Hi all,

I heard somewhere that it's a good idea to have 2 chains and to change them back and forth every so often so that they wear with the cassette (.....if you know what I mean). Well by pure chance I have ended up with 2 brand new chains and was wondering if there is indeed any benefit in swapping them every 2000kms or so. Can someone shed some light on this theory?

Damo

ISTR that the theory involved THREE chains. I just don't recall the protocol, but bet it could be found on BF with a forum search ... if nobody chimes in with help.

100% waste of time.

+1. The only time this would be useful is if you had two different wheels with different cassette ratios, say an 11x23 and a 12x27, that were used for specific rides and needed different chain lengths. Then you could have a dedicated chain for each one.

+1000. Put your chain on and ride. Lube it occasionally. Clean it rarely. Replace.

+10,000 A very silly idea.

Just check the chain for wear often and replace well before the wear limit. Chains is cheap, cassettes not so cheap. If you buy a Nashbar bent or tandem chain, you get two road bike chains for the price of one.

I actually see what he means... and it kinda makes sense.

Say a chain lasts 1000k miles. A cassette lasts longer.
When the chain stretches out and wears, you'll end up putting a brand new chain on a worn cassette at the 1000k mi. mark.

However, if you swapped chains every so often, then you'd get 2000k miles before needing a "new" chain... which by then the cassette could be replaced without replacing it prematurely. Basically, you'd be getting a brand new cassette at the same time as a brand new chain at the 2000k mark.


Atleast that's the logic I can pull from the idea... I have no idea if it works in practice... and the numbers were fictional.... and I tend to neglect my drivetrain anyways.

I believe you need to study the economics of this idea. Why use $150 worth of chains to protect a $70 cassette?

If you use Campy Record Ti cassettes at $300 each, maybe changing chains at 1000K (or 1000 mile) intervals makes sense (cents?). Otherwise it's a waste of money.

If you use $300 cassettes, your parts are probably paid for by someone else, or you work so much that you never really have the time to wear out your stuff anyhow.

The chains are rotated not replaced. The aim is to use the same number of chains per cassette as using a single chain at a time and replacing when stretched.

Rotating avoids having to measure chains and gives plenty of time for the dirty chain to be cleaned and lubed before its needed again.

You can use the same chain and cassette, never changing either, for years probably. But then you will never be able to use another wheel with a different cassette.

Why? This makes no sense as you will want to know when the chains are worn anyway. Even if you more than one they won't last forever.

True but how long does cleaning and lubing a chain take?

There are three possible outcomes.

1. You used too few chains. The chain wear rate exceeds the cassette wear rate and prematurely wears the cassette. Start again when when the cassette stops functioning to your satisfaction.

2. You used the right number of chains. The chain wear rate matches the cassette wear rate. Start again when the cassette stops functioning to your satisfaction.

3. You used too many chains. The chain wear rate is lower than the cassette wear rate. Start again when the cassette stops functioning to your satisfaction.

In all three outcomes cassette wear determines the point of chain replacement which is why you don't need to know how worn the chains are.

I run two chains, both on my mountain bike and road bike. At all times, while one chain is on the bike, the second chain sits immersed in a jar of mineral spirits. I got the idea from a poster in the commuter forum, who recommended it for people short on time to do a thorough cleaning of their chains.

I can now clean my chain when I have the time. I have found that it works well for me. I have not done any scientific study of the issue, but it does seem that my chains last a little bit longer before they need replacement.

Regards,

If I could get 1,000,000 miles out of my chains, I'd never have to buy another one .

[I'm surprised nobody picked up on this yet]

I'm a believer, and have mentioned the practice a few times here on BFs...

I've found that three chains and the all the cogs all seem to reach wear limits about the same time on my mtn bike, which I ride in dusty and sometimes sandy conditions.

I clean/lube after almost every ride, but with three chains I just remove, wipe the crud off the cogs, and place a clean/lubed chain on for tomorrow.

I find the actual clean/lube MUCH easier off the bike. I will never, no, never go without the masterlink!!


I don't ride road, but I'd think the swap outs would have to more regular, for all to "wear together," which is part of the idea; the other part is clean/lube more than one chain at a time (me lazy).

I don't know how many chains per cogsets would be best for road; methinks you want all the stuff to wear out together, probably two or three.

My next drivetrain replacement, I'm going to run four chains, erring on the chain side, because I'm lazy!

$300 cassette? Best reason to go singlespeed, ever.

I just can't imagine that breaking and reconnecting a chain so often wouldn't harm the links, or at least make the link less reliable.

BTW, incase you missed it /\

Like I said I neglect mine... no idea how long they last.

I can also see the logic in this and figure that this WOULD actually be more economical.

As I have always understood it.

- Putting a new chain on an old(er) casette wears both the chain and the cassette faster than new/new.
- Putting on a new cassette without a new chain does the same.

Assuming that a cassette lasts three times as long as a chain (which I think is a fair assumption). Rotating the chains at the same frequency you would do a full clean/relube (monthly for me) would mean that overall the cassette and each of the chains would longer.

I admit that you maybe talking about a saving of ITRO 20$ a year for your average setup but I still think the poster has a valid point, in principle.

If I ever fully change to SRAM chains with the powerlink I might give it a go.

It all depends on whether you buy into the idea that you should never "deep clean" a chain - that good lubricant does very little lubricating and a whole lot of sealing out dirt.

If you buy into that idea, then you don't remove your chain(s) for cleaning. (Shimano recommends that you don't, btw.)

If you already remove your chains for cleaning, then keeping a rotating set makes sense as no extra work is involved and it will minimize sprocket wear. (Use a different quicklink for each chain.)

If you don't regularly remove your chains for cleaning, then taking up a practice of rotating chains is not cost effective. How much is your time worth?

Excellent analysis.

Huh? I just replaced my chain and cassette. The cassette was $18, the chain was $25. Where are you all finding the inexpensive chains?

Well, at least you got a deal on the cassette.

Maybe you have a taste for the higher level chains.

Jenson has HG53 basic 9sp chain for about $15.