RecceDG

Thanks to Garmin and SportTracks, I have the ability to track the useage on not just each of my bikes, but also their subcomponents.

Is there a source for expected component lives, for wearing parts like chains, chainrings, cassettes, cables, etc?

Anybody have any observations about how long they expect various components to last?

DG

abstractform20

varies.

Vlaam4ever

I get a new chain every year. Varies between 2K and 5K. I dont ride as steadily year in and year out. If I ride a lot in a year I replace the cassette. I only replaced my chainrings once a year ago after ~20K. Not sure this is advised by the 41, but I dont care. Can't help you on cables, seems like they stay in better shape the more I use them.

I spend a lot on lube and use it liberely, but only a little on cleaning products and rarely use them(ony after riding in the rain). It just works for me.

BTW shifter cable and brake cable are different.

Seattle Forrest

You could do it without SportTracks, but ST is a pretty nice app. Don't get too hung up on this feature, though.

Your drive-train stuff will last longer if you don't ride in the rain, if you lube and clean it when you need to, and stuff like that. Your tires will need replacing real quick if you do awesome skidz. My front shifter cable wore out real quick, probably from driving the bike around so much lately, with the cable rubbing against the back seat in my car. How long things will last winds up being a guess, and often a pretty wild one.

RecceDG

In my former life as a racing engineer, we had all kinds of components that were life cycled.

Front hubs every 40 hours of racing time. Transmission pulled and centre diff housing magnifluxed every 60 launches (full power standing starts) Etc.

A lot of trial and error involved in learning what the limits were.

Now it doesn't mean that a chain with a service limit of 4000 km will suddenly explode at 4001 km, but tracking service lives lets one plan when to expect to have to replace components and what stuff to keep an eye on - and a component that fails earlier than expected can be an indicator of other problems.

Yes, I know expected service life will vary with conditions. What I am looking for is a source that details what these expected service lives are.

DG

motorthings

they will mostly keep working well, until they stop working quite so well, which is just before they stop working well, and then a while again before they work fairly poorly.

everyone treats their components so differently, shifting more or less, cross-chaining more or less, cleaning their drivetrains more or less, riding in more or less dirty conditions with more or less watts and water and everything else that all bets are off and entropy rules the nice tight algorithms you once envisioned being possible.

Seattle Forrest

The most reliable source you'll find is your historical data, because it's closest to your current riding conditions, especially since it gets averaged over time.

milkbaby

Here's what people tend to say on the internetz: chain - 3000 miles; cassette - about 3x the chain (9000 miles); chainrings - 20000 to 40000 miles?; cables/housing - people seem to change every season or 2; STI shifters - until your can of WD-40 runs out.

armybikerider

I have 13,800 + miles on a SRAM PC 1070 chain and PG 1070 cassette on a Rival drivetrain (original equipment on my Lynskey 2009 R330). I clean the drivetrain every 150 - 200 miles, don't ride in the rain and most importantly back off the pedal pressure when I shift. Measuring for chain "stretch" (wear) using a variety of methods (metal ruler, chain measure guide etc) I'm at the upper end of tolerance, but still within. I recently tested a new chain on the old cassette thinking that the teeth might be so worn that a new chain would have trouble.....it worked perfectly. Everything else on the bike except for tires and tubes is all original equipment.

snowman40

I get about a year out of a chain and tires, couple years out of brake pads. 3 yearsish out of bar tape, 8 years out of the original wheels and cables and everything else is original. I use CycliStats to keep track of these types of items as I have no idea what the lifespan of any of them are and finding it is hard. I just estimate how long (in km) I think it should last and update that when I finally replace it.

Oh, I got rid of the ass hatchet of a saddle, but that isn't really consumable...well, it consumed chunks of my ass; does that count?

10 Wheels

Depends

halfspeed

Bikes aren't whatever it is that you raced.

Q: A: Think of it this way, if you replaced the engine in your racing machine with a bigger, heavier one, would you expect the transmission and the suspension to last as long as it did with a lighter smaller one?

Dilberto

Too many variables. Use your OWN historical data, based on your conditions and riding intensity. Start logging....

ThinLine

I rarely ride in the rain, have 3000+ miles on a Dura-Ace/Ultegra CF bike and 1200 miles on a sram force bike. Still ride like new.
I do 2.6 mile loops (yes I know ...boring) on baby bottom smooth tarmac.

rolliepollie

All depends on your acceptable level of risk, heh

rm -rf

Shifter cables can break suddenly, with no warnings. And shifting can be better with fresh cables. I should replace my shifter cables this year. Brake cables last a long time for me.

I replace other stuff as needed. Bearings start making noise or get harder to turn. Measure the chain for wear with a steel ruler. Check the brake pads for wear. Pull the seatpost at least once a year to check for corrosion.


I ended up replacing my rear derailleur at 18,000 miles. Even with careful cleaning and lube, the pivots were getting worn, enough to make sloppy shifts. What a difference! The new derailleur has a better design, with sturdier pivots.