We met by chance, or so it seems. I suppose there really is no such thing as “chance”. I was ready for it, and it was there. I wasn’t really looking but, you see, it had been a while since I’d been happy. I’d even strayed about some, trying a bit of this and a bit of that, but nothing really filled the void I felt within. But Love is a real thing and it can belong to each of us; we just have to be willing to see and we need the courage to grasp it while we can.
My chain and I share a tumultuous relationship. Mostly, we get along just fine, but my demands are high and it is but a simple thing. There are times when it simply doesn’t behave as I’d like. Not only do I expect it to shift properly and propel my bike without impeding my forward progress more than I already do myself, but I expect it to be absolutely silent, only allowing it a triumphant chirp when coaxed onto an adjacent cog.
In my quest to observe the Principle of Silence, I tune my drivetrain and bike more often than is reasonable, often when it requires neither tuning nor cleaning. But I do it anyway, and it feels good. Few things delight me as much as hearing the hum of the back wheel as it spins on the stand, my left hand spinning the drive-side pedal while my right hand pushes the levers on the shifters while watching the chain skip flawlessly from one cog to the next. A daily ritual, I never – under any circumstances – throw my leg over a bike without first cleaning at least the chain. I find it is unbecoming of a Velominatus to ride a soiled machine; we are not barbarians, after all.
You need to know all this in order to understand what I will say next. I have experimented with synthetic lubes and with waxes, and none are the equal of an oil-based product. Sure, oil attracts more road grit, but for those of us who clean our chains every day, that hardly matters. More importantly, it’s lubricating qualities are far superior to the synthetics. As for providing a solid platform for the Principle of Silence, no product I’ve come across has managed to rival the noise-dampening qualities of Dumonde Tech BCL, made right here in Seattle, no less. All it requires is a single drop on each link and chain noise virtually disappears. If you are lucky enough to ride well-tuned Campagnolo mechs, you’ll find that the only sound you hear is the hiss of your wheels cutting through the breeze. And, in my case, that of belabored breathing.
When first we met, I was skeptical. I’d been hurt in the past and I needed assurances that it wouldn’t happen again. The bottle caught my eye as it stood coyly on its shelf. I picked it up and discretely read the label which said all the right things – a bit about low friction and a bit re-applying only when chain noise becomes audible. I took the first step, and it has rewarded me with silence.
And, dare I say, it smells strangely pleasant.
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@mcsqueak
If it works, it works, but it does sway quite a bit and causes some challenges that way. If you can afford it, get a good stand. And good tools. The best you can afford. After all, they will be working on your beloved cycle.
Dear God, what have I done?
@Nate
I had the same issue on my Velomihottie's bike. With campy, it's amazing how loose the
chaincable tension should be, I make mine as loose as I can and still be able to snap it into the next bigger cog when I shift. A little too much tension will give noise in the middle cogs. 10 speed - and Merckx forbid - 11 speed, really demans a very precise cable tension.@michael
In Campy at least, those B-Tension screws really only help in the biggest cog; on the other cogs, it makes little difference. Again, I keep mine very loose.
My carbon Ibis developed a weird creak riding home last night. Within 10 crank revolutions of the new noise - the rear derailleur blew off with a busted hanger.
Damn strange - guessing the aluminum hanger was creaking on it's death bed, then expired. Freaky.
A few pics of the destruction: http://yoeddy.blogspot.com/2010/10/snap-goes-hanger.html
@Cyclops-- thanks I'll give that a try.
@frank-- is that chain tension or shift cable tension? I think you mean shift cable tension.
@michael-- cassette bearings (never heard of those!) or do you mean jockey wheel bearings?
Thanks and hear's to quiet riding this weekend.
Of course not. I braid together my organically shampooed leg hair after I've shaved it at the beginning of the season and use that. Farming hemp is unsustainable. Flip flops? WTF? Don't you mean Birkenstocks? And singing "Listen (Shhh) to what the flower people say."
This is my favorite typo/pun of the year!
@Dan O
Brutal!! Wow. It's good to see that you're still doing right by the knee-warmers/cap look as demo'd in the "steel" link. Nice.
@Nate
Indeed - cable tension. Sorry, and corrected. Good catch.
Ditto. I have a mason jar, and a gallon of paint thinner. A couple ounces, stir stir. Shake, shake, and five minutes later my chain is clean! I understand that petrochemicals can alter the metallurgic properties of a chain, but for as quiet as my SRAM drivetrain is; it is absolutely worth the risk. After I dry it off, and remove any left over stuff, I use Boeshield. This shit is grand.
Of course when you clean your entire drivetrain after every ride, it typically doesn't matter what you use...
@wvcycling
Ah, Boesheild. Another good Seattle product- Jim swears by it. I bought bottle on his authority. Jim got himself a free bottle of Beosheild out of the deal as it doesn't compare to Dumond TECH. Especially given your ruthless approach to chain cleansing which I admire in it's wholesale committal to the cratf, I suggest you try it out. I mean, you're made for a genuine lube: obviously a fanatic and obviously gives fuck-all for the environment.