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11-29-05, 10:16 PM
I know that there are so many variables to consider that this question borders on pondering philosophy or religion, but how much wear should/can I expect out of a cog?
I don't know why, but I was figuring machined high-toothed steel cogs would last for quite a while, especially since I saw used ones for sale at Via in Philly.
However, after about two months on a new 15t DA cog with a nearly new chain and a not-worn chainring, I'm finding some ramping on my cog. Some? Lots. Don't have a cam.
I'm also wondering now if the reason my chain doesn't seem to want to keep tension is because of this cog ramping - I tighten the track nuts down real good, but my chain always seems to find its "sweet spot" no matter what I do, which leaves me with a couple of mms of wiggle room e.g. from a dead stop or trackstanding. But that's another story.
I don't really have an idea as to the mileage on my drivetrain; started with this setup about 2.5 months ago, ride every day, commute maybe ten miles round trip 5 days a week, and throw in another two or three or five in errands daily and a handful of thirty or forty mile rides. A thousand miles max? Don't have a computer either. Or I do, but I never took it out of the box because I didn't want to pollute my bike with wires, and am going to put it on the trainer bike.
So: Montreal's not hilly, or at least roadies would laugh at me for saying my commute is uphill all the way home, but I wondered if 75" gear plus standing up and cranking uphill (I'm a spinner at heart, but tried a slightly bigger gear just for the hell of it when I got a new cog) plus being something like 250 pounds or more with clothes, shoes, bag etc, plus frequently carrying heavy loads (laundry, groceries, beer) will leave me needing a new thirty buck cog every thousand miles or so.
Also, when do y'all put a cog to pasture? I've never thrown a chain, and I certainly don't want to, but the last time I wore a (cassette) cog to the point of skipping the teeth were ramped to the degree that they were nearly sharpened points, and that was on a winter bike after a fully abused winter where I did nothing but throw lube on the worn chain, knowing I'd have to replace everything in the spring anyway.
I don't know why, but I was figuring machined high-toothed steel cogs would last for quite a while, especially since I saw used ones for sale at Via in Philly.
However, after about two months on a new 15t DA cog with a nearly new chain and a not-worn chainring, I'm finding some ramping on my cog. Some? Lots. Don't have a cam.
I'm also wondering now if the reason my chain doesn't seem to want to keep tension is because of this cog ramping - I tighten the track nuts down real good, but my chain always seems to find its "sweet spot" no matter what I do, which leaves me with a couple of mms of wiggle room e.g. from a dead stop or trackstanding. But that's another story.
I don't really have an idea as to the mileage on my drivetrain; started with this setup about 2.5 months ago, ride every day, commute maybe ten miles round trip 5 days a week, and throw in another two or three or five in errands daily and a handful of thirty or forty mile rides. A thousand miles max? Don't have a computer either. Or I do, but I never took it out of the box because I didn't want to pollute my bike with wires, and am going to put it on the trainer bike.
So: Montreal's not hilly, or at least roadies would laugh at me for saying my commute is uphill all the way home, but I wondered if 75" gear plus standing up and cranking uphill (I'm a spinner at heart, but tried a slightly bigger gear just for the hell of it when I got a new cog) plus being something like 250 pounds or more with clothes, shoes, bag etc, plus frequently carrying heavy loads (laundry, groceries, beer) will leave me needing a new thirty buck cog every thousand miles or so.
Also, when do y'all put a cog to pasture? I've never thrown a chain, and I certainly don't want to, but the last time I wore a (cassette) cog to the point of skipping the teeth were ramped to the degree that they were nearly sharpened points, and that was on a winter bike after a fully abused winter where I did nothing but throw lube on the worn chain, knowing I'd have to replace everything in the spring anyway.