Each year, as the weather starts to warm up, I begin thinking about riding my bike outside.  I also take a good look at my bike, to identify any maintenance that needs to be done.  After a quick inspection, I decided the only thing I needed to was to install new chainrings.

The current chainrings on my bike are the original set.  This is not surprising because they should last a very long time. To make them last however, requires me to be religious about drivetrain maintenance. 

I have gotten very good with drivetrain maintenance in the past year or so.  Before that however, I didn’t really know what I was doing.  I let my chains get too worn out.  I rode the bike when the chain was dirty, and often didn’t clean or lubricate it well.

As a result of that early neglect, I now need new chainrings.  The teeth on the old rings are worn and have taken on a shark’s tooth shape.  The chainrings have close to 18,000 miles on them, so it’s not like they got worn out quickly.

The next time I change my chain, I will also change the chainrings.  You will recall I change my chain quite regularly, because I wax my chains.  This means the new chainrings will be on my bike, within a few weeks.  Just in time for riding outside.