A Normal Day in the Life of a Bicycle Chain

I knew I wanted to do something related to bicycles because of how such unique shapes interact seamlessly to produce efficient movement. I then decided to focus all my pictures on the chain of a bicycle, a part, that as a bike mechanic I can honestly say, is very neglected by riders. These pictures really move me because they show such different chains, in different conditions, doing the same job. 

In this piece I am trying to convey a sense of perfection and unity between the chain and the teeth in the chain ring. Also I am going for the effect that the other cog is very distant in the background as in to show that each piece isn't any more important than the others. (The smaller cogs typically get much more attention)

Any biker ever will readily admit that they have had problems with their rear derailleur. However their reputation for being overly complex is undeserving. In this picture I am trying to show the normalcy of a working derailleur, nothing special to see here.

This picture shows a very neglected bike drive train. This bike has been left out in the rain, yet the parts that are in constant contact with each other have had the rust "polished" off. No matter the condition chains are extremely resilient, yet they make a lot of noise when they are in a sad condition, such as the one shown. I was trying to convey a sense of sadness by showing the length the chain has to travel in such a pitiful state.

This is true love of one's chain, and no this is not spray paint. This is a custom made chain that is meant to be purple for a BMX bike. I wanted to express the subtlety that a colored chain has, yet it is a nice touch. It is like the chain is saying, "I'm sexy and I know it."

This picture shows a well used bike, and this bike's owner uses lube on his chain to ensure that it works in its optimal state. However lube also attracts dirt, it's ironic that when using the proper things on a chain, that is when it get dirty. If you look back at the other four pictures all of the chains are relatively free of dirt, especially the rusted one. That is how it is in life, when we are doing all the right things that is when we are tempted the most. The rust would require sandpaper to remove and would really need to be replaced. Yet some simple soapy water would have this chain shining like new in no time.

Derek Jacobs