How to tighten your bike's chain for best mileage

What transfers your engine's power to your bike's rear wheel, which makes the bike move forward? What can ensure that you receive best mileage from every bit of fuel burned in your engine? The answer is your bike's chain.

A bike's chain is a critical part of your bike, a fact easily forgotten by many riders. A slack chain would mean that your engine's power is not optimally utilised to keep your bike moving ahead.

So, let's get a low down on the ways to tighten a slack chain so that there's never a slack moment in your riding experience.

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First things first

Let's make the chain spanking clean: With the help of rag or towel and a cleaning agent clean the chain. Make sure that grime, dirt and small pebbles that might have accumulated on the chain is removed and wiped off the chain.

Now let's us move to the next level of checking the condition of the chain's slack. You would have to assess the level of slack caused in the bike's chain so that you can tighten the chain accordingly.

If you find this information useful please share it with your motor-biking friends. If you have additional information on tips to tighten bike's chains and save fuel please share it on the message board below.

Assessing the level of slack in your bike's chain

Calculate the distance between the midlevel of the rear sprockets and your chain's countershaft. Make two or more readings from different parts of your chain to ensure that you have covered the entire chain. Check the measurement with the level mentioned in your bike's owner manual.

You are also advised at this stage to check the alignment of your bike's rear wheel. Check the alignment of the rear wheel that should be aligned to the manufacturer's stamped lines marked on the bike's swing arm.

Having done with the wheel alignment, now you can get down on the business to tighten your slack chain. Riders are advised to loosen the bike's axle nut without removing the nut. Making one half turn each time tightening the screw in each adjuster bolt of your bike. Keep checking the slack to ensure that you do not overdo the tightening process.

If you find this information useful please share it with your motor-biking friends. If you have additional information on tips to tighten bike's chains and save fuel please share it on the message board below.

Assessing the level of slack in your bike's chain

Calculate the distance between the midlevel of the rear sprockets and your chain's countershaft. Make two or more readings from different parts of your chain to ensure that you have covered the entire chain. Check the measurement with the level mentioned in your bike's owner manual.

You are also advised at this stage to check the alignment of your bike's rear wheel. Check the alignment of the rear wheel that should be aligned to the manufacturer's stamped lines marked on the bike's swing arm.

Having done with the wheel alignment, now you can get down on the business to tighten your slack chain. Riders are advised to loosen the bike's axle nut without removing the nut. Making one half turn each time tightening the screw in each adjuster bolt of your bike. Keep checking the slack to ensure that you do not overdo the tightening process.

If you find this information useful please share it with your motor-biking friends. If you have additional information on tips to tighten bike's chains and save fuel please share it on the message board below.

In case your bike's chain is tighter than the recommended levels, then you might loosen the adjuster bolts in the reverse manner. Keep moving your bike's rear wheel so that the loosening process of your bike's chain is complete.

The major part of tightening the chain is over and done with.

Now some final touches

Ensure that the pointers marked on the axle holder on both side are at the similar position. Some adjustments might be required to get them to same levels. While holding the adjuster bold get down to tighten the locknut, so that the adjuster do not move and remain in place. Care should be taken not to over-tighten the locknut else it might cause a strain on the adjuster bolt.

Now lubricate your chain evenly and be ready to take your bike out for the next adventure. Free of the worries of a slackened chain it's time for you to enjoy the ride.

If you find this information useful please share it with your motor-biking friends. If you have additional information on tips to tighten bike's chains and save fuel please share it on the message board below.