New chain? Or is it too late to bother?
07-31-14, 07:57 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 98
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
New chain? Or is it too late to bother?
I'm tripleizing my faithful Cross Check this weekend. New granny ring, BB, FD, etc.
It's had the same crank and cassette since 2007 or so and they seem happy together, decaying in tandem. (Much like my wife and me.) Should I bother putting on a new chain at this point? Seems as though it might cause more problems that it solves.
Thanks in advance for the usual sage advice.
Steve
It's had the same crank and cassette since 2007 or so and they seem happy together, decaying in tandem. (Much like my wife and me.) Should I bother putting on a new chain at this point? Seems as though it might cause more problems that it solves.
Thanks in advance for the usual sage advice.
Steve
07-31-14, 08:44 AM
#2
The Fat Guy In The Back
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Posts: 2,487
Bikes: '81 Panasonic Sport, '02 Giant Boulder SE, '08 Felt S32, '10 Diamondback Insight RS, '10 Windsor Clockwork, '15 Kestrel Evoke 3.0, '19 Salsa Mukluk
Mentioned: 88 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 316 Post(s)
Liked 116 Times
in
82 Posts
Depends how many miles you have on the chain and how worn it is. Check the wear using a tool or a ruler.
If you need a new chain, you could buy both a chain and cassette and first just swap the chain. If your old cassette still works with the new chain, then you've got a new cassette waiting for the day when the old one does eventually wear out. If the old cassette skips with the new chain, then you've got a new cassette on hand.
You could keep running the old chain/cassette combo but eventually they're going to affect shifting performance. Before that happens the chain will get excessively noisy even when lubed. A noisy drivetrain is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me, so that right there would drive me to replace them.
If you need a new chain, you could buy both a chain and cassette and first just swap the chain. If your old cassette still works with the new chain, then you've got a new cassette waiting for the day when the old one does eventually wear out. If the old cassette skips with the new chain, then you've got a new cassette on hand.
You could keep running the old chain/cassette combo but eventually they're going to affect shifting performance. Before that happens the chain will get excessively noisy even when lubed. A noisy drivetrain is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me, so that right there would drive me to replace them.
__________________
Visit me at the Tundra Man Workshop
Visit me at the Tundra Man Workshop
07-31-14, 08:58 AM
#3
Administrator
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Delaware shore
Posts: 13,542
Bikes: Cervelo C5, Guru Photon, Waterford, Specialized CX
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1055 Post(s)
Liked 1,891 Times
in
1,296 Posts
If you're happy now, try keeping everything. When you do change, you certainly will need a cassette. You may also need two new chainrings if they are worn too bad - 2007 to now is a long time and depends on how many miles you accumulated.
It's always a good practice to check chain wear periodically and switch before needing new cassettes.
It's always a good practice to check chain wear periodically and switch before needing new cassettes.
07-31-14, 09:12 AM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: St Peters, Missouri
Posts: 30,225
Bikes: Catrike 559 I own some others but they don't get ridden very much.
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1572 Post(s)
Liked 640 Times
in
361 Posts
Time doesn't matter. If you never rode your bike you could keep the same chain forever and it would never wear out.
If it was my bike, I'd use a steel ruler to see where the 12 inch mark intersects with a chain rivet. If two rivets are between 12 1/16 and 12 1/8, you are probably good just replacing the chain. If it's beyond 12 1/8" you'll need a new cassette too. Front chainring wear is easier to eyeball. New chanrings are rounded on top. If yours look pointy, you're due for new ones.
If it was my bike, I'd use a steel ruler to see where the 12 inch mark intersects with a chain rivet. If two rivets are between 12 1/16 and 12 1/8, you are probably good just replacing the chain. If it's beyond 12 1/8" you'll need a new cassette too. Front chainring wear is easier to eyeball. New chanrings are rounded on top. If yours look pointy, you're due for new ones.
__________________
My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
07-31-14, 09:27 AM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: New Rochelle, NY
Posts: 37,685
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: 134 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5257 Post(s)
Liked 1,564 Times
in
896 Posts
Take Admiral Hopper's advice -- MEASURE the existing chain for wear (stretch). It's not rocket science, and no *** precision is needed, but it will give a good idea of the right answer to your question. As a rough guide, if it's stretched less than 1/2% keep the chain. More than 1% it' too late, wait until you replace the cassette. In between is a toss up a new chain may skip or may not.
__________________
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
“Never argue with an idiot. He will only bring you down to his level and beat you with experience.”, George Carlin
“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.
“Never argue with an idiot. He will only bring you down to his level and beat you with experience.”, George Carlin
“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.
