Assembly question

[BryanG]

Just got a Level2 for my wife.
Pretty straightforward to assemble.

One question: Do we need to do anything to the chain? Like grease? Or is that pre-done?

Instructions don't say anything about it. But the instructions do say they are just a guideline and consult a professional...

 

[Ben J]

You should lube the chain with real chain lube. And repeat weekly or every 100-150 miles if you ride that much.

Don't worry too much about that first Level.2 chain. My Aventure.2 chain was basically made of cheese and has worn noticeably in about 350 miles. On another bike (where the chain gets a lot more load!) I have 1300 miles on a real SRAM chain and it's still fine. So figure out what you're doing with "chain number 1" and replace it when it starts to wear (aka "stretch").

 

[spokewrench]

I applied Finish Line dry lube soon after my Abound arrived. I'd started using it with my Radrunner because I didn't like getting my cuff grimy. I used a little bottle with a 25-gauge needle to apply one drop to each end of each pin. Squirting it into the little bottle let me see that it was well shaken, and I could squirt what was left back into the original bottle.

I'd pedal hundreds of miles between applications. It kept the chain quiet, rust-free, and clean looking. It was hard to believe it wasn't picking up grit. After 3,000 miles, I bought a master link and a chain breaker so I could soak it in gasoline on three layers of wire mesh. That's how we did it in the old days. Grit would settle to the bottom through the mesh, away from the chain. After two hours with intermittent agitation, I hung the chain to dry. There was absolutely no grit on the bottom of the can. I measured the chain and found that there was no "stretch."

 

[Rome]

That sounds like a lot of work and methodical.
I'm too lazy to perform all that stuff. I rather be riding than messing with oiling chain and get my fingers dirty.
I just buy new chain at 700- 1000 miles interval. l put new chain and have new chain on stand by. Of course I check stretch with my pro tool chain gauge.
Chain only cost $30-50 buck. No need lube I just put new one. As I speak I opened my tool box and I have 2 new chains and new chain on the my bike that I put on New Year day. So this means me and my bike is good to go for a year without lubing chain.

 

[spokewrench]

I go hundreds of miles (several months) between lubes. A spot of yellow acrylic paint marks one rail so I know where to start and when I'm finished. I use a couple of cable ties as markers so I can do one sector at a time. With these navigational aids, putting a drop on each pin takes 3 minutes and 3ml of lube (about 20 cents).

To check stretch, I wanted a number. I put tension on the chain by lashing the rear brake lever and fastening a weight to the pedal sticking out forward. With a caliper, I measured several rollers to be sure all were the same. Then I measured across 11 links and 12 rollers, as much as my 6 inch caliper could handle. I subtracted the diameter of a roller and divided by 11. Each link was .499... inches, just under half an inch. I've read that chains may come from the factory slightly under half an inch. This one hadn't worn to half an inch after 3,000 miles. (It's a single-speed bike; I'm sure not shifting helps.)

I soaked the chain out of curiosity, to see if it was as grit-free as it looked. Now when I have to remove the wheel, I can keep it simple by removing the chain.