Replacing chain after 1350 miles
10-23-15, 12:19 PM
#51
Been Around Awhile
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Burlington Iowa
Posts: 29,978
Bikes: Vaterland and Ragazzi
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12 Post(s)
Liked 1,536 Times
in
1,045 Posts
I think it is better to never measure the length of the chain with a mechanical tool, and instead go by pedaling feel and/or amount of squeaky noise that can't be fixed with an additional shot of lubricating spray of silicone. Replace chain when above "measurements" are exceeded; works out to about 5,000 miles or one year. Cost about $6 for chain, $1/year for lubricating spray. 15 minutes /year of time spent on chain maintenance/replacement.
10-23-15, 12:28 PM
#52
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Memphis TN area
Posts: 7,391
Bikes: 2011 Felt Z85 (road/commuter), 2006 Marin Pine Mountain (utility/commuter E-bike), 1995 KHS Alite 1000 (gravel grinder)
Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 676 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times
in
13 Posts
I would like to know where you find 11/128" chains for 6 bucks, that would last 5K miles. I didn't keep up with chain maintenance on my bike's original 10-sp chain and had to replace it and the cassette after only 2K miles. It was skipping and generally felt like poo.
10-23-15, 12:49 PM
#53
Been Around Awhile
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Burlington Iowa
Posts: 29,978
Bikes: Vaterland and Ragazzi
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12 Post(s)
Liked 1,536 Times
in
1,045 Posts
I would like to know where you find 11/128" chains for 6 bucks, that would last 5K miles. I didn't keep up with chain maintenance on my bike's original 10-sp chain and had to replace it and the cassette after only 2K miles. It was skipping and generally felt like poo.
10-23-15, 05:53 PM
#54
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Memphis, TN
Posts: 1,050
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 69 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I replace at 0.75 and when I was riding the hybrid, which got ridden not only in the rain but on gravel roads (lots of grit) I never got more than 1800 miles out of a chain, so this doesn't really surprise me.
I honestly did some experimentation and found two things: First, for me, it didn't make any sense to be super meticulous about cleaning - if I cleaned several times a week I got maybe another 100 miles out of the chain, at the cost of several hours of chain cleaning time and a lot of scrweing around and getting dirty. Second, it actually didn't make sense to replace the chain at all. I was riding a hybrid with fairly cheap components ($20 cassette, and I could usually find full cranksets on clearance at Nashbar or somewhere for < $20). I could replace the chain every 1800 miles and at about 9000 miles I'd have to replace the cassette because it was too worn. Or I could just leave the chain on there an let it wear, and I'd still have to replace the cassette and chain at 9000 miles. So changing the chain did nothing but use up more chains. I didn't even always have to replace the crankset, only maybe every other time.
I think it was maybe because it was an 8 speed cassette, probably a lot less picky about things than the 10 speed I run now. But honestly, I was perfectly happy with 8 speed - I'm considering switching my road bike to 8. With 10 there are gears when I can't really tell if it shifted or not, they're so close.
I honestly did some experimentation and found two things: First, for me, it didn't make any sense to be super meticulous about cleaning - if I cleaned several times a week I got maybe another 100 miles out of the chain, at the cost of several hours of chain cleaning time and a lot of scrweing around and getting dirty. Second, it actually didn't make sense to replace the chain at all. I was riding a hybrid with fairly cheap components ($20 cassette, and I could usually find full cranksets on clearance at Nashbar or somewhere for < $20). I could replace the chain every 1800 miles and at about 9000 miles I'd have to replace the cassette because it was too worn. Or I could just leave the chain on there an let it wear, and I'd still have to replace the cassette and chain at 9000 miles. So changing the chain did nothing but use up more chains. I didn't even always have to replace the crankset, only maybe every other time.
I think it was maybe because it was an 8 speed cassette, probably a lot less picky about things than the 10 speed I run now. But honestly, I was perfectly happy with 8 speed - I'm considering switching my road bike to 8. With 10 there are gears when I can't really tell if it shifted or not, they're so close.
10-23-15, 05:56 PM
#55
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Memphis, TN
Posts: 1,050
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 69 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
It may not be the chain, it could be the engine. What is your riding style? Do you mash the pedals frequently by standing up or by maintaining low rpm? I get about 8000 miles per chain, without very much maintenance, but I never stand up and I pedal at about 90 rpm plus or minus 5.
10-24-15, 10:00 AM
#56
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Nashville TN
Posts: 180
Bikes: 2011 Giant Seek 1, 1995 Mongoose Alta, 2002 Raleigh M80, 2014 Scott Metrix 40, 1999 Trek 820
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Milage varies a lot depending on conditions - rider weight, terraine (hills or flats), cadence, riding style including hard sprints, climbing standing or seated, type and frequency of lube, etc.
I've heard people getting only 1,000 miles or so but I've also heard of 6-7000 miles too. But 1350 seems on the very low.
Please post again tomorrow how the ruler measurement comes out. I'm curious.
I've heard people getting only 1,000 miles or so but I've also heard of 6-7000 miles too. But 1350 seems on the very low.
Please post again tomorrow how the ruler measurement comes out. I'm curious.
I think it is all in how you take care of your chain. I obviously did not.
10-24-15, 10:14 AM
#57
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Mississauga/Toronto, Ontario canada
Posts: 8,721
Bikes: I have 3 singlespeed/fixed gear bikes
Mentioned: 30 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4227 Post(s)
Liked 2,488 Times
in
1,286 Posts
I don't even keep track of how many miles I get out of my chains. I measure them with a ruler or tape measure every few weeks and if they are stretched too far I replace them. I use 1/8" singlespeed chains which I get for very cheap at big box stores.
10-24-15, 04:52 PM
#58
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 3,095
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1034 Post(s)
Liked 1,292 Times
in
744 Posts
I always heard that a chain will last between 800 and 1200 miles. I had a bike that I put about 1000 miles on it and had to replace the chain (.75). Another bike has about 2000 to 2300 miles on it and the chain is Waaaaaaaaaaaay too far gone on it, like maybe 2 or 3%.
I think it is all in how you take care of your chain. I obviously did not.
I think it is all in how you take care of your chain. I obviously did not.
10-25-15, 05:52 AM
#59
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Florida, U.S.A.
Posts: 151
Bikes: sport touring with small front back baskets. 17 mph
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
no one has mentioned a chain can wear differently in other parts of the length of chain. my bicycles use 8 speed chains and i have found it always better to remove the chain and measure in several parts while laid out flat. chains are cheaper to replace than gears.
Last edited by roashru; 10-25-15 at 06:00 AM.
10-26-15, 08:16 AM
#60
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Zinj
Posts: 1,826
Bikes: '93 911 Turbo 3.6
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 109 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I needed to clean and lube my chain today. I normally do this at home, but since I was in the co-op at the time I decided to go ahead and use the Park tool chain checker. It failed the .5% measurement and very nearly failed the .75% one! I was really surprised because the chain only has 1350 miles on it. I ride in the rain quite a bit, but I'm pretty good about wiping the chain down and keeping it properly lubed.
I'm on a 2015 Bianchi Volpe with a 3x10 Tiagra drivetrain. Any recommendations for a new chain that might hold up better?
I'm on a 2015 Bianchi Volpe with a 3x10 Tiagra drivetrain. Any recommendations for a new chain that might hold up better?
10-26-15, 08:21 AM
#61
Banned
I'm on a 2015 Bianchi Volpe with a 3x10 Tiagra drivetrain. Any recommendations for a new chain that might hold up better?
10-26-15, 04:10 PM
#62
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Memphis, TN
Posts: 1,050
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 69 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Why? Do 3x10s wear chains faster than other drivetrains?
I have one of those, a Belgian beauty with a chain case, roller brakes, the works! I may never need to replace that chain.
I have one of those, a Belgian beauty with a chain case, roller brakes, the works! I may never need to replace that chain.
10-26-15, 04:18 PM
#63
Banned
101 Thinner cogs have the wear concentrated on a smaller surface..
A full bushing chain has a separately treated tube, pressed in , a current derailleur chain the half bush
it's a flange punched out when the hole was made .. out of that steel.
then the contact surface is the inside outer edges of the Roller,
rather than the whole width of roller and Bushing around the Pin.
Fully enclosed chain cases can fall under the it may need some oil and its let go bone dry
but Sight unseen... who cares .. its Just a F-ing Bike .. suit and tie , talk on the phone all the time..
fill the tires with straw ,like done when The Nazis occupied Benelux.
A full bushing chain has a separately treated tube, pressed in , a current derailleur chain the half bush
it's a flange punched out when the hole was made .. out of that steel.
then the contact surface is the inside outer edges of the Roller,
rather than the whole width of roller and Bushing around the Pin.
Fully enclosed chain cases can fall under the it may need some oil and its let go bone dry
but Sight unseen... who cares .. its Just a F-ing Bike .. suit and tie , talk on the phone all the time..
fill the tires with straw ,like done when The Nazis occupied Benelux.
Last edited by fietsbob; 10-26-15 at 04:25 PM.
10-27-15, 09:14 AM
#64
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Zinj
Posts: 1,826
Bikes: '93 911 Turbo 3.6
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 109 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
10-27-15, 10:23 AM
#65
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Memphis, TN
Posts: 1,050
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 69 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
10-27-15, 04:14 PM
#67
aka Tom Reingold
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,504
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Mentioned: 511 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7350 Post(s)
Liked 2,475 Times
in
1,438 Posts
I had a chain elongate quickly, too. I really don't know why. Probably I neglected lubrication. Just to be safe, I haven't bought another SRAM chain since then. I have one Shimano chain and a whole lotta KMC chains.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
11-03-15, 03:48 PM
#68
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Tryon
Posts: 238
Bikes: Trek 1.2 & Single Speed Rain Bike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I was looking at the Shimano chain checker. Then I found this Pedro one and bought it.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o01_s00
I thought it looked very much like the Shimano and seemed to work pretty well... Anyone else use this Pedro before?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o01_s00
I thought it looked very much like the Shimano and seemed to work pretty well... Anyone else use this Pedro before?
11-03-15, 04:04 PM
#70
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Zang's Spur, CO
Posts: 9,083
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3376 Post(s)
Liked 5,520 Times
in
2,862 Posts
I was looking at the Shimano chain checker. Then I found this Pedro one and bought it.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o01_s00
I thought it looked very much like the Shimano and seemed to work pretty well... Anyone else use this Pedro before?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o01_s00
I thought it looked very much like the Shimano and seemed to work pretty well... Anyone else use this Pedro before?
It does look like it is designed to the same principle as the Shimano, but w/o the crazy high price.
I bought the Shimano when I found it on sale.
11-03-15, 04:52 PM
#72
Non omnino gravis
"Cross chaining" is an extremely subjective issue, as I assume it varies from bike to bike-- on my frame, if I'm on the big ring (48T) and the three cog on the back (25T) the chain line is perfectly straight. So when I'm in 48/11, the chain is at a huge angle, almost as big as the extreme of cross-chaining for me, which would be 36/11, but I never go there, absolutely no reason to. I take quite a few steep hills in big/big, which puts the RD at a wacky amount of extension, but hasn't appeared to suffer for it. I have a low(er) cadence, I stand (a lot,) ride a lot of hills, am not a super lightweight, ride a fair amount of miles, and don't expect more than ~3k out of a chain. Averaging 3k per chain this year. $10 per 1000 miles seems manageable (chain cost of 1¢ per mile.)
__________________
11-05-15, 12:56 AM
#73
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 14,744
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 525 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3230 Post(s)
Liked 3,868 Times
in
1,439 Posts
I'm curious whether anyone has compared the results they get with a typical chain checker versus the ruler method in terms of how long a chain lasts.
I've always used the tools because I'm lazy and it's slightly easier. I wait until the 1% mark to replace and that typically gets me about 2500 miles out of a chain. My current chain is at about 2600 miles so I've been keeping an eye on it. It's past the 0.75% mark but still well short of 1% according to the chain checker. So I felt like it's doing pretty well. Tonight I decided to pull out a ruler and give it a look. It's like new, right at 12 inches!
I pretty much only clean and oil the chain as much as I need to in order to keep it quiet. This result has me wondering if I've been wasting chains.
I've always used the tools because I'm lazy and it's slightly easier. I wait until the 1% mark to replace and that typically gets me about 2500 miles out of a chain. My current chain is at about 2600 miles so I've been keeping an eye on it. It's past the 0.75% mark but still well short of 1% according to the chain checker. So I felt like it's doing pretty well. Tonight I decided to pull out a ruler and give it a look. It's like new, right at 12 inches!
I pretty much only clean and oil the chain as much as I need to in order to keep it quiet. This result has me wondering if I've been wasting chains.
__________________
My Bikes
My Bikes
11-05-15, 10:52 AM
#74
working on my sandal tan
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CID
Posts: 22,629
Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)
Mentioned: 98 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3871 Post(s)
Liked 2,568 Times
in
1,579 Posts
If anything, a properly-setup triple offers better chainlines than a double, especially with wider modern cassettes. The middle ring, if centered with the cassette, can be used with the whole thing, the big ring can be used with the smaller 3/4 of the cassette, the granny with the bigger 3/4 of the cassette. While it's true that the chainlines for the big-big and small-small combos are worse than on a double, there is absolutely no reason to use those when straighter chainlines are available for the same ratios on the middle ring, so it's a non-issue.
11-05-15, 11:01 AM
#75
Full Member
a guess for the max torque during peak acceleration, say 200 lbs force on a 175mm crank arm = 115 lb-ft (thinking large adult rider or smaller rider who is clipped in and performing a pushme-pullyou)
Then shifting that torque to the chain tension assuming maybe 48 tooth chainring having a radius close to 3.8 inches, so force on tight side of chain is close to 360 lbs
Then spreading that force equally on the two chain plates, the sample chain plate I picked up looks like a SRAM 9-speed, maybe 1mm thick and 5-6 mm wide, so total cross-section area of two chain plates is 0.016 sq in.
Finishing with a stress of force divided by area = 360 lbs / 0.016 sq in) = 22,500 psi, not really at the yield point for steel, but not so far either, and if the stretch/wear point is not the side plate, then there is higher stress in some other area when mashing hard for 5-10 seconds.
I imagine someone manufacturing chains has a great paper on this somewhere.
__________________
Longbikes Slipstream
Longbikes Slipstream