Connect with us

CONTACT US (editorial board)

365mountain bikes

Puliti Dentro Biker Fuori

# Fincato23: The transmission

it is the heart of our bicycle, the mechanical compartment that transfers the pedaling force to the wheel and consists of cranks (and pedals), crowns and sprockets, chain, derailleurs, cables and controls.

Luca Poltronieri
Luca Poltronieri

The derailleurs are operated from the handlebar controls via cables that run inside the housing, which obviously work well if the cable runs efficiently.

With this article I want to provide a series of suggestions that allow us to ascertain day by day the health of our beloved mtb because “prevention is better than cure”! Let's examine the transmission in two different phases, dividing the purely mechanical part from that of operating the controls / derailleurs. Chain, pinions and crown wear out as they are parts subject to friction and traction in the presence of dirt.

The first thing to keep in mind is the cleaning of the compartment. A good and constant maintenance allows a longer life of the components, bearing in mind that all the specific products for the chain, some more others less, attract and retain dust, mud and micro debris ... so overdoing the lubrication is certainly counterproductive. Never forget to wipe the chain with a cloth after lubricating!

Another aspect to keep in mind are the kilometers traveled or the hours of use. In addition to a certain lengthening of the chain, the sprocket set and the front sprocket wear out abnormally and when the problem is faced, the expense of replacing the components will become very demanding. If, on the other hand, the chain is often replaced, remaining below 1000/2000 kilometers (depending on the use we make of our mtb) we will double the longevity of sprockets and crowns. How can we check the wear of the chain? There are dedicated tools that read the elongation as a percentage of the links, if we do not have one we can go to a workshop to do a quick check.

The second step is to check the operation of the gearbox. The smoothness of the cable in the sheath is crucial! The infiltration of microparticles and the internal wear of the sheaths near the curves (especially if very closed) are the main problems that can compromise their smoothness. A badly functioning gearbox is a death sentence for our enjoyment in the saddle. It is good practice to periodically replace (at least once a season!) Both the cable and the sheath before they compromise the functioning of the gearbox. The fine adjustment of the gearbox is an operation that few know how to do correctly but those who do not want to depend on the mechanic for every little problem can learn it.

At the exit of the gearbox body and / or at the exit of the handlebar control we find ring nuts that allow you to change the "pull" of the gearbox. During the adjustment we can keep in mind two things at the same time, the elimination of the classic noise of the chain recall on the largest sprocket (the gearshifting) and the precise alignment on all speed ranges. By scrolling through all the ratios from the highest to the lowest and vice versa, we can also understand if the chain has a harder time going up or down from one ratio to the other and consequently act on the ring nut. However, the operation requires a lot of experience. All bikers, on the other hand, should be careful to check that the rear derailleur, following blows or falls, has not bent towards the outside or inside of the wheel. In this case, the dropout (replaceable part, usually in aluminum, which connects the rear derailleur to the frame) may have suffered invisible trauma and must be checked or replaced directly.

The sudden breakdown of the rear derailleur in stages of travel could cause serious damage, break the spokes or ruin the precious paint ... remember, "prevent ..." Both the front derailleur and the rear derailleur have additional adjustment screws (end of stroke and sprocket distance) that they allow to limit the range of displacements, in order to make them work exactly where it is needed and not beyond. A change that slips into the rays will certainly not bring happiness to your home so if you don't know exactly what you are doing, have an expert do it.



Written by

[email protected] Do you have news? An event? A product that you think will amaze the MTB public? Write to us! Everything related to off-road: from cyclocross to cross country, from downhill to enduro, without forgetting the cycle market, curiosities and technique. For commercial contacts, however, write to: [email protected]

CORRELATED ARTICLES

VIDEO – How to set the shock absorbers of our MTB / e-bike

Insights

shimano saint shimano saint

MTB Disc Brakes: Is 2 pistons or 4 pistons better?

Insights

MTB BRAKES: Can I keep the bike upright in the garage?

Insights

advertisement

PRIVACY POLICY - DEONTOLOGICAL LEGISLATION - FACT CHECKING REGULATION - CORRECTIONS - COOKIES POLICY
365mountainbike is a newspaper registered at the civil and criminal court of Verona on 10/01/2012
Copyright © 2019 | 365 sport srl (04835100233)
via Brenta, 7 - 37057 San Giovanni Lupatoto (VR)

© 365 sport srl All rights reserved. The articles contained in the site cannot be copied or reproduced by other means without a license granted by the author. The public reproduction of a content of the site, in whole or in part, by any means, without the express written permission of the author, is prohibited.

Connect