If you had a brand new chain would you use it for race day? If not why? If so do you lube it or is it good to go out of the package? Shimano HG701 if it matters.
No reason not to. Lube it.
I have a TT coming up Sunday. My chain has 75km on it and I don’t expect it to be any slower or faster than the one it replaced. I strip it in naphta when I get it and dunk it in a wax, ws2 and ptfe mix.
If you had a brand new chain would you use it for race day? If not why? If so do you lube it or is it good to go out of the package? Shimano HG701 if it matters.
The Slowtwitch-approved practice for a race-day chain would be to strip your chain of factory lube, and then lube it with a wax. Walmart paraffin if you’re cheap, or a fashionable boutique wax if you want to spend money. There are various threads on lube-stripping processes and waxing practices.
If you don’t care about a Watt or three, then sure, throw on a new chain.
I’d do at least one ride on any chain prior to race day just to ensure there were no stupid mistakes in installation, wrong length, bad pin, etc.
If you had a brand new chain would you use it for race day? If not why?
I would only use a new chain on race day if the old chain wasn’t going to work. Changing something right before an event is normally bad because new install is when things tend to have the highest rate of failure (either due to defect or installation problem).
New chains are usually also slightly slower than slightly-worn chains due to snug&rough fit between moving parts.
Thanks everyone. Great points I’ll stick with my current chain.
IIRC friction facts found a roughly 40k break in was ideal for waxed chains.
For the hr record, Wiggins had chains that were broken in using a lab setup to get that 40k in before mounting them on his bike.
If you had a brand new chain would you use it for race day? If not why?
I would only use a new chain on race day if the old chain wasn’t going to work. Changing something right before an event is normally bad because new install is when things tend to have the highest rate of failure (either due to defect or installation problem).
New chains are usually also slightly slower than slightly-worn chains due to snug&rough fit between moving parts.
I don’t know about you, but personally I get my bike in final race-day configuration the day before, and take it for a test/recovery ride. A great way to break in (and test) a new chain.
From zerofrictioncycling.com:
Ø If you race, you should absolutely, definitely, no ifs nor buts about it, have a dedicated race chain.
Ø This does not mean you have to buy a fully optimized race chain, or try to fully optimize up one yourself, just having a chain reserved for races only is very, very smart and cheap way to save watts on race day.
Ø You will not see a racer at any decent level rock up to an important race on same chain they have just hammered out last few thousand km’s of last training block.
Ø Even on best lubricants known, your chain just does so, so much work with so many moving parts under very high load, exposed to outside
contamination – loss of efficiency is inevitable as the thousands of km’s clock up from training.
Ø It costs no more to have a dedicated race chain. Sooner or later you always need another chain, so you are just pre buying your next chain. When training chain is moved on as at 0.5% wear, race chain moves over to be next training chain, buy one new chain as per normal to be dedicated race chain.
IIRC friction facts found a roughly 40k break in was ideal for waxed chains.
For the hr record, Wiggins had chains that were broken in using a lab setup to get that 40k in before mounting them on his bike.
Maybe l am being dense here, but when you say “40k” break in, what exactly do you mean? Do mean 40 km on the chain? Or, 40,000 km on the chain? Or?
Not sure if the ‘k’ stands for km or 1000s.
The equivalent of 40km (24.8mi) of riding. It was on a test mount, so they used a motor to run the chain for some period of time that roughly corresponds (since riding 40km in a 53x11 is different than in a 39x27).
Here’s the setup they used:
As mentioned, breaking it in just takes one ride. Factory grease is not fast.
I normally change chains before a race, go for one ride, apply lube of choice, go for a short ride, and then race with it.
Anyone know if it is worth using a waxed chain on race day if it’s going to rain?
I have 1 Shimano 901 Silca chain that I got on a sweet sale. I also got some the smallest WS2 powder that I could find, advertised as micro not nano, that I’ve sprinkled on once it’s installed.
I have done it but with a HG6701.
I had some issues during Triple T one year and decided to change before the Half the night before. Took it right out of the bag, made it the right length, test rode it then raced the next morning.
I’ve also changed tires on race day a few times because I was concerned with the road quality.