Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Folding Bikes
Reload this Page >

When to replace chain?

Search
Notices
Folding Bikes Discuss the unique features and issues of folding bikes. Also a great place to learn what folding bike will work best for your needs.

When to replace chain?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 09-04-08, 03:51 PM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 238
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
When to replace chain?

I have around 3200 miles on a Dahon D7 I bought one year ago. I regularly oil it every 150 miles or so. Shifting still seems fine, so when should I replace it? If it ain't broke, should I still fix it?
veggie_lover is offline  
Old 09-04-08, 04:03 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
badmother's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,720
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 317 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
measure it. If it has stretched I`tll start wearing out your cogs and you may need to replace the whole drivetrain.

Last edited by badmother; 09-04-08 at 04:03 PM. Reason: spelling
badmother is offline  
Old 09-04-08, 04:24 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
Speedo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Boston Area
Posts: 1,998

Bikes: Univega Gran Turismo, Guerciotti, Bridgestone MB2, Bike Friday New World Tourist, Serotta Ti

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
+1 on the measurement

It's hard to go just by mileage. 3200 miles without rain, dust, sand, or other crud might be just fine. My commuter bike, which sees a lot of rain, dust, etc. seems to need replacing every 1000-1500 miles.

Speedo
Speedo is offline  
Old 09-04-08, 06:31 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 238
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
How do I measure it, any special tool I need to buy? Are they accurate?
veggie_lover is offline  
Old 09-05-08, 01:56 AM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
badmother's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,720
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 317 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
I think there is tools, but you should read about this first. Try Sheldons sites or Park Tools.
badmother is offline  
Old 09-05-08, 06:11 AM
  #6  
rhm
multimodal commuter
 
rhm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: NJ, NYC, LI
Posts: 19,808

Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...

Mentioned: 584 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1908 Post(s)
Liked 574 Times in 339 Posts
Each link of the chain should be 1/2", so 24 of them should be 12". Try it. If 12 links measure more than 12 1/2" or so, you might think about changing the chain.

A worn chain doesn't seat properly in the teeth of the cogs, which isn't good for the teeth. After 1500 miles or so the chain on my Downtube Mini was so worn that it could unseat itself from the rear cog. Tightening the chain, by moving the wheel back in the dropouts, didn't solve the problem. When it got so bad the chain would come off every couple of miles, I changed the chain; and that solved the problem.

Obviously, if you have this problem, you should change your chain. If you're not having a problem, it's less urgent.
rhm is offline  
Old 09-05-08, 06:36 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
 
gregstandt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Eastern Washington
Posts: 167
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
On a chain, maintenance is the most important aspect. Check this out>https://sheldonbrown.com/chainclean.html
gregstandt is offline  
Old 09-06-08, 03:34 PM
  #8  
Dis Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 155
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I am interested in what Makeinu would say about this, since he declared

Originally Posted by makeinu
For a bike without a derailleur you really don't need to oil the chain at all and I don't oil the chains on any of my folding bikes.
For me I'd go with the mentioned method, that of measuring the chain. And yes, do clean and lubricate your chain regularly.
EastBiker is offline  
Old 09-06-08, 04:07 PM
  #9  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 219
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I chuck a chain sooner rather than later. The cogs last longer that way.

A chain wear measuring is quite cheap and is worthwhile if you do a lot of cycling.

I'm a great believer in Purple Extreme. It lasts and isn't dirty.
datako is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.