The Ultimate Mid-Drive Chain Care Thread

[FlatSix911]

Let me go off-topic a little bit because I feel I must express my frustration. I should not be allowed to touch any bike on the mechanical side. "A peasant should get some turd instead of a watch" - it is how we describe such people as me in Poland

I thought I installed a 12-speed KMC chain properly. Almost. I didn't notice I placed the Missing Link in the wrong orientation... "The peasant" broke his new chain after a half-mile ride! Repairing the chain with a spare Quick-Link. And what if I hadn't the spare master link at hand?!

I feel miserable.

View attachment 81491
I hope it is properly done now (the upper part of the chain visible here).

Interesting to find that the link is directional... thanks for sharing.

 

[Oberst]

We learn far more from our mistakes than we do from success.

 

[bob armani]

Let me go off-topic a little bit because I feel I must express my frustration. I should not be allowed to touch any bike on the mechanical side. "A peasant should get some turd instead of a watch" - it is how we describe such people as me in Poland

I thought I installed a 12-speed KMC chain properly. Almost. I didn't notice I placed the Missing Link in the wrong orientation... "The peasant" broke his new chain after a half-mile ride! Repairing the chain with a spare Quick-Link. And what if I hadn't the spare master link at hand?!

I feel miserable.

View attachment 81491
I hope it is properly done now (the upper part of the chain visible here).

Don't be too hard on yourself Stephan. Nothing ventured nothing gained. Happens to the best of us. Most of us have learned something here by your post IMO.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Interesting to find that the link is directional... thanks for sharing

I should have read the user manual that was inside a tight wrapped plastic bag. It was showing the proper orientation of the Missing Link...

When inserted properly, the chain stretch makes the link tighten. If installed wrongly, the force opens the link.

 

[Art Deco]

I should have read the user manual that was inside a tight wrapped plastic bag. It was showing the proper orientation of the Missing Link...

When inserted properly, the chain stretch makes the link tighten. If installed wrongly, the force opens the link.

That's actually clever, quite interesting that stretch tightens the link.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Good news!


Been on 90 km or so gravel-trail over the Bolimowski Landscape Park. The route involved a lot of muddy off-road riding; the new chain kept and worked ideally. Because of the previous master link damage, I had had to shorten the chain from optimum 122 links down to 120; it was within the derailleur tolerance and ensured good tightening of the chain.

That's actually clever, quite interesting that stretch tightens the link.

I could describe that better as "chain tension makes the master link lock in the right position".

 

[Alaskan]

Live and learn.

There is an old yiddish expression:
Vos ken an eyzl visn fun lukshanum?
What does a donkey know from luxury?

 

[ChezCheese:)]

Teflon?? You know teflon is super toxic, right? It NEVER goes away. It is hideous stuff. Just don't!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Teflon super toxic? Good I didn't know my PTFE frying pan from Tefal was toxic.

Bullshit.

 

[onlineaddy]

Teflon super toxic? Good I didn't know my PTFE frying pan from Tefal was toxic.

Bullshit.

PTFE-coated non-stick cookware and toxicity concerns: a perspective - PubMed

PTFE is used as an inner coating material in non-stick cookware. This unique polymer coating prevents food from sticking in the pans during the cooking process. Such cookware is also easy to wash. At normal cooking temperatures, PTFE-coated cookware releases various gases and chemicals that...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Read up and feel free to draw your own conclusions.

 

[almikel]

Last time I removed the quick link to clean my chain I mucked around with circlip pliers/needle nose pliers etc to remove the quick link, and it was tedious/fiddly/time consuming.
After that I decided to buy the Park tool for the job...cost me $40...
Had the quick link off in 10sec...there's a thing to be said for having "the right tool" for the job...

I just use automotive degreaser and an old paint brush to clean the chain when it's off the bike, then rinse with water and let dry.
While the chain is off the bike I remove the rear wheel and clean the cluster, chain ring and derailleur jockey wheels

Re-install the chain noting narrow/wide install on the 1X chain ring.
A drop of lube on the inside of each link and the derailleur jockey wheel bushings, then run the chain through a rag to soak up excess...

I have one of those "on the bike" chain cleaners, but the chain keeper (not chain "catcher") I have that fits my acoustic won't work on my e-bike with its 12mm through axle...I need to get one of these:

Morgan Blue Chain Keeper Thru Axle

Morgan Blue Chain Keeper Thru Axle

www.epiccycles.com.au

The orange wheel simply slides onto the through axle...

I'd much rather have the rear wheel off the bike when cleaning the chain "on the bike" by using a chain keeper, as it's a messy job, and I'd rather keep dirty degreaser away from rotor discs and tyres.

IMHO chain maintenance on a mid drive e-bike is critical - way more important than on an acoustic bike, or a hub drive e-bike, as all the motor torque/stress goes through the chain.
IME a dirty chain on a mid drive e-bike will result in clunky/non-precise shifting way quicker than on an acoustic.

Since owning my e-bike I would suggest:

• clean your chain regularly and lube appropriately...I choose not to lube between chain cleans...but that's just me...I don't like lubing a dirty chain, preferring to clean it first, then lube...but I ride in mostly dry conditions and I clean my chain monthly or sooner - YMMV
• check for wear regularly with a chain checker (<$20) and replace the chain early to reduce wear on clusters and chain rings
• carry a spare quick link...and if venturing far from support, also carry a chain breaker with the "usual" multi tools

Mike

 

[Handlebars]

se a hub motor with a throttle? I can see where you can get a longer chain life with that setup. For those with mid-drive motors and no throttle, not so much.didn't take me very long with my rear hub bike to

Thanks for raising that point.
Soon after getting my bike (rear hub motor), I developed the habit of using the throttle on every start from stop. I think it's a lot smoother on most of the the involved bike parts and human parts if you get practiced on throttle control.
Right now I'm considering putting on a new chain again just to convert to paraffin waxing. The chain is over halfway to replacement anyway.
I want to avoid needing to replace the cassette so maybe I should clean the chain and wax it, instead of doing a second chain replacement and next time replace both.
Now I wonder about the chain ring.
This thread is a good read so far.