Cleaning a filthy chain fixed a bike trip and pissed off the shop crew

At our local mechanic hangout, everyone always says to swap out any dirty chain right away. I brought up how last month, a guy came in panicking before a century ride. His chain was black and loud, but I just soaked it in solvent and scrubbed it clean. The other mechanics groaned and said I was wasting time. I put it back on, lubed it, and the bike ran quiet. The rider finished his trip with no issues and thanked me later. Now the guys give me crap for it every time we meet. But that ride went fine, so maybe we don't always need to throw parts at a problem. It was awkward when they all stared at me, but I'll stick to my guns on this one.

3 comments

3 Comments

jenkins.reese2d ago

@richard_anderson has a point about reliability, but we also create a lot of waste by swapping parts that just need cleaning. Giving a chain proper care can stretch its life further.

richard_anderson4d ago

But a new chain beats a breakdown any day.

riley7374d ago

Hold on, that's not always true. Sometimes running a chain until it breaks is the smarter move, especially if you're trying to save money. A breakdown on your own terms in your garage isn't the end of the world. Why spend cash on a new part when the old one still gets you where you need to go? I'd rather put that money toward something else.