How often do you replace your chain?

[bdinger]

Just curious here, as I just passed the 1,000 mile mark on the Surly (already, hah, love riding that bike - can you tell?) and by all accounts I should probably get to ordering a new chain pretty quick. My Hardrock I let wait until 2,000 miles, then ended up having to replace chain and cassette, so I don't want to do that again.

Anyway, what do you guys do? I guess I could go over to a buddy's house, who has a chain stretch tool, but eh :).

[Frickencrazy]

...When the chain is showing signs of significant wear or shifting becomes unreliable no matter how much tuning you do. Also you can use a chain gauge to see if it's stretched out, etc. Or visit a bike shop and have them tell you. Also if the rollers in the chain look worn that's another sign- google for examples.

Recently I just purchased a used Giant OCR and noticed it made a lot of noise when pedaling. The first thing I did was toss the "Z Chain" that was on it and replaced it with a new SRAM. It's super quiet now and shifts wonderful. Also you're supposed to replace the cassette, the chain rings, etc. but I couldn't afford this. A new chain cost me $17.99 from Performance.

BTW, get a book on how to break a chain and put a new one on. It's very simple especially if you get a chain like SRAM's that comes with a master link. If you do this also buy the high-end park tools chain tool that has replaceable pins.

Proper oiling and regular chain cleaning does minimize wear... I use prolube.
brian

[theetruscan]

You can use a ruler instead of a gauge. Will take a bit of staring, but will work. There are all kinds of ways to "tell," but many of them seem to risk damaging the cassette, and that ****'s expensive. Use a gauge/ruler, check every few hundred miles, replace when stretched.

[cyberpep]

Hi bdinger,
Don't know if you have already looked at Sheldon Brown's article on chains, but here is a link.
http://http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html
I change chains when ever they are noisy or stretched. You don't need any fancy tools just a ruler to check stretch. If you change the chain before it gets in too bad a shape the cassette should fine, you certainly don't need to replace all the drive components ever time.

[nymtber]

chains are cheap...cassettes and chainrings are quite a bit more. I replace my Chain about every 3 years needed or not. Heck I just put a new chain on my roadbike this spring even though it only had <600 miles...I wanted a SRAM chain with link, Its nice to easily take the chain on and off for cleaning ;)

[Mr. Beanz]

14,000 miles on the original stock chain. I keep it clean and lubes. Just now satarting to show some stetch according to SB's site. I have a bud that replaces his chain every 2 grand but seems to break his chains and ruin the cogs anyway. I'll get what I can while keeping it maintained then replace if I have to. Funny cause my bikes ride and shift smoother than his. He's always getting rattles and such. Mine is nice!:D

[bdinger]

14k!?! Beanz I swear, you have some sort of insanely good mechanical karma with bicycles.. *whislte* :)

Also everyone, thanks for the input. I've been keeping it oiled, kind of, but while I'm doing this I should also clean it more often. I'm going to measure it before I head out on the gravel century on Saturday, but my guess is it's fine. It's getting a tad noisy, so I probably would be well served to oil it tonight... :)

[CliftonGK1]

I usually go through 2 chains/year:

- 1 will last me the late spring through early fall. Distance puts the wear on that one.
- The second will last me through the winter. Road cinders, sand, etc. tear that one up on my winter commute.

[andymac]

Chains and Cassettes are both cheap if you shop around and aren't a weight weenie. You can often find decent cassettes in the 25.00 range and chains for 15.00 or so, buy a bunch when you find them. Nashbar had some 8 speed Sunrace cassettes for 4.99 for awhile, I was skeptical but I bought a few of them and they perform as well as the 30.00 SRAM that they replaced.
I always replace both at the same time, it takes 15 minutes tops and I would guess that I currently have 4 new cassettes and 3 or 4 chains at home that I bought on sale at various times in the past few years.

When soliciting opinions on when to change either you need to know what the riding conditions are for the people that are commenting and then you can decide if they match yours. If you are cruising around Arizona using all your gears equally your chain is going to wear a lot slower than if you are a wet weather commuter in Vancouver that uses two of the smaller cogs in the back for 80% of your ride.

My winter bike will only go December - February (approx 3000km) and need a cassette and chain, my fair weather bike has 7500km on the current chain and cassette and is likely to go another 1000 or so.

[wrk101]

+1 Watch the sales and stock up. Good for chains, cassettes, bar tape, tubes, tires, etc...

Also bought a chain gauge tool for about $4 on a Nashbar sale.

[Bill Kapaun]

Since I only have an 8 speed in the back, I buy the KMC Z51 at my local "outdoor store" for $6 and replace it after my Winter "commuting". I don't even bother to check or clean it.
Maybe in a few years, I'll go through the "pile" and do that? In the meantime, I consider them as used parts for any bikes I might "flip".

[Big Scott]

I replace my chain every 3 months or sooner. I can almost go 6 months on a cassette but normally I have to do the pair since I tend to put some serious torque to the wheels and that will wear out the smaller cogs. The good thing is you can buy the smaller cogs by themselves.

I break things.

-Scott

[cyclezealot]

When my chain checker reads more than .7. Or , I pretty much want it changed by 3000 miles.

[geraldatwork]

I get about 4000 miles out of my chains. I could probably get more as my cassette doesn't seem to be wearing out and even just before the chains are replaced they are quiet and shift well. That said I think I'll try 5000 miles on my current chains.

[andymac]

The smaller cogs don't wear because you are applying massive torque too them. It is because the load of the chain is being applied to only half the teeth (or maybe less) on a cog so the smaller the cog the fewer teeth there are to distribute the load over, if you already have a worn chain the amount of engagement between the chain and cogs is reduced even further, less distribution of the load means more wear. By the time you get into your small cogs you should already be up to speed and spinning, if you are actually starting out in your small cog that is simply bad form.

[Big Scott]

The smaller cogs don't wear because you are applying massive torque too them.

Yea, tell that to my poor Chris King hub I just melted...

I've been racing since '94 and have very good form but I do understand you point.

I wear out big rings pretty quicky too... then again I wear out complete drivetrains even though I keep them clean and lubed. I've also broken frames, seatposts, handle bars, seats, chains, cranks, BB's... lets not even go there on the wheel thing.

-Scott

[markhr]

once every ~20,000km

http://www.carbondrivesystems.com/
http://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&safe=off&q=carbon+drive+systems

http://bikemag.com/gallery/Interbike-07-mon/_AD_1453.jpg

I wish...maybe one day

[StanSeven]

It's important to carefully sift through the advice given here. For one thing, some of the posters comments concern older 8 speed setups. 8 speed cassettes and chains are more durable than 10 speed because they are thicker. You naturally get more wear out of them. 10 speed gears and chains are narrow in comparison and won't last as long. On the plus side, you get more gears and they are ligher in weight.

How long they last depends upon several factors - you riding style (whether you spin or mash), whether you ride hills or flats, how much your sprint, how much you weigh, how often you switch chains (some peopel advocate using as many as three chains and rotate them periodically to keep the cassette longer), and how frequently you claen and lubricate.

If you are lightweight, are a spinner, ride on the flats mostly, and keep your chain claen and lubed, you might get several thousand miles. However if you ride hard with lots of sprints and hills, are strong, and weigh a lot, you could see a 1000 miles.

[bdinger]

Yea, tell that to my poor Chris King hub I just melted...

I've been racing since '94 and have very good form but I do understand you point.

I wear out big rings pretty quicky too... then again I wear out complete drivetrains even though I keep them clean and lubed. I've also broken frames, seatposts, handle bars, seats, chains, cranks, BB's... lets not even go there on the wheel thing.

-Scott

You killed a KING!? You should, almost, be proud were it not for the price of replacement :thumb:

[AeroJoe]

For what it's worth, I replaced my chain and casette at 4,000 miles (11-32 8-speed on a Trek 7300). It may not have needed it, but I had read from other sources that most chains/casettes are good for 1,000-2,000 miles, give or take, before they start to go. I never rode in the rain, but rode dirt roads at least 30% of the time. It still shifted OK, but I upgraded to a higher grade SRAM chain to be safe. When I layed the old chain down against the new chain, I saw that it had stretched exactly one link (2-3%?). I'll probably change again every 3,000-4,000 miles just to be on the safe side.

[AeroJoe]

By the way, markhr, I'm really interested in that carbon chain system. That would go great with my rear Aerospoke wheel (which I love). It would send most into a tizzy, though- I have found a lot of people just can't handle a new technology no matter how good it might be. If that type a chain is good enough for millions of Harley riders, it's good enough for me!

[markhr]

By the way, markhr, I'm really interested in that carbon chain system. That would go great with my rear Aerospoke wheel (which I love). It would send most into a tizzy, though- I have found a lot of people just can't handle a new technology no matter how good it might be. If that type a chain is good enough for millions of Harley riders, it's good enough for me!

Exactly, and they've finally released the rohloff hub compatible cog so....woohoo!

[andymac]

Viewing broken and prematurely worn bike parts as an accomplishment is odd. Perhaps if I was a product tester my view on that would change.

I can just imagine my wife’s reaction when I come in from a BMX race and proudly announce that I have just broken a $200 set of cranks or snapped the head tube off my new frame. It was bad enough when I announced the broken ribs and that cost nothing.

[Big Scott]

I am not proud of anything I break since I usually get hurt doing so or it costs me money. I did find it odd that the custom frame builder(s) of the MTB frames I broke were very happy to see how the frames broke. I've also melted 2 Cyclops Fluid trainers and a couple Lamond spin bikes...

Remember, I'm 6'4/270lbs and ride very hard so things under me need to be more then stout and even then they tend to fail after time.

-Scott

[Tom Stormcrowe]

Frankly, I'd enjoy seeing you and Mike Magnusson in a head to head sprint......:eek:I am not proud of anything I break since I usually get hurt doing so or it costs me money. I did find it odd that the custom frame builder(s) of the MTB frames I broke were very happy to see how the frames broke. I've also melted 2 Cyclops Fluid trainers and a couple Lamond spin bikes...

Remember, I'm 6'4/270lbs and ride very hard so things under me need to be more then stout and even then they tend to fail after time.

-Scott

[andymac]

Scott

You didn't express pride, it was Bdinger that suggested that you should be proud.

[saxonrider]

Hi everyone,

I have a Giant Revive and it shifts through 1-7 nicely but gets stuck on getting to 8 and is pretty noisy. It eventually does shift, but I'm not sure what to do about it. The bike is new also. Any suggestions?

[Tom Stormcrowe]

Have the shop adjust your cable tension on the dérailleur.

Hi everyone,

I have a Giant Revive and it shifts through 1-7 nicely but gets stuck on getting to 8 and is pretty noisy. It eventually does shift, but I'm not sure what to do about it. The bike is new also. Any suggestions?

[saxonrider]

Tom,

I adjusted my cable today...thanks for the advice! It shifts good again.

[jaxgtr]

I still have the original chain on my 8 spd hybrid and have about 3100 miles on it. Very little stretch to it at all. My road bike is 10 spd so will watch that one a little closer.

[geo8rge]

"Recently I just purchased a used Giant OCR and noticed it made a lot of noise when pedaling. The first thing I did was toss the "Z Chain" that was on it and replaced it with a new SRAM."

I think KMC Z Chain is not advised, or even possible, for derailer bikes. Chains for derailer bikes are labeled and are thinner so as to fit between the cogs. Even on a single speed you might have to adjust the pins if they are rubbing up against a chain guard for example.

As far as the dream of a belt drive bike, they exist Strida and one other artsy folding bike, they work, but I would not call it a mature technology.