Originally Posted by
freako
I don't know what's wrong with your chains. My chains have all lasted over 6,000 miles. In fact just before I go on a tour a replace the old with a new chain, then that new chain will see about 6,000 miles (depending on where I go and for how long) before getting back home. I then measure for chain wear and most of the time I'm able to continue to ride on it for a couple of thousand miles more. I also never had a chain break on me.
Terrain, riding style, and maintenance affect chain life. Strong and/or heavy riders or riders that do a lot of climbing can expect to change their chain more often. Riding in the rain significantly reduces chain life because of grit that gets washed into the chain, and lube that gets washed out.
Example:
My 11-year old son gets huge mileage out of chains and tires. I am lucky to get 1,500 miles out of the chain on my commuter/touring bike, and 2,000 miles out of the chain on my road bike. I clean the chain by immersing it in solvent every 300-miles or so. There are lots of hills here, I'm a masher, and my weight is a little above average (170lbs). Your maintenance interval isn't going to align well with those of other riders because riding conditions differ.