Remounting a dropped chain

"Michael Press" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Joe Riel wrote:

Today I flatted. No big deal, removed the rear wheel, pulled out the
staple, swapped inner tubes, back on the back. Except for one detail.
While removing the rear wheel the cranks turned backwards, dumping the
chain on the inside. That seems a fairly common occurence during a
rear wheel change. Its an annoyance because its tricky to get the
chain back on the rings with getting grime all over my fingers
(they were dirty from changing the tire, but not oily).

Is there a clever way to avoid/solve this problem? There seem
several points of attack:

1. Avoid dropping the chain. Maybe there's a trick to avoid this in
the first place. From experience the chain is often dropped when
putting the wheel back on. Note that the various "sharp fin" devices
that help prevent throwing the chain during a shift don't have much
effect in this situation.


2. Keep the chain clean, say wax it. I've done this before, but would
prefer not to. It's not like I have to deal with the dirty chain that
much.

3. Avoid touching the chain. I've tried using a tire lever to get the
chain back on the ring, but that doesn't always work (generally it
requires turning the cranks, and isn't easy to do alone). Gloves
would work, I've thought of adding a disposable latex glove to my kit
but that seems a bit much.

4. Carry a rag/wipe for cleaning the mess off afterwards.

I'd prefer a mechanical technique that allows me to easily remount a
dropped chain without having to grap it with fingers.

Pair of latex gloves in your tool kit. (Then leave them at
the side of the road when you are done.)

--
Michael Press

I hate littering and leaving trash all about. There is enough trash about
such as used CO2 bottles, tubes, even tires that cyclists leave already on
the side of the roads or trails and paths. I remember seeing a couple of
cyclists fixing a flat, and when they left, sure enough, they left the CO2
bottle and old tube on the side of the path, not ten feet from a trash can.
What is it with people?
I prefer to carry my trash to the next convenient place to dispose of it
properly.
Anyway like you I carry some latex surgical gloves too, they fit in the seat
bag just fine.
When you are done you can peel them off inside of each other, so the inside
is out and the dirty side is in.
Then shove them in your jersey pocket and dispose of them properly when I
come upon a trash receptical later.
You never know, on a really bad luck day, you might need them again.

Today I flatted. No big deal, removed the rear wheel, pulled out the
staple, swapped inner tubes, back on the back. Except for one detail.
While removing the rear wheel the cranks turned backwards, dumping the
chain on the inside. That seems a fairly common occurence during a
rear wheel change. Its an annoyance because its tricky to get the
chain back on the rings with getting grime all over my fingers
(they were dirty from changing the tire, but not oily).

Is there a clever way to avoid/solve this problem? There seem
several points of attack:

1. Avoid dropping the chain. Maybe there's a trick to avoid this in
the first place. From experience the chain is often dropped when
putting the wheel back on. Note that the various "sharp fin" devices
that help prevent throwing the chain during a shift don't have much
effect in this situation.


2. Keep the chain clean, say wax it. I've done this before, but would
prefer not to. It's not like I have to deal with the dirty chain that
much.

3. Avoid touching the chain. I've tried using a tire lever to get the
chain back on the ring, but that doesn't always work (generally it
requires turning the cranks, and isn't easy to do alone). Gloves
would work, I've thought of adding a disposable latex glove to my kit
but that seems a bit much.

4. Carry a rag/wipe for cleaning the mess off afterwards.

I'd prefer a mechanical technique that allows me to easily remount a
dropped chain without having to grap it with fingers.


Joe

"Joe Riel" wrote in message
...
Today I flatted. No big deal, removed the rear wheel, pulled out the
staple, swapped inner tubes, back on the back. Except for one detail.
While removing the rear wheel the cranks turned backwards, dumping the
chain on the inside. That seems a fairly common occurence during a
rear wheel change. Its an annoyance because its tricky to get the
chain back on the rings with getting grime all over my fingers
(they were dirty from changing the tire, but not oily).

Is there a clever way to avoid/solve this problem? There seem
several points of attack:

1. Avoid dropping the chain. Maybe there's a trick to avoid this in
the first place. From experience the chain is often dropped when
putting the wheel back on. Note that the various "sharp fin" devices
that help prevent throwing the chain during a shift don't have much
effect in this situation.


2. Keep the chain clean, say wax it. I've done this before, but would
prefer not to. It's not like I have to deal with the dirty chain that
much.

3. Avoid touching the chain. I've tried using a tire lever to get the
chain back on the ring, but that doesn't always work (generally it
requires turning the cranks, and isn't easy to do alone). Gloves
would work, I've thought of adding a disposable latex glove to my kit
but that seems a bit much.

4. Carry a rag/wipe for cleaning the mess off afterwards.


5. Wear black socks and/or shorts.

Nothing is full proof so it's better to have something to wipe one's hands
width. Although, my chain is usually pretty damned clean unless it's
raining or I've hit a lot of water crossings. And I just use Phil's
Tenacious oil.

Greg

On Thu, 22 Dec 2005 22:16:53 GMT, Joe Riel wrote:

[---]

Its an annoyance because its tricky to get the
chain back on the rings with getting grime all over my fingers
(they were dirty from changing the tire, but not oily).

Is there a clever way to avoid/solve this problem?

[--]

3. Avoid touching the chain. I've tried using a tire lever to get the
chain back on the ring, but that doesn't always work (generally it
requires turning the cranks, and isn't easy to do alone). Gloves
would work, I've thought of adding a disposable latex glove to my kit
but that seems a bit much.

That's what I do - I just use a pair of cheap rubber kitchen gloves
when changing the wheel or the chain.

What kind of components are you using? I ask because this doesn't
happen to me when I have a rear flat. I have a Campy Record Triple ten
speed on one bike, and Campy Chorus Triple nine speed on the other. (I
drop the chain regularly on the track bike. g)

I've been using Pedro's Ice Wax to lube my chain for quite awhile, and
the chain stays a lot cleaner than when I used to use TriFlow. White
Lightning lube seems to keep the chain fairly clean, too, but I have the
impression it doesn't last as long as the Ice Wax. (The chain may last
longer, too, but I don't have any data to support saying so.)

If you must touch the chain, wipe your fingers on the inside of the leg
of your shorts, where it isn't too visible, and head for home, to
shorten the period you can be seen, and thus embarrassed.

On Thu, 22 Dec 2005 22:16:53 GMT, Joe Riel wrote:

Today I flatted. No big deal, removed the rear wheel, pulled out the
staple, swapped inner tubes, back on the back. Except for one detail.
While removing the rear wheel the cranks turned backwards, dumping the
chain on the inside. That seems a fairly common occurence during a
rear wheel change. Its an annoyance because its tricky to get the
chain back on the rings with getting grime all over my fingers
(they were dirty from changing the tire, but not oily).

Is there a clever way to avoid/solve this problem? There seem
several points of attack:

1. Avoid dropping the chain. Maybe there's a trick to avoid this in
the first place. From experience the chain is often dropped when
putting the wheel back on. Note that the various "sharp fin" devices
that help prevent throwing the chain during a shift don't have much
effect in this situation.


2. Keep the chain clean, say wax it.
I keep mine cleaner, but not super clean, with convential lube and
frequent wiping.

3. Avoid touching the chain.

Yes. I look for a leaf on the ground or something like that.

4. Carry a rag/wipe for cleaning the mess off afterwards.

How about "don't get flats." I use Mr. Tuffies much of the time and
get extremely few flats out on the road.

JT

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On Thu, 22 Dec 2005 22:16:53 GMT, Joe Riel wrote:

Today I flatted. No big deal, removed the rear wheel, pulled out the
staple, swapped inner tubes, back on the back. Except for one detail.
While removing the rear wheel the cranks turned backwards, dumping the
chain on the inside. That seems a fairly common occurence during a
rear wheel change. Its an annoyance because its tricky to get the
chain back on the rings with getting grime all over my fingers
(they were dirty from changing the tire, but not oily).

Is there a clever way to avoid/solve this problem? There seem
several points of attack:

1. Avoid dropping the chain. Maybe there's a trick to avoid this in
the first place. From experience the chain is often dropped when
putting the wheel back on. Note that the various "sharp fin" devices
that help prevent throwing the chain during a shift don't have much
effect in this situation.


2. Keep the chain clean, say wax it. I've done this before, but would
prefer not to. It's not like I have to deal with the dirty chain that
much.

3. Avoid touching the chain. I've tried using a tire lever to get the
chain back on the ring, but that doesn't always work (generally it
requires turning the cranks, and isn't easy to do alone). Gloves
would work, I've thought of adding a disposable latex glove to my kit
but that seems a bit much.

4. Carry a rag/wipe for cleaning the mess off afterwards.

I'd prefer a mechanical technique that allows me to easily remount a
dropped chain without having to grap it with fingers.

Cool old steel race bikes (like mine) had a little rivet looking dooble brazed
onto the seat stay about four inches up from the dropout. You hang the chain on
that to keep tension on the derailleur and everything stays in place.

Ron

Is there a clever way to avoid/solve this problem?

Do you have a double? If so, shift the derailleur outwards and pedal it
out. If you have a triple, it might still be doable if the chainring bolt
heads aren't too thick.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

"Phil, Squid-in-Training" writes:

Is there a clever way to avoid/solve this problem?

Do you have a double? If so, shift the derailleur outwards and pedal it
out. If you have a triple, it might still be doable if the chainring bolt
heads aren't too thick.

It's kind of hard to "pedal it out" when I'm standing on the side of
the road 8-).

Colin Campbell writes:

What kind of components are you using? I ask because this doesn't
happen to me when I have a rear flat. I have a Campy Record Triple
ten speed on one bike, and Campy Chorus Triple nine speed on the
other. (I drop the chain regularly on the track bike. g)

Campy Record double. I don't drop it while riding, just if
the rear wheels off, the chain is on the small ring, and
the cranks turn backwards.

Joe