Moisture

My Trek Verve E-Bike is roughly roughly 0.6% worn, according to my chain wear checker after 1400km. I plan to replace the chain once it can easily slip through "0.75". At this point, I can push it all the way through when using some resistance.

I figure that, while it's not drastically worn out or anything, it's getting fairly close to the point where the rest of the drivetrain will start to wear much quicker. I changed my rear cassette to something with different ratios about 400km ago.

Does this sort of wear give any indication to how much stress the chain has been subjected to throughout its use? What sort of mileage intervals can you expect an average chain to endure under different riding conditions?

cxwrench

As Kerry Irons says "How long is a piece of string?"

Litespud

IME chain wear checkers are not particularly accurate*. If you want to do it right and consistently, get yourself a good steel >12" ruler with 1/32" gradations, directly measure the stretched-out chain and do the math. Rulers never go out of adjustment. As for how long does a chain last, depends on many factors - riding conditions, rider weight and power, terrain, extent of maintenance, etc etc. I would think that a well-maintained chain used by an average enthusiast fair-weather rider on normal roads should last 3-4000 miles, but that's a guesstimate based on not much.
*The first and last one I bought - a Park, told me that my new chain was at 0.75%

Rolla

I get 1500-2000 miles out of a chain most of the time -- maybe more, but that's when I change them. To me, a new chain is cheap drivetrain insurance.

Moisture

It seems to me like chainrings and cassettes wear slower than the chain. As long as your drivetrain is all equally worn out, you can get a ton of useful service life from the three parts without causing extra wear on one part versus another .

​​​​​My e bike is either being thrashed, climbing hills, hauling groceries or any combination of the three, along with being regularly subjected to conditions which are downright horrifying for the drivetrain. Rain.. mud, lots of sand, etc. I do try my best to keep the drivetrain clean or at least properly oiled, but id expected the wear I got after just 1400km to be on the extreme side .

Moisture

Litespud I tried my Amazon chain wear checker on four different bikes, including a brand new chain. I seem to have gotten very accurate results with it.

I agree that the ruler method would be the most accurate way to check. But neither methods would account for side to side wear of the chain.

Moisture

As the drivetrain started to wear, I noticed that I constantly have to tighten the barrel adjustor on either the shifter or rear derailleur to get the bike to downshift properly. Otherwise it will lag a few seconds or not shift at all. Its very difficult for me to get the line tension dialed in for both up/downshifts for very long. I'll see if replacing the chain will help with it.

Also, my e bike downshifts rather roughly under power, even though it's designed to detect gear shifts and cut power. This will definitely put extra wear on the rear cassette as well as chain.

dedhed

From my machine shop and surveying experience, I prefer a 14 or 15" as then you can "cut an inch" and run between 1 & 13" to line things up better and get more accurate readings.

​​​​​​https://www.officedepot.com/a/produc...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

sdmc530

Yep, I use a ruler and just measure. Being I am a wax user I have a two or three chain rotation for use on my road bikes. So the 2-3 chains I have on the bike take me about 5 or 7 years to go though. I average 2-3 thousand miles per year on my trainer bike and maybe 500 miles on my "superbike". Another 1000 on the gravel bike.

qwaalodge

That is A LOT but then you're probably crunching huge power with that e-bike.

Few things I do to maximize life out of chain - avoid riding in the rain if you can. Maintain consistent cadence which means shifting as often as needed to maintain cadence. Because if you're using just one or two gears all the time, those cogs will wear faster. A worn cog will accelerate wear on chain and you'll be replacing that cassette sooner too. And finally, keep your chain clean. If using wet lube, wipe the chain down with rag after every ride.

Iride01 

Moisture My previous bike I had to replace the chain when only 4500 to maybe as much a 5500 miles on it. That was the soonest I've ever replaced a chain. I'm thinking it might have been because I did ride that bike up hills in the big/big combo quite often. But no other catastrophe that the Cross Chaining is Evil people seem to allude too. I run my current bike with Di2 in full synchro mode so it never gets into a big/big or small/small situation and the chain seems to be well on it's way to exceed the previous bike's chain by a long distance.

On an e-bike, I might suspect that you are pulling off from stops or accelerating hard when in too high a gear ratio. The additional help an e-bike motor provides seems like it could easily hide the fact you are in too high a gear ratio and putting a lot of stress on things that can't handle the truth stress! <grin>

rm -rf

I have the Park Tool adjustable chain checker, with the sliding pin and % readout. It's quick and easy. But it's measuring roller wear more than elongation of the chain.

I also use this machinist ruler. It's stamped "D. B. & S. Prov. R I." It could easily be 120 years old or more!

It's hard to keep a ruler aligned with the chain. I have to look at it straight on at both ends to be reasonably accurate. I measure against the edge of a pin, not the side plate. I pinch the chain against the ruler at the 1 inch mark and read the 13 inch area.

To speed up the process a little, I put tape markers on the ruler at 1 inch and 13 1/16. The ruler is in 32nds.

2/32 = 0.52% ( the math: 2/(12*32)=0.0052 )
3/32 is 0.78%
So just 1/32 is a significant amount of wear. The ruler method needs careful accuracy to be useful.

Germany_chris

Lots of folks have answered you question so I’m not going to comment on that. My local bike shop tends to have sales on chains every couple of months on different brands so when KMC goes on sale I buy 5. Since I ride all winter I just replace the chain at season change a 15-20 chain is far cheaper than 50-150 chainring and/or cassette. I do the same thing with brake pads and the like

delbiker1 

I get a lot of miles on all the drivetrain components. I live and ride in a mostly flat area on paved roads that are in good shape, overall. I throw in a mix of off-pavement, occasionally. I am usually around 155 lbs.. do not mash and do not do all that much braking. I keep my bikes clean and properly lubricated. My bikes usually get a lot of grit and grime only on windy days with sand and dirt blowing, wet pavement, or on the occasion I go on gravel or cinder roads or paths. When any of that happens, a quick cleaning is done right away. Pretty sure all that helps the mileage.

Moisture

So I just replaced the chain today.. and the new one is about 3 links short too short even with the master links added in. I will contact my LBS and ask them for some spare links.

andrewclaus

I seldom get 4000 miles from a chain. My wife seldom gets less than 5000 miles from a chain. We ride a lot together and we have the same chains. I will occasionally ride in rain, she will not. I often have to wait for her on climbs, and I do more climbing when cycling alone. Those few differences matter. From what I've seen of some e-bike riders, I wouldn't be surprised if their chains would wear twice as fast.

GhostRider62

Cheap commuter chain with poor maintenance? 500-800 miles

12 Speed SRAM chain waxed and ridden in dry conditions? 10,000 miles easily

bblair

I have almost 7000 miles on my current chain and it still measures dead on. But, I am certainly not the strongest guy in the peloton.

My tandem chain was recently replaced with maybe 1500 miles and it was so sloppy that the timing chain fell off a few times.

So I guess that means that there is no answer to "how long does a chain last," any more than "How long do tires last."

alcjphil

Important to note that the OP's bike uses a mid drive system. Mid drives put a lot more strain on the chain than ebikes that have motors located in the wheel hubs which actually reduce chain wear

deacon mark

I get 8-10 thousand miles, I spin and live in the flatlands. Try and keep it reasonably clean but not crazy OCD about it. They last me a long time and cassettes to. 11 spd 6800.

rm -rf

It seems that
Sit and spin: long chain life.
Bigger riders with big watts, sprint starts and/or steep hill climbs: shorter life.

shelbyfv

OP's admitted inability to properly adjust his rear derailleur may hasten chain wear.

Moisture

Shifting performance has improved dramatically up and down the cassette, particularly when downshifting under power, approaching a hill This suredly will put much less strain on the rear cassette as well as chain.

Moisture

More than likely a slightly bent derailleur hangar or pulleys...

shelbyfv

Well, if anyone could bend a pulley I suppose it would be you! As so many others have, I encourage you to build a relationship with a shop that has even a minimally competent mechanic. Your bike will love you for it.