The drivetrain on my Trek 520.
Click to enlarge.
Demetri Kolokotronis crossed the United States by bicycle in 2003 starting from the Pacific Ocean and ending on the coast of the Atlantic. His bicycle tour was a long one in terms of both distance and time. He started out in early summer and finished in late fall. I can still recall reading about how cold it was in the morning towards the end.
The drivetrain on my Trek 520.
Click to enlarge.
He submitted this checklist of drivetrain components for inclusion on this site. His list is meant to showcase the number of components of the drive train that could be suffering from increased friction thereby robbing you of your forward motion.
I have often been guilty in the past of almost taking the drivetrain for granted. When I saw Demetri's list I realised how many adjustment or friction points that there really are.
Here is the list:
It's a long list and it gives plenty of room for thought on one of those days when you are pushing against a relentless headwind and wondering how you could improve the efficiency to get that extra little bit of forward motion.
Don't let the apparent complexity overwhelm you. Most of these items are easy to adjust yourself with a bit of practice. Alternatively if you don't feel up to it then any good bicycle shop should be able to look at this list and help you out!
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