"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Another Chain Thread. Ultegra Chain lasted 1000 miles.

So I checked my chain today - it's measuring 12 1/16. I had replaced it in early October, and I haven't been doing much riding - a hair over 1000 miles since then.

Nothing but new cassettes. In fact, this chain has had three brand new cassettes, don't ask. Completely cleaned twice, lubed about every five days or so.

I've got a 105 chain - it was too cheap at PBK to pass up (~$18) - but recommend a chain that'll last.

So I checked my chain today - it's measuring 12 1/16. I had replaced it in early October, and I haven't been doing much riding - a hair over 1000 miles since then.

Nothing but new cassettes. In fact, this chain has had three brand new cassettes, don't ask. Completely cleaned twice, lubed about every five days or so.

I've got a 105 chain - it was too cheap at PBK to pass up (~$18) - but recommend a chain that'll last.

I typically get ~2500-3000 miles out of my 105 chains.

I got 8k out of my dura-ace chain, earlier this year. I work at a shop and checked the chain every couple of weeks or so. Thats 8k miles with hard riding and racing. I really only replaced it because I wanted something a little lighter and was putting my stuff on a new bike.

Are you sure you know how to use a chain checker?

I mean 1k miles is only like a month of riding.

Could your chainrings be excessively worn?

Consider it a badge of honor. You are such a monster you are eating up your chains! Seriously though, chain life really depends a lot on your riding. If you are out of the saddle, climbing, sprinting a lot, it wears out quickly.

Chains is chains. I just get the cheapest chain I can find and replace it well before the wear limit. I have gone through at least 4 chains on my cassette with no signs of cassette wear.

SRAM ftw.

http://www.gorestore.com/images/its%20alive%20puppet.jpg

Welcome back Botto

Chains tend to do most of their stretching pretty quickly, then it levels off. In industry we can buy pre-strecthed which in some applications (eg long chain conveyors) can eliminate a lot of adjustment after initial startup. I'de give it a little time and see if it stabilizes.

Maybe it was that "completely cleaned" process where you likely flushed out all the internal lubricant. Modern chains only need to be wiped off and relubed, then wiped again.

Are you sure you know how to use a chain checker?

I'm not using a chain checker, I'm using a digital caliper.

Could your chainrings be excessively worn?

I've considered that; I guess it's possible. I didn't think the chainring wear had as much of an effect on the chain as the cassette wear.

I've had three rings on while this chain was on, the one I used during hard climbs was brand new; but I probably was only on that ring for perhaps 150 out of the 1000 miles.

So I checked my chain today - it's measuring 12 1/16. I had replaced it in early October, and I haven't been doing much riding - a hair over 1000 miles since then.

Nothing but new cassettes. In fact, this chain has had three brand new cassettes, don't ask. Completely cleaned twice, lubed about every five days or so.

I've got a 105 chain - it was too cheap at PBK to pass up (~$18) - but recommend a chain that'll last.

That's strange. I got well over 4000 miles out of my Ultegra chains in 2006. I only replaced them 3 times in 13,000 miles.

Oh yeah, and BTW, I sent you a PM about that fork. :)

Get SRAM, they're bulletproof.

Get SRAM, they're bulletproof.

a bulletproof chain... why didn't i think of that?

Wipperman...and we're done!

SRAM, especially the easy install.

Kmc!

Campagnolo!

I'm a fan of the Wippermann Connex 10S0. You can often find it on sale for around $25, and it has a truly reusable masterlink. I got 9,000-ish miles out of the first of these that I put on my current race bike. The one that's on there now looks to be headed for similar wear life.

And I keep my stuff sparkling clean, including complete degrease and relube sessions when I feel it needs to be done.

I'm a fan of the Wippermann Connex 10S0. You can often find it on sale for around $25, and it has a truly reusable masterlink. I got 9,000-ish miles out of the first of these that I put on my current race bike. The one that's on there now looks to be headed for similar wear life.

And I keep my stuff sparkling clean, including complete degrease and relube sessions when I feel it needs to be done.

I do that to my wife, too.

It's not the chain. Something else going on here.

... Brad

I do that to my wife, too.

Good one :)

Maybe it was that "completely cleaned" process where you likely flushed out all the internal lubricant. Modern chains only need to be wiped off and relubed, then wiped again.

Nope.

Maybe it was that "completely cleaned" process where you likely flushed out all the internal lubricant. Modern chains only need to be wiped off and relubed, then wiped again.

I solvent tank all my chains before I install them. That new chain crap sucks. May be great lube, but looks like poop...and we cant have that!