Originally Posted by
stephr1
Prob'ly not. There are moments, however few and far between, when I do use the other chain rings. If I didn't have them, I would certainly miss them
Your suggestion on stretch limit is consistent with [MENTION=2795]Trsnrtr[/MENTION], above, so it makes sense. I haven't been very good about keeping an eye on the chain....and maybe gotten into a poor habit of expecting to have to replace chain *and* cassette at the same time (chain rings seem to last longer) so I've shopped for cheaper cassettes. Sounds like if I monitor the chain stretch more diligently I can invest in a slightly better cassette and have it last a lot longer. Prob'ly should buy/develop some kind of chain stretch indicator so I can check every time I lube the chain (which is fairly often). The side benefit is that the chain ring(s
should last a lot longer, as well.
Curious question....how sure are we that the chain we buy isn't already mfg'd with something close to .5% stretch to begin with? Are there certain brands people are more sure of than others?
Very glad I asked, what might appear to be, a "pedestrian" question. Seem to learn something new all the time. Thx.
I would stay away from most chain checkers as they don't account for roller wear. For example, the Park tool shows me 0.25% elongation for a brand new chain while my ruler shows me exactly 12" (as Expected). so yes, brand name chains should start out exactly at 12" for 12 links. Shimano and Pedro's make a chain wear tool that correctly takes roller wear into account. the ruler has to be steel, not plastic or other material (same expansion coefficient so the chain and ruler will be the same when cold or hot). So with one of those cheap chaintools you replace the chain too often. That may not be bad, but be aware.
I have 10 and 11 speed drivetrains, so my "cheap" parts are already above bottom of the barrell. I don't know if a chain twice as expensive lasts twice as long, but the cheap chains also last thousands of miles in road use when maintained. A lot of anecdotal evidence,...
You don't have to measure frequently once you kind of know how long they last to 0.5%. Maybe monthly or so.