Chain drops happen.
In an earlier Technique Tuesday, we discussed a quick solution to dropping your chain during a race. While the techniques listed are a great temporary way to get yourself out of a sticky situation, it won’t likely solve some of the deeper, mechanical problems that might be causing your chain to drop. Today we are reviving a classic Mechanical Monday, which was the first of a two-part article. Here we examine some of the common problems that cause chains to drop and provide both solutions through adjustments or parts replacements.
In part two, we offer seriously habitual chain-droppers a list of extras and goodies including chain guards, watchers and single chainring options and certain derailleurs you can install on your bike to transform your sloppy drivetrain into a bulletproof setup.
Chainring Trouble
If the front derailleur and the chain are not the reasons behind your constant chain drops, perhaps your chainrings might be at fault. Nothing will drop a chain faster than a few bent teeth on a chainring, but worn teeth are not much better. If your once beautiful teeth are looking like crested waves, you might unfortunately need to invest in a new chain and chainrings. However, if you feel like nothing looks worn and your derailleur is set up perfectly, make sure to check the tension on the chainring bolts. The demands of cyclocross have a tendency to vibrate bolts loose, and on more than one occasion, I have worked on bikes with “chain-dropping” problems when I discovered that the whole chainring oscillated from side to side and allowed a partial rotation because the bolts either were not properly torqued to begin with or they vibrated out of torque. It also goes without saying, in the rigors of a cyclocross season, you can easily bend a chainring. Pedal backwards and make sure it’s completely true, and if not, find a replacement.
During the Masters Men 2013 Cyclocross World Championships, frozen power washers left riders with clogged drivetrains. © Cyclocross Magazine
But as we mentioned before, cyclocross races are muddy, chaotic endeavors. If a dirty chain increases the chances of dropping your chain on a road bike, a drivetrain caked with mud is bound to give you a few headaches over an hour. Sometimes the best upgrade is a good friend who waits for you in the pits with a power washer. Still refuse to deal with dropped chains? Stay tuned for a future Mechanical Monday where we will lay out some of the upgrade possibilities to ensure your bike rarely sees a dropped chain even in the worst of conditions.
