My heart goes out to the neglected bicycles of Humboldt County. Some are left unsheltered from winter storms.  Others, ridden through muddy puddles, aren’t cleaned or oiled, and their moving parts grind grit.  Lamenting audibly, their rusty stiff chains squeak in agony. 

An unlubricated chain causes poor shifting and wears itself, the chain ring, and rear sprockets quickly. And it saps power from your legs.

Show your bike a little love with two minutes of maintenance. Cleaned and oiled, it will run smoothly for thousands of miles.

Prepare a chain care kit; it costs next to nothing.  Keep it by your bike. Use it often. Tear up old t-shirts and save your retired toothbrush.  A bottle of Tri-Flow costs a few bucks and will last for a year.

Spraying degreaser like Simple Green or WD-40 will make it easier to clean off rusty or grimy chains. Then, rub the chain thoroughly with a rag.  Spread four drops of oil onto a toothbrush. Brush each link like you would your teeth before seeing the dentist.
Wipe off excess oil. Once the whole chain has been greased, run it through the rag until it is clean. Excess grease binds to dirt and causes wear.