Proper Chainline: Photos Of What and What Not to Do

Thinking back to the basics of gear selection, I stated that cross chaining was a bad idea because it causes excessive wear and tear on the drive train, not to mention the grinding noises that would certainly get annoying. A straight chain line is a much better idea.

But how do you see the difference? Just look at all these pictures…

Straight Chain vs Cross Chaining

The pictures are taken at a very similar angle, yet the bike on the right looks askew. That’s because it is cross chaining.

The photo on the left, however, shows the bike with a very straight chain line. In other words, the chain is parallel to the bike, so it looks (and rides) like normal.

Let’s see some more pictures…

The two pictures below will show you more of the havoc of cross chaining.

The Big/Big Combo – A Bad Idea!

This one shows how stretched the rear derailleur is when riding in the big/big combo:

(Big chainring and big rear cog.)

The Little/Little Combo – Another Bad Idea!

And this shows the rear derailleur doubled-back on itself because there is too much slack in the chain, caused by riding in the little/little combo:

(Small chainring and smallest rear cog.)

The Moral of the Story

Let me say it one more time…

Do Not Cross Chain!