I suppose I shouldn't grumble as I managed to get 6 months out of the previous chain, so about 1,000 miles. Total cost of replacement chain and sprockets = £25.00 Alternative cost of buying daily return tickets on DLR would have been £806.40!
Of course I had the additional cost of cleaning and lubrication products. For interest I clean the chain each week. My personal procedure is to clean the chain with Kaboom in a Barbieri cleaner, then I rinse the chain off with a hosepipe, wipe dry with an old cloth, turning the cranks I spray the chain with GT85 (to displace the water and add some PTFE), wipe dry again and then I oil the chain with Finish Line wet. I follow Sheldon Brown's advice on applying the oil. Depending upon the weather and conditions on my weekly commute, mid-week I occasionally wipe the chain with a cloth or wet-wipe and apply a bit more oil.
Stirred by a query by a London Brompton Club member, I decided to go for a KMC chain again (as opposed to SRAM or Wipperman). So X8.93 1/2 inch x 3/32 inch chain is now fitted and we'll see if I get much more than a 1,000 miles out of it in support of their guarantee...
Unique Guarantee:
The life of your new KMC XX-SP chain is guaranteed to last
longer than other brands. Double X Durability treatment
includes all X-SL, X-EL, X-L and X1 models. If you are not
satisfied with the durability of your chain, mail to DoubleX@
kmc chain.nl. Should you have a valid complaint you will
receive a replacement chain with our compliments.
What to do with the old, worn chain? Reduce/Re-use/Recycle - how about glueing it to the border of a plain picture frame?
Talking of Brompton's, do you watch The Cycle Show on ITV4?
ReplyDeleteLook who I spotted!
http://yfrog.com/z/mg9swp
http://yfrog.com/z/obnbtkp
Here is the link to the episode:
http://www.itv.com/itvplayer/video/?Filter=323902
Your brief appearance was at around 38 minutes.
Tom
Autographed photographs are now selling on Ebay for 0.99p plus postage :-)
ReplyDeleteGood posting I've been thinking about using a something to clean my chain and didn't have a clue on what devices where any good.
ReplyDeleteAwesome idea for the old chain, giving me ideas. Always a bad then when I get ideas >:P
oh btw I make an appearance in the same Cycle Show and get interviewed abit too >:P
Autographs on eBay for £5 each, personalised £10 :P
A little known fact, Barbieri invented the chain cleaner in 1983 and holds the patent - http://www.barbieripnk.it/aziendaeng.html
ReplyDeleteWhat I would recommend is taking an clean, empty drinks bottle, pour in some Morgan Blue Chain Cleaner, take the chain off using the PowerLink (SRAM) or MissingLink (KMC) and soak it in there for five minutes, shake it than install it back onto your Brompton en lube up using MB Rolls Pro (Winter) or Shimano Chain Spray (Summer). That'll do just fine.
ReplyDeleteHi thaanks for posting this
ReplyDelete