Was cleaning my bike today and noticed this on the chain; orange/rusty spots in a few places.
Bike is an Aeroad, stock SRAM Force flat top chain, approx ~10000km. I clean/degrease the bike approx once per week, rarely ride in rain (if I ever do its cleaned right after). Been using SILCA Synergetic Oil lube.
Chain hasn’t reached 0.75 yet via SRAM checker tool.
I have a spare unused Force chain, wasn’t going to replace it yet but now having second thoughts.
Is this dangerous? Or just normal wear and tear?
by maverick659
2 Comments
You’re doing… a lot of… umm, things. But in all seriousness, if the chain checker says it’s good to go, just ride it unless you find something truly concerning like a cracked plate or roller. Looks fine, to answer your question directly.
I know you mean well with all of your maintenance, but you might be stripping all the lube out from inside your rollers, then the fresh lube isn’t making its way fully back in there. Counterproductive. I only degrease fully if I absolutely must. Chains are a consumable, and even cassettes are—but less-so, of course. There’s a happy medium to cleaning and maintaining a drive train.
i second the over cleaning but honestly that rust fine. It’ll come off on a ride or two, it’s just surface. Now me personally I replace chains well before they hit 0.75 but after they hit 0.5. If you wait to long you have to get a cassette and a chain is much cheaper