How long do bike chain/gears last?
How long do bike chain/gears last?
I've done 2000 miles on my new bike.
How long can I expect the (9 speed) chain / chainwheel / sprockets to last?
Or to put it another way, when should I replace them?
If it depends upon "wear" rather than miles, how do I measure "wear"?
Thanks
How long can I expect the (9 speed) chain / chainwheel / sprockets to last?
Or to put it another way, when should I replace them?
If it depends upon "wear" rather than miles, how do I measure "wear"?
Thanks
Re: How long do bike chain/gears last?
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chain-wear.html#measure and replace when it's over 1/16" over 12"
How long it takes depends on maintenance, chain, phase of the moon...
How long it takes depends on maintenance, chain, phase of the moon...
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
Re: How long do bike chain/gears last?
When I first re-started cycling I got "ripped-off" by a bike shop who declared my chain and cassette were worn out and needed replacing (when I'm 99% sure they didn't need replacing). I've since learn my lesson and found bike shops I trust.
So, either check yourself or make sure you trust the bike shop you get to check it.
Ian
So, either check yourself or make sure you trust the bike shop you get to check it.
Ian
Re: How long do bike chain/gears last?
There are lots of threads on measuring chain wear - here is a recent one: viewtopic.php?t=114675
The conditions you ride in has a big impact on chain life. It will last much longer in dry weather on clean roads than on wet, mucky ones. Of course it also depends on how clean you keep it.
The conditions you ride in has a big impact on chain life. It will last much longer in dry weather on clean roads than on wet, mucky ones. Of course it also depends on how clean you keep it.
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Re: How long do bike chain/gears last?
LollyKat wrote:The conditions you ride in has a big impact on chain life. It will last much longer in dry weather on clean roads than on wet, mucky ones. Of course it also depends on how clean you keep it.
I had a chain with about 500 miles usage, and decided to ride 5 miles along the beach one day (also got caught be a wave before I could move out of the way ) After returning home (another 25 miles) The chain was history
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Re: How long do bike chain/gears last?
I'm not sure there is a way of measuring wear on sprockets. If you put on a new chain and it starts skipping on the sprockets it probably means they are worn, assuming everything else is adjusted properly ie the gears worked fine with the old chain. A Park Tool chain checker will give an indication of wear, but it may indicate more wear than there is - see other threads.
I have an 8 speed cassette that has been over 9000 miles. I may change it when the current chain wears out. How long chains and sprockets last depends where and when you ride, and how fussy you are about cleaning them. 8 speed chains are relatively cheap and robust.
I have an 8 speed cassette that has been over 9000 miles. I may change it when the current chain wears out. How long chains and sprockets last depends where and when you ride, and how fussy you are about cleaning them. 8 speed chains are relatively cheap and robust.
"It takes a genius to spot the obvious" - my old physics master.
I don't peddle bikes.
I don't peddle bikes.
Re: How long do bike chain/gears last?
As a chain wears, the teeth in the cassette and chainrings wear to match. If you put a new chain on a cassette that's been used with a worn chain, it will slip, and you'll have to put a new cassette on too. The point at which the new chain is likely to slip is at about 1/8" stretch* over 12" (measured between the same sides of the chain pins).
The reverse also happens - a chain running on a worn cassette wears faster than one on an unworn cassette, so the earlier you change chains, the more mileage you'll do before the cassette accumulates enough wear to cause problems (or excessive cost).
Hence @mjr's/Sheldon's recommendation to change at 1/16".
Alternatively, you can do as MikeF does, and keep using the chain for as long as everything is working OK.
You'll definitely need a new cassette with the new chain, and you'll probably find that the chainrings only last a couple of chain/cassette pairs before they need changing too.
As MikeF is on 8-speed, he could well be paying less for his cassettes than he is for his chains (I am, also 8-speed). In that case, throwing away a 1/4 worn chain to make a cheap cassette last longer is folly.
The actual rate of wear varies greatly, depending on maintenance, riding conditions, riding style etc.
If you've done 2000 miles, it is possible that you are already past the point at which a new chain will slip on your current cassette.
Take a ruler to your chain to find out.
Note that rulers are more accurate than chain checkers are. Checkers can often be pessimistic, leading you to change the chain more often than necessary (so pessimistic that an unused chain is shown as being in need of replacement, in some cases).
*
yes, I know it's not really stretch, but everyone knows what is meant. Would pedants kindly refrain from comment.
The reverse also happens - a chain running on a worn cassette wears faster than one on an unworn cassette, so the earlier you change chains, the more mileage you'll do before the cassette accumulates enough wear to cause problems (or excessive cost).
Hence @mjr's/Sheldon's recommendation to change at 1/16".
Alternatively, you can do as MikeF does, and keep using the chain for as long as everything is working OK.
You'll definitely need a new cassette with the new chain, and you'll probably find that the chainrings only last a couple of chain/cassette pairs before they need changing too.
As MikeF is on 8-speed, he could well be paying less for his cassettes than he is for his chains (I am, also 8-speed). In that case, throwing away a 1/4 worn chain to make a cheap cassette last longer is folly.
The actual rate of wear varies greatly, depending on maintenance, riding conditions, riding style etc.
If you've done 2000 miles, it is possible that you are already past the point at which a new chain will slip on your current cassette.
Take a ruler to your chain to find out.
Note that rulers are more accurate than chain checkers are. Checkers can often be pessimistic, leading you to change the chain more often than necessary (so pessimistic that an unused chain is shown as being in need of replacement, in some cases).
*
yes, I know it's not really stretch, but everyone knows what is meant. Would pedants kindly refrain from comment.
Re: How long do bike chain/gears last?
MikeF wrote:I'm not sure there is a way of measuring wear on sprockets...
Rohloff make a tool called an 'HG checker' which at least allows a pass/fail test on sprockets.
If a new chain is used (assuming it doesn't skip) on slightly worn sprockets/chainrings, I'm not sure that the wear rate is greatly increased except perhaps on the rollers. Unlike pin bushing wear, this may not greatly alter the chain life per se.
Another chain strategy is to use chain rotation; buy three or four chains and use each one in turn, changing to the next at regular intervals (say once every couple of weeks) until they are all worn 0.5% at which point you either buy new chains or you carry on with the ones you have until they (and the cassette) are really worn out. This scheme works well if you can buy inexpensive chains and they are fitted with a quicklink.
cheers
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Re: How long do bike chain/gears last?
Depends on quality of products, how it's looked after, style of riding ie winter commuting plays havoc with kit...
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
Re: How long do bike chain/gears last?
andrew_s wrote:The actual rate of wear varies greatly, depending on maintenance, riding conditions, riding style etc.
If you've done 2000 miles, it is possible that you are already past the point at which a new chain will slip on your current cassette.
Take a ruler to your chain to find out.
Eek, I hope not, because if the cassette is that worn then surely the chainrings will be worn too?
I was hoping the chain would last until this $hitty weather is over at which point I was going to replace it, but it would appear that I need to measure it now!
Re: How long do bike chain/gears last?
I recently read an e-book on chains and their care called Everything you need to know about Bicycle Chains: A book of special insights for expert mechanics by Johan Bornman.
Despite the title it is for anyone interested in the subject. I encountered a few errors, but the gist of it is good and I think much of it will be new to the typical cyclist. It’s also inexpensive, short, and highly readable. Available on Amazon and recommended.
Despite the title it is for anyone interested in the subject. I encountered a few errors, but the gist of it is good and I think much of it will be new to the typical cyclist. It’s also inexpensive, short, and highly readable. Available on Amazon and recommended.
Re: How long do bike chain/gears last?
Chainrings are different - they can be very obviously worn and still not slip.Scunnered wrote:Eek, I hope not, because if the cassette is that worn then surely the chainrings will be worn too?
Re: How long do bike chain/gears last?
andrew_s wrote:Chainrings are different - they can be very obviously worn and still not slip.Scunnered wrote:Eek, I hope not, because if the cassette is that worn then surely the chainrings will be worn too?
Out of interest (not questioning) why different/why not?
One LBS I really trust (after several visits where they checked my chain and declared it OK despite the high mileage) also said about this and (from memory) my large (compact double) chainring lasted around 4 chains/2 cassettes. When they became work they referred to the teeth as "sharks teeth".
Ian
Re: How long do bike chain/gears last?
Much larger - many more teeth engaged
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
Re: How long do bike chain/gears last?
skipping on worn cassette sprockets (with a new chain) occurs because the chain is required to engage with the rear sprocket when it is not under full tension; any hooking of the teeth will easily prevent the chain from engaging and the result is that part of the chain sits on top of the teeth and skips one tooth as it is carried round. More pedalling load on the chain drags the chain rollers further into the hooked teeth and obstructs the chain engagement where the chain is fed onto the teeth as is comes out of the rear mech.
By contrast at the front the chain engages with the chainring when it is under full (pedalling) tension. It can't easily skip in the same way.
There is also a difference in the way the teeth wear. If the old chain is 1% worn (say) it wants to sit on a diameter that is 1% larger on both sprocket and chainring. This is a small amount of diameter increase on a small sprocket but it is a larger amount on a chainring. The result is that the wear is concentrated in a small area of the tooth with a typical worn sprocket, but the wear is spread out over a larger area on each chainring tooth, making severe hooking less likely. Even though the chainrings are often made of softer material than sprockets, the wear pattern is usually less aggressive as a result.
If a new-ish, small chainring is subject to aggressive conditions of wear that do manage to hook the teeth (eg via plastic deformation) before the chain has elongated, you can get 'chainsuck', where the chain doesn't want to disengage at the bottom of the chainring. This can happen on the smallest chainring of a touring bike or an MTB, but is relatively uncommon; it is more common that the teeth are abrasively worn as the chain elongates, and the net result is that chain continues to disengage from the teeth OK. Occasionally you will have to 'de-hook' a small chainring (eg by filing) when fitting a new chain to it, but that isn't very commonly required. Most riders report that if this happens, changing to a harder chainring solves the problem such that it doesn't recur.
cheers
By contrast at the front the chain engages with the chainring when it is under full (pedalling) tension. It can't easily skip in the same way.
There is also a difference in the way the teeth wear. If the old chain is 1% worn (say) it wants to sit on a diameter that is 1% larger on both sprocket and chainring. This is a small amount of diameter increase on a small sprocket but it is a larger amount on a chainring. The result is that the wear is concentrated in a small area of the tooth with a typical worn sprocket, but the wear is spread out over a larger area on each chainring tooth, making severe hooking less likely. Even though the chainrings are often made of softer material than sprockets, the wear pattern is usually less aggressive as a result.
If a new-ish, small chainring is subject to aggressive conditions of wear that do manage to hook the teeth (eg via plastic deformation) before the chain has elongated, you can get 'chainsuck', where the chain doesn't want to disengage at the bottom of the chainring. This can happen on the smallest chainring of a touring bike or an MTB, but is relatively uncommon; it is more common that the teeth are abrasively worn as the chain elongates, and the net result is that chain continues to disengage from the teeth OK. Occasionally you will have to 'de-hook' a small chainring (eg by filing) when fitting a new chain to it, but that isn't very commonly required. Most riders report that if this happens, changing to a harder chainring solves the problem such that it doesn't recur.
cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~