A little less conversation a little more action

[Aisling]

Ok since politics were riling folks up, I thought I'd post this up and talk romance in the wake of Dave's marriage announcement

I would have posted it on the original OT thread but it seems to have been taken down

http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/singing-his-way-to-the-prom/20vjzlv4

this is adorable. I've been lucky enough to have been serenaded before, but never in such a coordinated fashion hahaha

ok guys and gals, whats the sweetest thing you've done or had done for you? (let's keep it clean people LOL)

PS... unrelated... are you guys derust the chain people or buy a new bike chain people? i've been told wd40 is good and wd40 is bad by different people

[Erik J]

ok guys and gals, whats the sweetest thing you've done or had done for you? (let's keep it clean people LOL)

PS... unrelated... are you guys derust the chain people or buy a new bike chain people? i've been told wd40 is good and wd40 is bad by different people

Coicindentally, my sweetest moment had a lot to do with bike chains and WD40.

[dingbat]

PS... unrelated... are you guys derust the chain people or buy a new bike chain people? i've been told wd40 is good and wd40 is bad by different people

It's more about chain stretch and cog/chainring wear than rust. Of course, the rust you are removing may mean there is less material where the pins and bushings meet which is what causes chain stretch.

Is this a multi gear bike?

Used for sport, commuting, or knock-about?

Best thing is to replace the chain, cogs, and sometimes chain rings as a set.

If you are a serious commuter or avid sport rider, regularly rotating three new chains through a set of cogs and chain rings will give you the best wear rate and bang for your buck. Higher up-front cost though obviously.

If it's a single speed you just kick around on for fun, throw some 3in1 or motor oil on and go ride it so long as it doesn't skip.

If you are a pro, talk to your team mechanic.:p

[murphy12]

A nice thing? Hmm. Last year, at a gig, a couple from Manchester, UK was celebrating their 40th anniversary. I played The Hollies' "Bus Stop", which was one of their wedding songs.

As for WD40- a good cleaner, but it lacks the film strength to properly lube a chain. In general, stay away from harsh solvents when cleaning the drivetrain. Purpose-specific lubricants are best.

[bobdea]

Ok since politics were riling folks up, I thought I'd post this up and talk romance in the wake of Dave's marriage announcement

I would have posted it on the original OT thread but it seems to have been taken down

http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/singing-his-way-to-the-prom/20vjzlv4

this is adorable. I've been lucky enough to have been serenaded before, but never in such a coordinated fashion hahaha

ok guys and gals, whats the sweetest thing you've done or had done for you? (let's keep it clean people LOL)

PS... unrelated... are you guys derust the chain people or buy a new bike chain people? i've been told wd40 is good and wd40 is bad by different people

on the chain depending on the type of chain it is wd40 could be awesome to knock the rust off or ruin the chain. some high end bike chains and pretty much any chain for something that's got a motor have plastics and some even have internal lubricants that wd40 would attack.

in my experience with regular bike chains start either dry or with a thin oil and use a wire brush on it then depending on the condition either cleaning it somehow, I've used soap and water, WD40, gasoline, degreasers all work but if the chain is fairly clean and gunk free I'd just oil with decent oil and run it.

none of that other than the oil should be needed though unless you've been in mud or on the beach though.

[Jack M]

I would have posted it on the original OT thread but it seems to have been taken down

April Fools. :D

PS... unrelated... are you guys derust the chain people or buy a new bike chain people? i've been told wd40 is good and wd40 is bad by different people

WD40 is good for cleaning your chain, but it is not a lubricant. Use white lithium grease for chain lube. Available in a spray can at any hardware store.

[Petrol]

even good quality chains are relively cheap.

better to replace it then to suffer drivetrain / shifting problems out on the trails, or worse yet, a broken chain.

as for chain lube, get to your LBS LocalBikeShop and pick up some pedros or white-lightning chain lube

btw, if your bike is of any value, keep WD40 well away

[Aisling]

it's a mountain bike I inherited from a friend... she had a bad habit of keeping it out in the rain, snow, etc. so when i picked it up fall of last year it was just a mess. the frame itself is in good shape only a few rust spots i managed to get off.

took it to the local bike shop, had the break lines fixed... guy said chain would make it to winter but I'd probably need a new chain this season... so I'm figuring new chain...

thanks for the info on cleaning and the lubricants though, good to know. someone mentioned the cogs, etc.. when I take it back to teh bike shop, will they go ahead and replace those w the chain?

i'm clearly no expert but i love taking a mountain bike to the hills so it would be nice to know enough about the bike that i can take better care of it than its first owner ;)

LOL @ Jack I figured it was you playing April Fools I mentioned it to Michelle

[Aisling]

Coicindentally, my sweetest moment had a lot to do with bike chains and WD40.

ok now you have to spill.

[snowboardworm]

the best way to clean your chain is to buy a chain w a removable link. i prefer sram chains as their powerlink is easy to remove. soak the chain in degreaser, varsol or diesel. scrub to get clean. then add some chain lube and wipe chain down so that no external oils/grease is left on the chain. the excess doesn't do anything except attract dust. re-install and enjoy the ride.

buy a chain checking tool and replace at about 80% to 90% wear. chains are cheap compared to drivetrains.

as for sweetest moment??? buying the ex g/f a bicycle and later buying my current g/f a better bicycle. getting them to ride together??? priceless

[dingbat]

Use white lithium grease for chain lube. Available in a spray can at any hardware store.

Dude,

April Fool's Day was yesterday.

[dingbat]

someone mentioned the cogs, etc.. when I take it back to teh bike shop, will they go ahead and replace those w the chain?

Only if you ask, and pay them.

A good mechanic would know to check how stretched and worn the chain is when replacing it and recommend cogs if necessary. From your description of how the bike was kept, it needs new cogs (most likely a cassette). You could probably get away with not replacing the chain rings if they are aluminum alloy and the bike hasn't seen much use with a stretched chain, otherwise, they need to go too.

It is extremely rare to find a bike chain with any sort of rubber or plastic in it. You can soak them for days in almost any kind of solvent from mild degreasers like Pedro's or Simple Green to the real harsh stuff like kerosene or that White Lightning crap they marketed for removing the wax in their chain lube. Often folks get the misconception that this is bad for a chain because they or a friend have had the experience of cleaning the heck out of a chain that has been let go too long. All the dirt and grit that has worked it's way down in between the side plates, pins, and bushings, and ground away metal to make room for it's self, is suddenly removed. This leaves slop in the chain which allows the pin to pin distance to grow. When this happens, the pull of the chain is no longer distributed over a number of teeth on the cogs. The whole force rides on one tooth at a time; The tooth that is coming over the top of the cog. With all that pull concentrated on one tooth, as it starts to rotate down, the chain rides up it like a ramp and pulls off the cog.

If your chain is that far gone, and you're not ready to replace it, just lube it and ride it. I'd suggest a wet oil type lube rather than one of the dry lubes with an evaporating carrier. Tri-Flow, Zep45, Finish Line Cross Country, Pedros Syn Lube, Phil's Tenacious Lube, Sachs-Sedis Wet(if they only still made it!), 5W-30 motor oil, etc.

[Jack M]

Dude,

April Fool's Day was yesterday.

meh. works great on motorcycles.

[dingbat]

meh. works great on motorcycles.

I love the way you think.:D