Originally Posted by mmaceda
God. Dammnit. Yeah, it's my fault for not being vigilant about monitoring my drivetrain, but still. ****.
I know I'm not going to be able to afford a new cog and chainring, but I can afford the chain. If I go through with using a new chain on the old setup, what will I risk? I really want to ride this weekend and I kind of don't have a choice, as trains don't run on the weekend.
This brings another question to mind; how often do you replace your chains? Furthermore, how often do you replace your chainring and cog?
Replace the chain first. If it runs over the ring and cog smoothly, you're fine. If it skips around and makes bad noises, replace them. Replace the chains when they stretch. You can check it with a special tool (most LBSs will do it quick for free in hopes that you buy a chain) or you can measure it. A new chain will have a pin every half inch on center. In 12 inches if you're not even landing on a pin, get a new chain. If you're using a singlespeed chain with no bushings they should last longer than your average multispeed chain. Replace the ring and cog when the new chain doesn't work smoothly on the old gears.