Workshop wisdom

What is cross-chaining and does it wear out components? We explain the ins and outs

- Oscar Huckle

Most bikes have a range of gears to enable you to crest a climb, carve down a descent and everything in between. In theory, all of the gears are at your disposal, but on some setups, it's best to avoid using certain gear combinations to avoid what's typically referred to as 'cross-chaining'.

What is cross-chaining?

This is the act of riding in the smallest or largest cassette sprocket (the gears at the back of the bike) and the equivalent chainring (the gears at the front of the bike) at the same time.

For example, on a bike with a double chainring setup, if you're riding in the smallest cassette sprocket and the smallest chainring (1), or the largest cassette sprocket and the largest chainring (2), you're cross-chaining.

On a 2x drivetrain, it's also generally recommended to avoid riding in the second-smallest sprocket when in the small chainring.

Why is it bad?

The chain performs at its best when it's in a straight line (3). Cross-chaining makes the chain run diagonally and can force it into an extreme angle, reducing efficiency (due to the increased friction of the chain rubbing against the front derailleur or cassette teeth and the sub-optimal chainline) and potentially harming shifting performance.

The additional friction is also widely thought to lead to increased wear, but interestingly, bike-component manufacturers SRAM disagree. “Cross-chaining has no effect on chain wear. Its effect on the big cog and big ring is insignificant,” they say.