Reply To: Drive Chain Adjustment – GT250 EFi
Thank you Marcel for your suggestions. I could not trace the chain you specified but I did find an Xring alternative. I did ask the opinion of other riders about the quality of this company ( JT drive chain ) and their opinion was positive if not stellar.
With the old chain removed I was amazed at the amount of stretch this chain had. I laid the chain in a straight line on the floor and compressed the chain by hand to its minimum length. I then stretched the chain as hard as I could manually. The chain extended by aa whopping 30mm! What is worse is that extension was not even along all the links but was concentrated in certain areas. No wonder I was having problems with setting up the recommended chain sag! With the chain removed I tried to see if I had any eccentricities in my sprockets. Thankfully there is none at least at the tip.
The new chain fitted well and chain sag was consistent throughout the full chain rotation. I also noted that a lot of cyclic noise which I used to experience before the change disappeared altogether.
My main question now is what can I do to minimise wear and tear. Do I have a problem with my riding style. I tend to use engine braking a lot so I wonder is this can be an issue? How frequent should the chain be cleaned and lubricated? What is the expected lifetime of a chain?
Regarding wheel alignment I do have a good laser light which I can use but am unsure on the correct procedure of how to use it. Any suggestions please?
Christmas Greetings to all.