It’s the curse of a beginner cyclist and a pain to remove – the ‘chainring tattoo’ or the ‘Mysterious Grease Mark’ is the source of many heated forum discussions.

Often called a ‘Fourth Cat Tattoo’ (meaning the mark of an entry-level racer) or a ‘Noob Tag’, this accumulation of grease on the right calf is a nuisance to beginners, but amusing to experienced riders – many of whom have been the brunt of the joke themselves.

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Why is it called a ‘Noob Tag’?

If you look closely, you can see plenty of experienced riders and pros sporting chainring tattoos. Although it is generally considered a “Beginner’s Problem,” many riders learn tricks or find a way to avoid having their leg touch the bike’s chain, cassette, or chainring. Experience and practice are needed, but sometimes even that does not save their calves.

Despite the fact that beginners tend to get it more frequently, pros and seasoned riders can still be affected – you just might not notice it.

Getting a chainring tattoo marks you as a rider – and some people even get ink tattoos. These tattoos will always serve as a reminder of how much they love riding their bikes. It’s a sign of a true cyclist, say some riders.

The cause

When riders come to a stop, they usually remove their right leg from the pedal, so that they can place it on the ground. The rider rests the bike against his or her leg while there or brushes the bike with their leg.

The right side of the bike — also called the ‘drive side’, is where all the magic happens: the chain, cassette, chainrings. It so happens they’re also covered in grease and oil.

The prevention

To avoid the mark, you must learn to avoid brushing your leg against the offending components – the chainrings, cassette, and chain.

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You can do this by switching the leg you clip out with. This option, however, might not be worth exploring if you have this ingrained in your mind already. Additionally, it’s not a bad idea to switch between each leg you clip out with, or else you may be a victim of the dreaded “clipless crash.”

Alternatively, you can hold the offending leg farther away – it might take some time to get used to, and maybe some light hypnosis, but you’ll get there eventually.

If you want to save yourself any embarrassment of the ‘Noob Tag’, by rolling up your pants legs, you won’t necessarily get the grease on your calves, but at least you won’t get it on your clothes. Plus, after you get where you’re going, you can roll up those pants legs and cover up any tattoos. No one will know!

The cure

Okay so how do we deal with this annoyance? Since sweat is a wonderful grease shifter, you can often rub the mark off with the thicker padding on your glove.

If this fails, there are plenty of great soaps out there that can help you get rid of those pesky marks. Sugar soap is excellent at cutting grease and is generally mild.

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