Categories: Accessories and GearThe Rules

On Rules #26 and #65: Spring Theory

Always store your bike in the mechanic's position: small-small to ease tension on the derailleur springs. Photo: Pedale.Forchetta

To hold opposing truths in one’s heart is a beautiful thing; to find resonance within contradiction is a liberating force that opens one’s mind to a wide world of possibilities. Life lived in black and white is a bland, simple world, after all: everything interesting in life happens in the gray space in between.

There is nothing outwardly in conflict between Rules #26 and #65, but within the application of Rule #26 we run the risk of violating Rule #65. Whenever storing one’s bicycle, whether for the evening or for an extended period of time, one is to take care to place the chain in a little-little configuration. This is done by Pro racers out of respect for their mechanic by making their life just a little bit easier when they remove the wheels before getting the bike a clean and sparkling for the next day’s training or racing.

We, the humble plonkers, presumably don’t have a personal or team mechanic who rubs our beloved steed with a diaper post-ride. But there lurks another reason why this practice is an important one to undertake: leaving the chain in the big dog and mid or high cassette as we would when gussying our girl up to be photographed puts the springs in the derailleurs under tension, causing them to wear out more quickly. Placing them little-little leaves them nice and relaxed, all rested up for your next soul crushing session.

I can not overstate that this in no way allows us to photograph or allow someone else to photograph our steed in this relaxed state, much like we would not allow ourselves to be photographed while laying on the couch wearing compression socks and moaning about our guns.

[rule number=26]

[rule number=65]

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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wiscot says:

Jan 7 2016 at 11:36 am

@Gianni

Oh, and I forgot…you damn kids get off my fucking lawn!

Or as we say in Wisconsin, "get off my fucking snow!"

Got my first ride of 2016 in yesterday. Low 30 degrees and getting a bit gloomy at the end. You forget how much harder your body has to work in the cold. At the height of the season 40kms is an easy recovery ride.Not so much when the wind chill is in the 20s. The whole experience wasn't helped by the chain coming off the small chainring on the steep hill 7 kms from home. After consulting Sherlock Holmes, it's either a worn chainring or chain - or both. Will remedy this weekend even though the forecast is shit and it'll be trainer time.

I'm probably in the last gear home, first gear start camp. Mind you, I always open the QR on my brakes after every ride to save those springs.And back off the tension springs on my pedals. And fully deflate the tires in case I stretch the inner tubes. Can't be too careful you know . . .
emerson says:

Jan 7 2016 at 11:47 am

To finish off a ride, wouldn’t one shift to the inner chainring anyway? Unless one is to continue their sprint right up the drive way or to their parked car. Without hesitation or forget, I will always put the chain on the 4th sprocket off the front (outside) of the cassette. This accommodates a PRO chain tension holder that is used instead of a chain hanger.
emerson says:

Jan 7 2016 at 11:59 am

@Oli

Over ten years or so it might make a minute difference, but it’s certainly nothing to concern anyone.

Assuming you maintain the one and the same derailleur for ten years, the derailleur is the one component that if it is off, the rider is fucked. Other than the one and the same controls and brakes too.
minion says:

Jan 7 2016 at 12:46 pm

It's a philosophical practice, that illuminates and defines us as Velominati/riders able to maintain a stable. When I was a courier, we'd not lock our bikes when going into buildings, (but we would be very careful about where we parked them) but we'd leave them in the big/small (highesgear combo you've got) so if an opportunistic thief hopped on the bike, they'd be on a massive gear, which would slow them down and possibly make them think twice. Some other tenets of wisdom we lived by:

WD40.
Clean the bike by riding it in the rain.

MTB frames with road bike drivetrain parts.

Partying A LOT. Sleep when you're dead.

Repair broken spokes by winding the broken spoke around the nearest, non broken spoke.

Yep. Like I said, we're not fucking savages.
minion says:

Jan 7 2016 at 12:50 pm

@Gianni

Really? Really? Where do we keep the kool-aid honey?

My bike won’t talk to me, is it mad at me because I’m not doing this?

Yes. Yes it is. Bikes get mad like women. You don't realise it's mad now, but when you do figure it out, you're in for some hard times.

OK, I’m going to write a post on wiping off one’s tires after riding through debris. Does it help anything? Probably not. Do I keep doing it? Yes. Will I keep doing it even if I know it makes no difference? Yes. Will I instruct everyone else do the same? Hell yes.

That's the spirit. The less it makes sense, the more I like it.
BlackRoad says:

Jan 7 2016 at 1:24 pm

@Gianni

Oh, and I forgot…you damn kids get off my fucking lawn!

Or as we say in Wales "you damn kids stop paddling on my fucking lawn!"
chuckp says:

Jan 7 2016 at 2:21 pm

My bike is always in the small chainring at the end of a ride. I don't worry so much about which rear cog. More casually deliberate that way.
Oli says:

Jan 7 2016 at 2:52 pm

@emerson

Haha, my newest derailleur is about 15 years old!
Gianni says:

Jan 7 2016 at 3:39 pm

@BlackRoad

Paddling wee bastards...
frank says:

Jan 7 2016 at 4:17 pm

@Gianni

Really? Really? Where do we keep the kool-aid honey?

Until someone shows me some f’ing data that putting the rear derailleur into the 12 every day makes one little difference to the bike’s shifting performance, I’m not buying. Or is this done to keep the bike happy? My bike won’t talk to me, is it mad at me because I’m not doing this?

OK, I’m going to write a post on wiping off one’s tires after riding through debris. Does it help anything? Probably not. Do I keep doing it? Yes. Will I keep doing it even if I know it makes no difference? Yes. Will I instruct everyone else do the same? Hell yes.

Yes. To all of that.