# Parking bike; which chainring/cog do you leave chain on?



## SFTifoso (Aug 17, 2011)

Is it true you should always leave the chain on the smallest chainring and cog when you park your bike? If so, why? Thanks.


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

I do small/small. It should minimize the pressure on the gear cable casing walls and gear springs. It's mainly an old habit, though.


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## Akirasho (Jan 27, 2004)

SFTifoso said:


> Is it true you should always leave the chain on the smallest chainring and cog when you park your bike? If so, why? Thanks.


... the use of the word _always_ always worries me...

In most situations, I'd leave the bike in whatever gear would be easiest/most efficient for your start when you remount (i.e. big cog/small ring if you were starting on a grade).

In some instances, you might park a bike in the hardest gear for security reasons (if someone were to hop on and try to ride away, you might stand a chance of catching them (and of course, figuring out how you are gonna handle 'em once you've caught 'em)).

In my arguably limited experience, I've experienced no ill effects in leaving a bike park'd or store'd in whatever gear (I'm not an engineer, but I doubt that any of the static stresses placed on a drivetrain under maximum tensions would affect their function and ultimate longevity save for some extended storage... say, 10 years or so) but I'll also add that since most of my rides end with an uphill to my house, I'm usually on the inner ring/large cog (maybe I always park that way and just don't know it?).


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## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

I've wondered about this as well. I generally do small and small though (not all the way on the cassette). Just under the same theory that big-big would stretch the chain more? Same theory with buckling shoes after taking them off.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

as akirasho posted, it really doesn't matter. if the gear you ended your last ride on is easy enough to roll away on your next ride, there ya go. if not, change to the proper gear when you get back on the bike...it's not really a big deal. shifting to the 'spring relaxed' position of each derailleur is useless. there is still tension on the spring, so 'a little less' is not any different than 'a little more'...you're not going to wear out your springs, in other words.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

NJBiker72 said:


> I've wondered about this as well. I generally do small and small though (not all the way on the cassette). Just under the same theory that big-big would stretch the chain more? Same theory with buckling shoes after taking them off.


Add me to the doesn't matter column. Re: chain 'stretch', that occurs over time and while we're riding our bikes, not when they're 'resting'. 

IME keeping the drivetrain cleaned/ lubed is what's key to prolonging the life of the associated components.


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## QuiQuaeQuod (Jan 24, 2003)

Akirasho said:


> In some instances, you might park a bike in the hardest gear for security reasons (if someone were to hop on and try to ride away, you might stand a chance of catching them (and of course, figuring out how you are gonna handle 'em once you've caught 'em)).


Parking in a big gear and THEN shifting the derailleurs makes it even harder to ride off on. That puts a massive amount of pressure on the chain/ring contact surfaces.

The hard part is remembering to shift before you ride off to avoid tipping over.


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## Peanya (Jun 12, 2008)

For me, two answers: Last gear I was riding in, or one of the easiest two gears. 
The big-big "stretch" is funny. That rear derailleur must have an insanely strong spring in it!


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

NJBiker72 said:


> I've wondered about this as well. I generally do small and small though (not all the way on the cassette). Just under the same theory that big-big would stretch the chain more? Same theory with buckling shoes after taking them off.


'stretch' the chain? really?  that's funny...

and the shoe thing? :skep:


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## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

cxwrench said:


> 'stretch' the chain? really?  that's funny...
> 
> and the shoe thing? :skep:


The shoe thing is actually due to advice from very high skilled bootfitters from skiing. I have high arches and ski boots can be real painful but not enough to stop me. So I got a professional fit and advice. Part of that was to keep the boot clasped as you would wear it when you were not wearing it. Probably not nearly the same effect for cycling shoes but a little prevention is not bad.


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## Natedogz (Aug 25, 2010)

Peanya said:


> For me, two answers: Last gear I was riding in, or one of the easiest two gears.
> The big-big "stretch" is funny. That rear derailleur must have an insanely strong spring in it!


Yes....and really chains don't stretch, the rollers and pivots wear out. 



NJBiker72 said:


> The shoe thing is actually due to advice from very high skilled bootfitters from skiing. I have high arches and ski boots can be real painful but not enough to stop me. So I got a professional fit and advice. Part of that was to keep the boot clasped as you would wear it when you were not wearing it. Probably not nearly the same effect for cycling shoes but a little prevention is not bad.


I agree on the shoes for everybody, the ratchet strap on mine tends to straighten out and I want it to retain the curve of my foot for a better more comfortable fit, so I always ratchet it part way closed when I take off my shoes. I always make sure they are properly dried too! :thumbsup:


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

For ski boots, the buckling thing makes some sense. Creep can make them do funny things over time. The materials cycling shoes are made out of aren't stiff enough for that to be an issue, IMO. I usually still velcro my shoes because it appeals to my sense of neatness, although I'm now post-hoc rationalizing that it also keeps the velcro from getting full of dust.

Gear selection thing doesn't matter. I just hang up my bike in whatever gear I happen to be in. Sometimes I shift it to the big ring and more toward the small cogs on the cassette for convenience when I'm cleaning the chain.


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## TWB8s (Sep 18, 2003)

Wow. in more than 30 years of riding, racing and working in shops and for teams I have NEVER heard anyone concern themselves with chain position when the bike is not in use.

My answer to the question would be this. If you're really riding your bike and performing drive train care you'll be replacing the chain and cassette in 5000 miles at most. The deraileur spring tension or the front to rear angle of the chain will not have a significant (if even measurable) stress on the chain or gears. The internal spring tension of the shifter will also be insignificant on the shifter cable. 

So cross chain it, put it in line, do whatever you want. Shifting performance and drive train longevity won't be measurably influenced.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Huh. I think I get more than 5000 miles out of a cassette. Not good enough records to know for sure, mind you, and I think I get less than that from the chain. So that's probably why...


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## TWB8s (Sep 18, 2003)

AndrwSwitch said:


> Huh. I think I get more than 5000 miles out of a cassette. Not good enough records to know for sure, mind you, and I think I get less than that from the chain. So that's probably why...


While you don't need to change the cassette every time the chain is replaced, there will come a time when the cassette has worn enough that it wears out the chain faster than when it was new. A lot depends on the quality of chain and cassettes being used as well as the cleaning intervals.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Yeah, I know. I give the chain a wipe after every ride and keep a tape measure where I keep my bike, so I'm good about catching wear. I tend to get about three chains' worth of life from a cassette.

For the benefit of anyone wondering wtf we're talking about (this being the beginners' corner,) here's a good discussion on drivetrain wear.

Chain Maintenance

With how expensive ten-speed cassettes are, this can save you some money.


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## tystevens (Jul 10, 2008)

Wow, 15 years of owing bikes, and I've never even thought about this one! Like someone said on another threat, these are bikes, not space shuttles! 

My bike stays in whatever gear it was in when I was last turning the pedals until the next time I turn the pedals and want something different.


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## minutemaidman (Jun 14, 2010)

TWB8s said:


> Wow. in more than 30 years of riding, racing and working in shops and for teams I have NEVER heard anyone concern themselves with chain position when the bike is not in use.
> 
> My answer to the question would be this. If you're really riding your bike and performing drive train care you'll be replacing the chain and cassette in 5000 miles at most. The deraileur spring tension or the front to rear angle of the chain will not have a significant (if even measurable) stress on the chain or gears. The internal spring tension of the shifter will also be insignificant on the shifter cable.
> 
> So cross chain it, put it in line, do whatever you want. Shifting performance and drive train longevity won't be measurably influenced.


Wow, that really surprises me coming from you. 

The chains should always be on the big ring. No sense in embarassing your bike like that. Plus, if you sleep with your bike, having the chain on the big dog means no errant accidents with the chainring digging into your flesh if you thrash around a bit.


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## Tommy Walker (Aug 14, 2009)

I just try to put the front in the small chain ring as to make starting easier. I think it's more important to be in the front small ring when you stop at a light or stop sign at a busy intersection, then you want to be able to get a clean start and it's usually when I am trying to start in the big ring that I might have a chain slip.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

If risk of chain slip is that big, there's something wrong with your drivetrain setup.


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## Hooben (Aug 22, 2004)

The bicycle should be treated like a bad girlfriend, but should be kept very clean. You should use her hard at least 3 times a week. It matters not which gear you let her rest in. Extra points for cross chaining and racing for city limit signs.


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## TWB8s (Sep 18, 2003)

minutemaidman said:


> Wow, that really surprises me coming from you.
> 
> The chains should always be on the big ring. No sense in embarassing your bike like that. Plus, if you sleep with your bike, having the chain on the big dog means no errant accidents with the chainring digging into your flesh if you thrash around a bit.


The real reason I never worry about it is I only run single speed 53x11...


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## SolitaryRider (Oct 20, 2011)

I may be a noob...but this is a question I am NOT going to worry about! (The OP's question is valid; Some of the naswers??? LOL!)

Hmmm...I always put my manual transmission car and my tractor in reverse when I park them...maybe they can start making bicycles with a reverse gear...:mad2:

Gotta go...I left my silverware facing the wrong way in the tray, and if I don't correct the situation, my fork's tines may deform by 3 microns over the next 20 years....


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

Whatever gear I rode in is where it stays.


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## velocanman (Jul 15, 2011)

I use the big ring and second or third smallest cog. 

Big ring is to keep the 53 little knives covered. 

The next to smallest cog is to keep excess lube out of the freehub but that's probably overkill.

Just don't use the largest cog or you might rap your knuckles on the spokes.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

velocanman said:


> I use the big ring and second or third smallest cog.
> 
> Big ring is to keep the 53 little knives covered.
> 
> ...


how much lube are you putting on your chain?


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## velocanman (Jul 15, 2011)

cxwrench said:


> how much lube are you putting on your chain?


Not excessive, but I might spray WD40 before using ProLink.

I also forgot to mention, its easier to clean the rear der cogs with a little tension.


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