Cycling UK Forum

Been through 2 chains in extremely short mileage as some of you may know.

I now need another chain and freewheel.

I’m just a bit conscious of maybe the chainring causing premature chain wear.

The front rings are original and probably done around 4K miles.



What do you all think? Are they ok or could they be causing my chain stretch issues?

Are you deciding that your chain is spent because it is slipping, or because a chain measuring thing is telling you it is spent?

The teeth on the chainrings look a bit worn but I have seen and used worse.

pwa wrote:Are you deciding that your chain is spent because it is slipping, or because a chain measuring thing is telling you it is spent?

The teeth on the chainrings look a bit worn but I have seen and used worse.

Chain has been measured

See pic attached in my previous thread bottom post of this page link

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=120916&start=75

smallest chainring is somewhat worn but the others are OK.

cheers

Fraz101 wrote:

pwa wrote:Are you deciding that your chain is spent because it is slipping, or because a chain measuring thing is telling you it is spent?

The teeth on the chainrings look a bit worn but I have seen and used worse.

Chain has been measured

See pic attached in my previous thread bottom post of this page link

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=120916&start=75

In a bit of a rush now but will look later. If the gears are working fine now but you are thinking of changing the freewheel (or cassette as the case may be) why not just maintain and continue to use until things don't work so well? I don't measure for wear and I get lots more wear out of gear parts and chains. I reckon those chain measurers just get folk to bin things sooner than they need to and don't make the chainrings last much, if any, longer.

pwa wrote:

Fraz101 wrote:

pwa wrote:Are you deciding that your chain is spent because it is slipping, or because a chain measuring thing is telling you it is spent?

The teeth on the chainrings look a bit worn but I have seen and used worse.

Chain has been measured

See pic attached in my previous thread bottom post of this page link

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=120916&start=75

In a bit of a rush now but will look later. If the gears are working fine now but you are thinking of changing the freewheel (or cassette as the case may be) why not just maintain and continue to use until things don't work so well? I don't measure for wear and I get lots more wear out of gear parts and chains. I reckon those chain measurers just get folk to bin things sooner than they need to and don't make the chainrings last much, if any, longer.

Gear changes are really slow and feel rough.

worn chain etc won't help but if shifting is poor then there could be all kinds of problems with the rest of the transmission too. RDs don't last for ever and cheap RDs can wear out in no time really.

cheers

pwa wrote:In a bit of a rush now but will look later. If the gears are working fine now but you are thinking of changing the freewheel (or cassette as the case may be) why not just maintain and continue to use until things don't work so well? I don't measure for wear and I get lots more wear out of gear parts and chains. I reckon those chain measurers just get folk to bin things sooner than they need to and don't make the chainrings last much, if any, longer.

In days of yore I didn't check chain "stretch" either. Inevitably, the need soon arose to replace not just the chain but also the chainrings and the freewheel. This happened at least once a year; sooner in the racing-training years of 1000+ miles per month. And how much efficiency had I lost riding those items until they were all knackered?

Nowadays I measure the chain and chuck it at 0.75% wear. This costs a new chain but they can be had for £15, or less if you shop about for a sale somewhere. They still last circa 2000 miles if looked after. The chainrings and sprocket cogs seem to last forever under this regime. I haven't changed any on any of the 4 bikes I have, from 10 to 4 years old. I've done tens of thousands of miles in the past 10 years.

Cugel

Brucey wrote:worn chain etc won't help but if shifting is poor then there could be all kinds of problems with the rest of the transmission too. RDs don't last for ever and cheap RDs can wear out in no time really.

cheers

It’s definitely due to stretched chain,when I put a new chain on the gear change is perfect

Cugel wrote:

pwa wrote:In a bit of a rush now but will look later. If the gears are working fine now but you are thinking of changing the freewheel (or cassette as the case may be) why not just maintain and continue to use until things don't work so well? I don't measure for wear and I get lots more wear out of gear parts and chains. I reckon those chain measurers just get folk to bin things sooner than they need to and don't make the chainrings last much, if any, longer.

In days of yore I didn't check chain "stretch" either. Inevitably, the need soon arose to replace not just the chain but also the chainrings and the freewheel. This happened at least once a year; sooner in the racing-training years of 1000+ miles per month. And how much efficiency had I lost riding those items until they were all knackered?

Nowadays I measure the chain and chuck it at 0.75% wear. This costs a new chain but they can be had for £15, or less if you shop about for a sale somewhere. They still last circa 2000 miles if looked after. The chainrings and sprocket cogs seem to last forever under this regime. I haven't changed any on any of the 4 bikes I have, from 10 to 4 years old. I've done tens of thousands of miles in the past 10 years.

Cugel

That sounds fine. Changing chains a bit more than I do, but just chains. The OP is thinking of changing cassette (or freewheel) after only 4000 miles, and possibly chainrings! To me that is an astonishingly quick rate of wear. I might expect that if I were riding on Blackpool beach every day.

pwa wrote:

Cugel wrote:

pwa wrote:In a bit of a rush now but will look later. If the gears are working fine now but you are thinking of changing the freewheel (or cassette as the case may be) why not just maintain and continue to use until things don't work so well? I don't measure for wear and I get lots more wear out of gear parts and chains. I reckon those chain measurers just get folk to bin things sooner than they need to and don't make the chainrings last much, if any, longer.

In days of yore I didn't check chain "stretch" either. Inevitably, the need soon arose to replace not just the chain but also the chainrings and the freewheel. This happened at least once a year; sooner in the racing-training years of 1000+ miles per month. And how much efficiency had I lost riding those items until they were all knackered?

Nowadays I measure the chain and chuck it at 0.75% wear. This costs a new chain but they can be had for £15, or less if you shop about for a sale somewhere. They still last circa 2000 miles if looked after. The chainrings and sprocket cogs seem to last forever under this regime. I haven't changed any on any of the 4 bikes I have, from 10 to 4 years old. I've done tens of thousands of miles in the past 10 years.

Cugel

That sounds fine. Changing chains a bit more than I do, but just chains. The OP is thinking of changing cassette (or freewheel) after only 4000 miles, and possibly chainrings! To me that is an astonishingly quick rate of wear. I might expect that if I were riding on Blackpool beach every day.

This will be my 3rd chain inside 6months and less than 500miles,the last 2 chains lasting less than 200miles each and I can't put another new chain on this freewheel as it slips in 7th gear.

Fraz101 wrote:

Brucey wrote:worn chain etc won't help but if shifting is poor then there could be all kinds of problems with the rest of the transmission too. RDs don't last for ever and cheap RDs can wear out in no time really.

cheers

It’s definitely due to stretched chain,when I put a new chain on the gear change is perfect

yes but the point at which a new chain becomes 'old' is sooner with (say) a worn mech, shifting-wise. It all adds up.

FWIW the smallest sprocket on a freewheel/cassette often becomes worn more quickly than the others, if you use it much; the reason is partly just 'cause it is small and partly because it is usually made differently from the others, and may be less hard.

cheers

I confess there is something going on that I don't understand. I'm still on 9 speed stuff, so maybe that makes a difference, but I'd give up on cycling if chains only lasted 500 miles.

It looks like the small chainring is worn the most. If this is used with the small sprockets frequently the "cross chaining" as it's called could have led to early failure. Try to use the middle chainring and bigger sprockets more.

rjb wrote:It looks like the small chainring is worn the most. If this is used with the small sprockets frequently the "cross chaining" as it's called could have led to early failure. Try to use the middle chainring and bigger sprockets more.

Yes small cog front and rear is a habit i'm going to need to change.