is this cassette wear normal for a new bike?
06-18-15, 10:14 AM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 14
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
is this cassette wear normal for a new bike?
My bike is 2 weeks old and has about 75 miles on it. Last night I took a look at the cassette and noticed some of the teeth are showing wear. Is this normal?
Here's a link to the full size picture so you can zoom in on it: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3fijpe1bgu...sette.jpg?dl=0
Here's a link to the full size picture so you can zoom in on it: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3fijpe1bgu...sette.jpg?dl=0
06-18-15, 10:22 AM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 33,656
Bikes: '96 Litespeed Catalyst, '05 Litespeed Firenze, '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '20 Surly Midnight Special, All are 3x10. It is hilly around here!
Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2026 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1,096 Times
in
742 Posts
No, it's not normal as cassettes can last many thousands of miles. However, what you are seeing isn't wear, it intentional. Modern cassette cogs have shaped and contoured teeth that aid shifting speed and reliability and that's what you have. As an aside, that thing is awfully dirty for only 75 miles. A bit of housekeeping would help assure a long service life.
06-18-15, 10:24 AM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: New Rochelle, NY
Posts: 38,717
Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter
Mentioned: 140 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5788 Post(s)
Liked 2,580 Times
in
1,430 Posts
It's not wear. It's the normal tooth profiling that you see on modern index cassettes. see here
__________________
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
06-18-15, 01:30 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Porter, Texas
Posts: 4,125
Bikes: Trek Domane 5.2, Ridley Xfire, Giant Propel, KHS AeroComp
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1648 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
yep, way too dirty for only 75 miles, what the hell are you riding thru?
06-18-15, 01:38 PM
#6
Randomhead
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
Posts: 24,398
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Liked 3,698 Times
in
2,518 Posts
I recently sold a crank, and I was shocked at how much profiling there was on the teeth. Crank had ~250 miles on it and some teeth looked really bad until I realized that they were barely worn and just shaped like that to promote shifting. I think the profiled teeth get most of the wear because they get a lot of contact while shifting the chain.
06-18-15, 01:50 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: SoCal
Posts: 1,331
Bikes: 89 Schwinn 754, 90 Trek 1100, 93 Trek 2300, 94 Trek 1400 (under construction), 94 Trek 930, 97 Trek 1400
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 29 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
The cassette looks fine as others have already stated.
The condition of the chain is a mess.
Looks like too much lube, OR the chain was not cleaned before you got the bike, OR it was lubricated and the excess lube on the outside of the chain was not wiped off.
Crud is attracted to excess lube, and the crud is what causes accellerated chain wear. You need to clean the clean, lubricate it, and make sure that you wipe the lube off the outside of the chain (it doesn't do any good on the outside of the plates).
The condition of the chain is a mess.
Looks like too much lube, OR the chain was not cleaned before you got the bike, OR it was lubricated and the excess lube on the outside of the chain was not wiped off.
Crud is attracted to excess lube, and the crud is what causes accellerated chain wear. You need to clean the clean, lubricate it, and make sure that you wipe the lube off the outside of the chain (it doesn't do any good on the outside of the plates).
06-18-15, 02:02 PM
#8
Constant tinkerer
I suspect this is what happened to the OP. One ride with a new chain covered in that sticky factory lube and it can look like that.
06-18-15, 11:06 PM
#9
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 14
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
What's funny is I took that picture after running a rag over the chain. The chain has whatever the factory or LBS put on it. I'll give it a good cleaning this weekend.
06-19-15, 03:32 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: SoCal
Posts: 1,331
Bikes: 89 Schwinn 754, 90 Trek 1100, 93 Trek 2300, 94 Trek 1400 (under construction), 94 Trek 930, 97 Trek 1400
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 29 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
The original oil used by the chain manufacturer's is pretty thick, and hard to remove. While it's a toxic hazard, nothing cuts the lube on a new chain like gas. Using protective gloves, get a cloth rag and wet it in gas, then wrap it around the chain and hold while turning the cranks to rotate the chain. Make sure you lube the chain (dropping lube on the pins/rollers only). Cover the tire, and use a brush to clean the cassette or freewheel (or better yet, remove the freewheel or cassette from the bike before cleaning).
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
JonOnWheels
Bicycle Mechanics
39
06-11-19 06:11 AM
