Oily Leg

[vigomag]

Now that the summer has eventully come I have been brave to venture out in the shorts, being new to this cycle lark I have noticed that the inside of my right calf and sock has oil /grime on when I have finished a ride..obiusly I am not aware of my leg cacthing anywhere but I assume it must be to do my my feet/pedal position? To add to this I ventured out tonight clipless for a practise (bloody scary even on grass!) and still had the marks when I returned.Any help appreciated

 

[chillyuk]

How are you oiling your chain? Could the chain/chainwheels be throwing oil off. I sometimes get an imprint in grease off my chainwheel if I let the bike lean too far over to the left when stationary and my calf touches.

 

[zacklaws]

Shhhhhh, its known as "the badge of honour" and also usually indicates a beginner. It usually happens when your stood and you twist your body and your leg catches the chain. To help prevent it, keep your chain clean and keep your leg away from it.

 

[lulubel]

One of my pairs of tights has a perfect half circle mark from the chain ring on the right calf. Fortunately, it's only visible if you catch it in the right light because it won't wash out. I didn't realise getting covered in chain grease was a beginner thing, but now that you've mentioned it, I don't seem to get quite so much black on me now as I used to.

 

[Baggy]

I didn't realise getting covered in chain grease was a beginner thing, but now that you've mentioned it, I don't seem to get quite so much black on me now as I used to.

I'm every bit as grimy as I was 9 years ago!

 

[Bman]

Shhhhhh, its known as "the badge of honour" and also usually indicates a beginner. It usually happens when your stood and you twist your body and your leg catches the chain. To help prevent it, keep your chain clean and keep your leg away from it.

This! lol!

I also need to clean my bike.... first thing tomorrow morning...

 

[Bman]

I'm every bit as grimy as I was 9 years ago!

kinky!

 

[Bayerd]

I'm every bit as grimy as I was 9 years ago!

Hubba, hubba

 

[Baggy]

 

[Fiona N]

If you ride a Windcheetah, an oily right calf is a sign of a) lots of use of the big chain ring, b) enthusiastic high speed cornering

a) because the chain's quite close to your right inside calf anyway but on the big ring its half an inch closer and hard to avoid brushing

b) because high speed cornering requires moving your body weight to keep the inside wheel down and for left hand turns, when you roll your body left, there's a tendency to twist the right leg inward and onto the chain.

 

[zacklaws]

One of my pairs of tights has a perfect half circle mark from the chain ring on the right calf. Fortunately, it's only visible if you catch it in the right light because it won't wash out. I didn't realise getting covered in chain grease was a beginner thing, but now that you've mentioned it, I don't seem to get quite so much black on me now as I used to.

That's probably because you have cleaned your chain on your tights.

 

[Glover Fan]

That's probably because you have cleaned your chain on your tights.

LMAO!

 

[tyred]

Chaincase anyone?

 

[Zoiders]

Hot weather - oil thins out enough in the heat to spray at you.

It's not particulary a beginners thing.

 

[Davidc]

I'm obviously still a beginner after 50+ years and 200,000+ miles !!!!!!

It's because we don't enclose our chains. Apart from full-on racing and speed bikes everyone else in Europe puts a chain case on. No more oil on legs/ tights/ trousers, oil stays on the chain, chain stays clean and lasts longer.

The one on the bike I last used in NL weighed 110 grams (I saw the same device in the bike shop), and enclosed all of the chain except the bit in the jockey wheels. On the other hand I think the rest of that bike weighed 110 tonnes to make up for it!