rdtompki

In an earlier thread discussing chain wear here I had mentioned getting grit in a brand new chain which I considered unrecoverable. Some months ago I resurrected the zombie chain, given it a thorough cleaning and pronouncing it healed.

Six weeks ago I switched cassettes (11-36) and never could get it completely dialed in. I was considering trying my spare RD, lubing the cable, etc. when in a moment for tardy inspiration I got out my low tech chain checker: the 1% gauge dropped in easily.

Now this chain cannot possibly have more than 1500 miles on it, I be surprised at more than 1000 (I'm about to get book keeping religion). Maybe a simple green soak would have actually resurrected the chain. Maybe wife and I produce massive amounts of power when climbing, maybe tandems can just be hard on chains.

Lesson learned - when in doubt check the chain. It takes 47.5 nanoseconds to do so and I spent hours with the tandem on the stand trying to get the shifting dead on. This is a basic truth when troubleshooting anything; always, always hit the low hanging fruit first.

Carbonfiberboy 

I've been using Finish Line Ceramic Wet for years. It's the stuff. I'm amazed at how little chain wear I get, even riding all winter in the PNW. I use one of those brush-box cleaners with paint thinner, wipe dry, dry with a heat gun, then apply the lube while warm, run the chain for another couple of minutes while heat-gunning, then wipe dry. After the first ride after cleaning, I apply more lube, again with heat and wipe dry. Then it's usually good until it starts looking groady, when I restart the process. If I get a lot of riding done in clean conditions, I might reapply again between cleanings. Mostly I just wipe it after a ride and don't reapply.

I had a chain suck last ride, really bad. Had to reset the N-Stop which got rotated around. I hate it when that happens and everyone disappears in the distance, never to be seen again. Shifted like a charm the rest of the ride. Tomorrow's project is to take all the rings off and look for burrs to file.

rdtompki

We just don't ride in the rain down here. Lighthouse wasn't even a rain, just fog/mist and damp, gritty shoulders. In any event I was thinking about changing lubes since the Rock n Roll Gold seems to really attract dirt. I apply the lube and really wipe the chain down extremely well, but there is enough left on the chain to attract dirt.

zonatandem

Curious . . . what brand of chain?

Shimagnolo

Unless your checker is the Shimano TL-CN41, pitch it and use a ruler to measure the chain.
The other checkers are primarily for *selling* chains, not measuring real wear.
Explanation here: https://pardo.net/bike/pic/fail-004/000.html

rdtompki

FWIW, I measured the chain with a steel rule and came up with 100%. Obviously, wear patterns for different brands and riding conditions will vary, but I would think it possible to design one of these simple gauges to provide a go/no-go based on typical wear, taking into account the erroneous contribution of some of the component wear.

diabloridr

As the link states, the other checkers are conservative, which is good enough for me (I use a Park CC-3, FWIW).

I'd rather error conservatively on replacing a relatively cheap chain, than get every last bit of use from a chain and perhaps end up replacing an expensive cassette or chainrings more often necessary.

YMMV.

oldacura

Shimagnolo -

Thanks for the link - quite educational.

My technique for measuring chain wear is to use a 6" digital caliper (which I already have). If I use the inside - inside part of the caliper I can open it up to measure 6 full links. The roller diameter is nominally 0.300". So, 6" of chain minus one roller diameter should be 5.700" for a perfect (new) chain. If I use the 1% rule on 6" of chain, this is 0.06". So, a chain worn to 1% would measure 5.760".

This may not be exact per the link you posted but it is an easy way to multiply the 1% to something easily measured.

Does this sound like a reasonable approach?

rdtompki

Or 1/8" in 12 inches is just a snitch over 1%. In my case I was over 1%, just was too dumb to check the chain first.

Many years ago I was following a diagnostic procedure (in a manual) on one of my cars. After 2-3 hours I got down the tree to a 10 minute test that discovered the failed relay. I hope the guy who wrote the procedure found another line of work. Oh, wait, it might have been me.