking noises as well as the cassette wearing out.  Cassettes are much more costly than chains to replace.

We have a tool to check for wear, so you can stop in anytime and ask one of our associates to measure how worn your chain is.  You can also do this yourself without tools by shifting to the smallest chainring, applying force to the right pedal with one hand  and holding the back wheel steady with the other hand. If the chain floats above the teeth instead of meshing, it is time to replace it.

Chains should be checked every 500 miles.