What can I do with old bike chains?
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 24
Bikes: Surly Long Haul Trucker, Raleigh One Way, Gary Fisher Aquila
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
1 Post
What can I do with old bike chains?
What can I do with old bike chains? I replaced a chain on my Schwinn Super Sport. Now I don't know what to do with it. I feel silly throwing it away but I don't know what to do with it. Any ideas?
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 3,676
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 839 Post(s)
Liked 1,064 Times
in
747 Posts
Other than using it to beat the crap out of bike thieves you can take them to the local metal recycler, donate to a bike co-op where a worn but usable chain is better than no chain for many folks, find people who make art and jewelry out of old chains. Hopefully more ideas will be coming in...............
Likes For Crankycrank:
#3
Banned
+1) drop it at a bike co op, or shop & they will add it to their recycle pile..
new steel imports will have a Tariff , on them, if you read the news..
new steel imports will have a Tariff , on them, if you read the news..
#4
Senior Member
I volunteer weekly at my local Co-op. Do not donate your old chains. While I'm not around, some misguided client will install and try to use that old chain. They will then suffer for several days of frustration with poor shifting and cog jumping. Then I'll be faced with 30 minutes of explaining the problem and ultimately installing a new chain.
Similar scenario: a local downtown homeless shelter calls and says they have 10 'leftover' bikes to donate, but we have to pick them up. Right - thanks but no thanks. Why should we waste our resources picking their crap up only to then have to make an hour-long beeline straight to the dump?
Similar scenario: a local downtown homeless shelter calls and says they have 10 'leftover' bikes to donate, but we have to pick them up. Right - thanks but no thanks. Why should we waste our resources picking their crap up only to then have to make an hour-long beeline straight to the dump?
#5
Me duelen las nalgas
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 13,513
Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel
Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4560 Post(s)
Liked 2,802 Times
in
1,800 Posts
Degrease 'em thoroughly. I use mineral spirits followed by 90% isopropyl alcohol. Some folks use ultrasonic jewelry cleaners. I don't use gasoline and strongly recommend against using it for cleaning.
Then dip 'em in melted wax/paraffin and let soak for at least 15 minutes (takes a little time for the wax to wick into the friction areas). I use a Little Dipper that came with my large Rival crock pot. Perfect for chain waxing chores.
When the chain is cool enough to handle, but still warm, wipe down with a rag moistened in mineral spirits.
The chain will feel clean, not waxy, and will resist rusting and won't accumulate gunk like an oiled chain. Store in a ziplock bag, labeled "Old chain, not for use on bicycle", etc.
Find a local artist, theater, musician, someone creative and donate the chains. Those chains might find a second life in sculpture, industrial wind chimes, as a stage set piece or clothing accessories.
If I still lived in my large rural home, I'd use 'em along with worn out freewheels, cassettes, chain rings and cranks, to construct fidget spinner sculpture pieces for the outside deck. Just for a laugh. Family kids visiting would get a kick out of that sorta thing.
Then dip 'em in melted wax/paraffin and let soak for at least 15 minutes (takes a little time for the wax to wick into the friction areas). I use a Little Dipper that came with my large Rival crock pot. Perfect for chain waxing chores.
When the chain is cool enough to handle, but still warm, wipe down with a rag moistened in mineral spirits.
The chain will feel clean, not waxy, and will resist rusting and won't accumulate gunk like an oiled chain. Store in a ziplock bag, labeled "Old chain, not for use on bicycle", etc.
Find a local artist, theater, musician, someone creative and donate the chains. Those chains might find a second life in sculpture, industrial wind chimes, as a stage set piece or clothing accessories.
If I still lived in my large rural home, I'd use 'em along with worn out freewheels, cassettes, chain rings and cranks, to construct fidget spinner sculpture pieces for the outside deck. Just for a laugh. Family kids visiting would get a kick out of that sorta thing.
#6
I never finish anyth
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Western KY
Posts: 1,114
Bikes: 2008 Merckx LXM, 2003 Giant XTC mtb, 2001 Lemond Alpe d'Huez, 1997 Lemond Zurich, 1989 Cannondale ST, 1988 Masi Nuovo Strada, 1983 Pinarello Turismo
Mentioned: 63 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 294 Post(s)
Liked 137 Times
in
86 Posts
Well, with the addition of a piece of aluminum bar stock, you could make chain whips. At least they would be useful that way.
#8
Full Member
Make Fidget Spinners! I have made five at this point. My grandkids loved them. My son's wife's brother works at a bike shop and he got one for Christmas. I made a nice wooden stand for it, so it can be on the counter
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 33,656
Bikes: '96 Litespeed Catalyst, '05 Litespeed Firenze, '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '20 Surly Midnight Special, All are 3x10. It is hilly around here!
Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2026 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1,096 Times
in
742 Posts
Likes For MidTNBrad:
#12
Insane Bicycle Mechanic
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: other Vancouver
Posts: 9,843
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 809 Post(s)
Liked 712 Times
in
380 Posts
Resource Revival accepts them from bike shops: https://www.resourcerevival.com/page...our-bike-chain . Maybe you can find out who is doing this locally and donate to them.
FWIW, here's what they do with them: 20 Coolest recycled bicycle chain creations ever made ? Planet Custodian
FWIW, here's what they do with them: 20 Coolest recycled bicycle chain creations ever made ? Planet Custodian
__________________
Jeff Wills
Comcast nuked my web page. It will return soon..
Jeff Wills
Comcast nuked my web page. It will return soon..
#13
Senior Member
I volunteer weekly at my local Co-op. Do not donate your old chains. While I'm not around, some misguided client will install and try to use that old chain. They will then suffer for several days of frustration with poor shifting and cog jumping. Then I'll be faced with 30 minutes of explaining the problem and ultimately installing a new chain.
Similar scenario: a local downtown homeless shelter calls and says they have 10 'leftover' bikes to donate, but we have to pick them up. Right - thanks but no thanks. Why should we waste our resources picking their crap up only to then have to make an hour-long beeline straight to the dump?
Similar scenario: a local downtown homeless shelter calls and says they have 10 'leftover' bikes to donate, but we have to pick them up. Right - thanks but no thanks. Why should we waste our resources picking their crap up only to then have to make an hour-long beeline straight to the dump?
#15
Senior Member
#17
Old fart
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Appleton WI
Posts: 24,790
Bikes: Several, mostly not name brands.
Mentioned: 153 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3590 Post(s)
Liked 3,401 Times
in
1,935 Posts
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: northern Deep South
Posts: 8,904
Bikes: Fuji Touring, Novara Randonee
Mentioned: 36 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2604 Post(s)
Liked 1,933 Times
in
1,213 Posts
I read that acid loving plants (blueberries, azaleas, etc.) often need iron. So I buried parts of old chains under my bushes.
I've run out of bushes, but still generate more worn-out chains. :/
I've run out of bushes, but still generate more worn-out chains. :/
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: St Peters, Missouri
Posts: 30,225
Bikes: Catrike 559 I own some others but they don't get ridden very much.
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1572 Post(s)
Liked 643 Times
in
364 Posts
How much storage space do you have?
I just helped my son move this past week end. One thing that I observed is a tendency to store a lot of crap that we never use and that doesn't bring us joy - we just fill up our storage space with it because we own it. When we move, we move it with us to the new location and only then do we throw it away when we realize we don't have a good place to store it.
I have an acquaintance who is a hoarder. His house was so full of crap that I couldn't even walk through the living room. Don't be like that.
I just helped my son move this past week end. One thing that I observed is a tendency to store a lot of crap that we never use and that doesn't bring us joy - we just fill up our storage space with it because we own it. When we move, we move it with us to the new location and only then do we throw it away when we realize we don't have a good place to store it.
I have an acquaintance who is a hoarder. His house was so full of crap that I couldn't even walk through the living room. Don't be like that.
__________________
My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
#22
Senior Member
Even worse are the folks who knowingly donate subtly broken components or bikes, in which we spend many hours per month installing these parts, only to find on a road test that:
- The derailleur has a crack in the casting, or has a funny bend that cannot be fixed.
- The frame that looks nice until we find it is corroded out from the inside. Or has a stuck seatpost or stem that will take us days to extract.
- The STI shifters that look good superficially, but have cracked bodies underneath the hoods.
- The hubs that have pitted cups or the rims with stress cracks around the nipples
- Bent chainrings and worn-out cassettes.
So to all of the prospective bike and parts donors out there: thanks a lot for wasting our time while we drown in piles of broken and useless department store bikes, that will cost more to repair than they can be bought for new.
And thanks for the broken parts that lead to hours of frustration to install or the risk of someone killing themselves when your donated bars or stems or wheels fail.
This goes for used chains too. Every single time I've attempted to use a 'recycled' chain from our bin, it has been a frustrating waste of time, in that it is absurdly worn-out, or has bent/twisted links that cannot be fixed and cause all kinds of shifting problems.
We are a non-profit - basically a charity. In being too lazy to drop your stuff at the dump, you are materially harming our ability to service low-income clients who need bikes just to live..
#23
What happened?
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Around here somewhere
Posts: 7,927
Bikes: 3 Rollfasts, 3 Schwinns, a Shelby and a Higgins Flightliner in a pear tree!
Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1835 Post(s)
Liked 292 Times
in
255 Posts
You could hang wind chimes from a few sections, attach them to an old chainring, just to be different.
__________________
I don't know nothing, and I memorized it in school and got this here paper I'm proud of to show it.
Likes For Rollfast:
#24
Senior Member
Right. We accept everything offered to us, just to be courteous. After an inspection, we have to chuck 90% of the donations, because they are unsafe, dysfunctional low-end crap. I estimate that half of the total volunteer resources at our Co-op are consumed on evaluating, breaking down and then discarding worthless donations.
Even worse are the folks who knowingly donate subtly broken components or bikes, in which we spend many hours per month installing these parts, only to find on a road test that:
So to all of the prospective bike and parts donors out there: thanks a lot for wasting our time while we drown in piles of broken and useless department store bikes, that will cost more to repair than they can be bought for new.
And thanks for the broken parts that lead to hours of frustration to install or the risk of someone killing themselves when your donated bars or stems or wheels fail.
This goes for used chains too. Every single time I've attempted to use a 'recycled' chain from our bin, it has been a frustrating waste of time, in that it is absurdly worn-out, or has bent/twisted links that cannot be fixed and cause all kinds of shifting problems.
We are a non-profit - basically a charity. In being too lazy to drop your stuff at the dump, you are materially harming our ability to service low-income clients who need bikes just to live..
Even worse are the folks who knowingly donate subtly broken components or bikes, in which we spend many hours per month installing these parts, only to find on a road test that:
- The derailleur has a crack in the casting, or has a funny bend that cannot be fixed.
- The frame that looks nice until we find it is corroded out from the inside. Or has a stuck seatpost or stem that will take us days to extract.
- The STI shifters that look good superficially, but have cracked bodies underneath the hoods.
- The hubs that have pitted cups or the rims with stress cracks around the nipples
- Bent chainrings and worn-out cassettes.
So to all of the prospective bike and parts donors out there: thanks a lot for wasting our time while we drown in piles of broken and useless department store bikes, that will cost more to repair than they can be bought for new.
And thanks for the broken parts that lead to hours of frustration to install or the risk of someone killing themselves when your donated bars or stems or wheels fail.
This goes for used chains too. Every single time I've attempted to use a 'recycled' chain from our bin, it has been a frustrating waste of time, in that it is absurdly worn-out, or has bent/twisted links that cannot be fixed and cause all kinds of shifting problems.
We are a non-profit - basically a charity. In being too lazy to drop your stuff at the dump, you are materially harming our ability to service low-income clients who need bikes just to live..