chain rub on front chainring

[OakLeaf]

Deb, is it a bad practice to use all ten cogs with the middle chainring if I'm not getting any noticeable rub?

[DebW]

Deb, is it a bad practice to use all ten cogs with the middle chainring if I'm not getting any noticeable rub?

No and yes. You don't have to strictly avoid that combination. But it still puts the chain at a considerable angle and you shouldn't use that combination a lot.

Mad, either that chain rub has always been there or it's appeared recently as your chain has aged and become more flexible, ie. the chain can now bend with a shorter radius as it comes off the chainrings and has to move sideways to meet the outer cog. You might stop by a bike shop and have them check your chain stretch. Or put a ruler next to your chain. 12 links should be 12 inches. If it's 12 1/8 inches your chain has stretched 1% and should be replaced.

[madscot13]

thanks Deb, this was on my list of things to check but I didn't have a way to measure it at home, or so I thought. (I'm trying to be more self- sufficient- or at least self sufficient with TE help- and so I am avoiding going to the bike shop unless I can't help it). The chain has stretched a small bit so that the 12" mark is a little after the beginning of the link about, yes, an eight of an inch off. I have an sram chain so I won't need anything special to take it out. i think I might need one to shorten a new chain though. doh!

I guess changing the chain will be a good way to get rid of that squeak I've been hearing too.

I am a little surprised that I need to change the chain after a year of use, though. when I was training for my century I would clean my bike once a week or about every 100 miles. and during the winter I would do it about so often because of the bad weather.

thank you for explaining how stretching the chain could also produce this problem. I should say for clarity sake, it is not a chain rub as if you were cross chaining, it is more of like a slap or a rattle. I can't really describe it any other way.

once again thanks.