The Expert Advice, Made Easy Blog

Chains will wear and ‘stretch’ over time, especially if not lubricated regularly. This can wear down the chainrings and cogsets leading to chain slippage, poor performance and possible accidents. In the next of our series on Cycling Expert Advice, Made Easy, we look at how to replace a worn chain.

Checking the Chain for Wear

Wear on the chain is caused by dirt getting into its joints, combined with the constant friction of contact with the sprockets. A chain wear indicator tool can be bought for less than £10, but you can simply use a ruler instead. Each chain link is made exactly half an inch long, so 12 inches from the centre of a link pin should be the centre of the 24th pin along. If the chain is longer by more than 1⁄16 inch, then it is time to replace it.

Replacing a Worn Chain

Check to see if the chain has a quick-release link (also called a snap link), which is a special type of link that can be fitted and removed without a chain tool. It looks different to the other links. If it does, you can pop it off by hand or with a screwdriver or other tool.

Failing that, you will need to use a chain tool as follows:

1. Place the bicycle on your work stand or lean it against a wall.

2. Hook a short piece of electrical wire around the links on either side and over the link you are going to break. This will prevent the chain clattering onto the floor and the derailleur kicking up.

3. Turn the screw handle of the chain tool anticlockwise until it stops. This will retract the chain tool’s pin so that you can fit the chain into the tool and align the chain tool pin with a chain link pin.

4. Fit the chain tool around a link of chain that you are going to break. There are two slots for this on the chain tool. Use the one furthest from the chain tool handle. Using the nearest slot is for loosening only.

5. Screw the handle clockwise until the chain tool’s pin touches the chain link pin. Make sure it is aligned and then continue to turn clockwise. There will be resistance but keep going until the pin is pushed out.

   • If you are removing the chain to clean it and intend to put it back on again, push the link pin a little over half way through and retract the chain tool pin and remove the chain tool. Then take the chain in your hand and twist it a few times; it will come apart with the link pin still fitted in the outer link plate. This will make it easier to reattach by using your chain tool again to push the pin back through the plates.

6. Your new chain will probably have more links than your old chain so these need to be removed using the chain tool. Before breaking the new chain, make sure you are clear about how the ends fit together. If you are using a pin you need an outer link on one end and an inner link on the other so that you can slot the inner link inside the outer and push the pin through with the chain tool. If you have a quick link (snap link), you need two inner links at either end of the chain as the quick link is an outer.

7. Place the new chain over the bottom bracket, inside the chainrings, and over the small sprocket at the rear. Align the derailleur and feed the chain over the upper pulley, down and behind and under the lower pulley. Use your electrical wire to link the two ends together.

8. Align the chain ends and, using the chain tool, screw the pin until it sits neatly through all four plates. Don’t forget to remove the electrical wire.

9. The new join will be a little stiff, so work the link up and down and side to side a little, then lift the chain off the bracket and feed it onto the lowest chainring from underneath whilst pedalling backwards with your hand.

10. Lubricate the chain and wipe off any excess.

This post is based on an extract from our bestselling book, Cycling by David North (ISBN: 9780857750969) – where you can find more on the above and further help and advice on Cycling.

Links

• Check out an interactive map of Britain's best bike rides here.

• Check out top ten tips to help you winter-proof your bike here.

• If you want to know more tips and advice on choosing, riding and maintaining a bike, why not buy our Cycling book? Take a look here.

Over the next few weeks, Expert Advice, Made Easy is going to take a look at some common problems with your bike and show you how you can deal with them with easy to follow step-by-step instructions. Remember, the more you look after your bike and perform small maintenance on it (before and after you use it), the better condition it will stay in, the less punctures you will get, and the less you will end up taking it to the bike repair shop. That will save you time and money!

Let's start with something simple – removing the wheels. Many maintenance tasks require a wheel to be removed so it's important you know how to do it. First you will need to unhook the brakes to make enough room for the wheel to come out.

Unhooking Brakes

Cantilever brakes: These can usually be disengaged by unhooking the straddling wire.

V-brakes: These can be lifted out of their cradle.

Caliper brakes: These sometimes have a small lever at the brake end of the cable, which will disengage the cable when lifted.

1. With the brakes disengaged, place the bicycle on the work stand or turn it upside down.

2. The wheel will be held between the forks with either nuts or a quick-release mechanism. The latter has an arm extending from it that you can pull to release the wheel. If it is held with nuts, you can loosen them with appropriate-sized spanners. If they are very tight, spray some lubricant on them. You can now remove the wheel.

3. To replace the wheel, guide the axle into the slots in the forks. These slots are called dropouts.

4. If securing the wheel with nuts, make sure the washer is on the outside of the fork. Tighten each nut a little at a time, alternating between the two. For quick-release, turn the knob clockwise with the lever in the open position then close it. It should close firmly but not be so stiff that it is a struggle. If it is tough, release it and turn the knob slightly anticlockwise.

5. Make sure the wheel is aligned between the forks and test it is secure by hitting the side of the tyre with the palm of your hand. It should not slip to the side.

6. Reconnect the front brake and check to make sure the pads are aligned correctly. If you deflated the tyre then re-inflate it.

The Rear Wheel

1. Shift your gears so that the chain is on the smallest sprockets, front and rear.

2. Release the brakes in the same way as described for a front wheel.

3. Pull back the derailleur if you have one and open the quick-release, or loosen the securing nuts, then remove the wheel.

4. To replace the wheel, guide the chain onto the smallest sprocket and the axle into the fork dropouts. Once in place tighten with the quick-release mechanism or nuts in the same way as for the front wheel, making sure it is aligned and secure.

5. Reattach the brakes and make sure they are properly aligned. If you deflated the tyre then re-inflate it.

So that's how to remove the front and back wheels from your bike. Easy! Next time we'll look at something a little more taxing, how to fix a puncture.

Links

• For a great video showing you how to remove your bike's wheels, click here

• If this inspires you to take a class in bike maintenance, see if there is one near you here

• If you want to know more tips and advice on choosing, riding and maintaining a bike, why not buy our Cycling book? Take a look here