For those of us who spend a significant amount of time away from home touring during the summer, chain maintenance is important. We need a cheap, simple means of lifting our rear wheel to effectively, safely and efficiently perform chain maintenance.
I put on somewhere between 12,000 and 20,000 kilometers each summer and chain oilers, while helpful, can be a pain. It depends on where you ride, as dirt and grime will still stick to your chain and excessive oiling worsens the amount of crap that sticks.
Regular cleaning is essential if you want to minimize wear on the chain and the sprockets of your bike. A simple solution is to use a jack to do the maintenance and cleaning associated with your chain, however, it’s impractical to carry a lift or stand lift while touring. A great answer to the problem that pays for itself after the first usage, is the Tirox SnapJack V2.
The SnapJack is simple, and tiny, and will lift your rear wheel off the ground, allowing you to rotate your wheel and chain, thereby providing simple access to both cleaning and lubrication. At a price of only $75 in Canada, it makes perfect sense. It’s also only ten inches long and weighs less than 2 lbs. It can be placed anywhere in your panniers (maybe with your tiny tool kit) or depending on your bike, under the seat.
There are a couple of styles of the Snapjack, depending on your motorcycle. Some are for heavier bikes or a single swingarm style of rear wheel assembly. Determine which best suits your motorcycle.
Replacing chains and sprockets isn’t cheap. Save yourself some money and clean and lubricate your chain regularly, especially if you’re riding where rain and moisture are a constant problem.
Ciao…
Leave a Reply