Just got in to Whitehorse and my chain has run out of adjustment....
This is premature as far as Im concerned since it has only done about 15000Km.
There are two possible causes for this short life:
1) I got a crappy low quality chain (It was in Mexico - Baha California to be exact)
2) It has worn out due to lack of lubrication...
Initially, this seems unlikely since I adjust and lube it twice per day on the road!
But what I think has happened is that when I had the rear tyre fitted the other day (back in Vancouver), they cleaned my chain at the shop....and that I think is the problem...
I think they cleaned it with either a petrol bath or with lots of WD40 spray lube.
What either of these options does is penetrate into the chain spaces with a light lubricant/solvent that disolves the grease that is in there and then washes away the dirt.
Problem is that on an O-ring chain, there is an O-Ring betwrrn the chain side plates of adjacent links. The O-Ring keeps the dirt out and some grease/lube in (good for long chain life)...But the penetrating solvent gets inside the O-ring and disolves away the grease in there. So after the clean, the chain is relubed from the outside but it doesnt get inside the O-rings and essentially I am left with a chain that looks well lubed but is running dry....And so I have a worn out chain.
Clearly I need to specifically tell the shop not to clean my chain in future!!!
Anyway, I also needed to adjust the length of an add-on set of foot pegs (up front for a change of position for my feet on the long highway rides).
I found a welding shop and for $25 they cut, drilled and rewelded the foot peg bar. It was too long and would have damaged things if I dropped the bike at speed... not a good plan but these things sometimes happen.
And while the shop was doing that work, I tried out my new chain tool to remove a link from the chain ...so I can keep adjusting as needed before I replace the whole thing... in the not too distant future it seems.
Now this would normally be a very bad plan since once a chain is this worn, it just wears faster and faster and can eventually break...causing all sorts of damage.
But, I have several days of dirt road riding just ahead of me and Id much rather do that with a crappy old chain than a brand new one.
So, Im gonna risk it with the old chain and ride slow and gently. Then in about four or five more days Ill be done with the dirt and I can put on the new chain that I have with me :)))
Hope it all goes as planned!
