Think of your drivetrain is the heart of your bike. Without it working optimally, climbs get harder & sprints begin to lag.
As we get deeper into summer, trails gets dustier and your drivetrain builds up a lot of grime. Keeping your bike’s chain lubed before each ride is important and also good insurance against future problems, but deep cleaning your bike’s drivetrain optimizes its performance and longevity.
Your bike’s drivetrain transmits your pedaling power to the rear wheel to move you forward. It consists of the chain ring(s), which are the large gears in the front attached to pedals, the chain, the cassette, which is the cluster of gears on the rear wheel, and the pulley wheels on the rear derailleur.
Overtime, unattended drivetrains can get a buildup of grease containing grime. This dust-dirt infused grime can clog up the chain and gears increasing friction and diminishing performance efficiency. Grime can also accelerate the wear on the drivetrain’s parts and lead to needing part replacement.
Periodically cleaning your bike’s drivetrain increases your pedaling performance and diminishes mechanical wear on the parts. Here is how to clean your bike’s drivetrain.
By cleaning your bike’s drivetrain on a regular basis, it reduces grim build up and helps improve your pedaling power, reduces wear, and makes it easier the next time you clean because there is less grime build up.
Read here for a step-by-step guide to cleaning the drivetrain.
