How often do you change your chain?
How often do you change your chain?
Just got out from the library Matt Seaton's "On your bike". Not sure that I could recommend it. However in it he suggests replacing chains twice a year to save the hassle of cleaning and prevent wear of other components. His argument is that chains are cheap. So what do you think of this idea? And how often do you lot change your chains?
"Marriage is a wonderful invention; but then again so is the bicycle puncture repair kit." - Billy Connolly
Change my chain? Why? Because it's dirty?
Clean it!
It takes ten minutes to take it off and clean it, a further ten minutes for it to dry, and another ten minutes to fit it and lubricate.
A whole half hour.
I believe you can buy cheap chains, so Matt Seaton's argument could be ok. If you bought a cheap chain, maybe it wouldn't last very long anyway.
My Campagnolo 9sp chain cost around £17. I'm on the same chain after more than 6000 miles. It has no detectable wear because I keep it clean and use a good lubricant.
A clean transmission is a happy transmission!
Sorry if I've come over a bit strong, but it's a hobby horse of mine.
Clean it!
It takes ten minutes to take it off and clean it, a further ten minutes for it to dry, and another ten minutes to fit it and lubricate.
A whole half hour.
I believe you can buy cheap chains, so Matt Seaton's argument could be ok. If you bought a cheap chain, maybe it wouldn't last very long anyway.
My Campagnolo 9sp chain cost around £17. I'm on the same chain after more than 6000 miles. It has no detectable wear because I keep it clean and use a good lubricant.
A clean transmission is a happy transmission!
Sorry if I've come over a bit strong, but it's a hobby horse of mine.
Mick F. Cornwall
I was rather suprised about this idea and yes I do clean my chain (using a chain cleaner not by taking it off - do you split the chain to take it off). To me it seems a rather wasteful suggestion and anyway I clean my chain much more often than he suggested changing it.
BTW Shimano chains start at around 9 quid. Assuming you clean chains regularily how long should they last?
Another question; what is the situation with Campag and Shimano chains, can you use a Campag chain on Shimano 8 speed? Finally who makes the best chains? I suspect that the one on mine (Dawes) is likely to be a bit of a cheapo one.
BTW Shimano chains start at around 9 quid. Assuming you clean chains regularily how long should they last?
Another question; what is the situation with Campag and Shimano chains, can you use a Campag chain on Shimano 8 speed? Finally who makes the best chains? I suspect that the one on mine (Dawes) is likely to be a bit of a cheapo one.
"Marriage is a wonderful invention; but then again so is the bicycle puncture repair kit." - Billy Connolly
I use SRAM PC48s on my shimano 6 & 8 speeds. They cost £6 each (Spa cycles amongst others). They are a different, possibly better, design of link pin which keeps the clean lubricant in the bushes of the chain more effectivly.
I got through my first shimano chain in 1300 miles and it was much extended.
I used the SRAMs to 2000 each with no noticable extension but at £6each I retired them while swopping the rear deraileur. However they do get a full wash and soaking in gear oil every 100-200 miles which takes some time.
This is made much easier as they come with the special 'power link' which you can undo without tools very quickly.
This is one of the rare occasions where you dont have to spend a lot of money for a very useful component. The chains are so cheap compared to the chainrings and cassettes it is hard to justify not changing them on financial grounds but to avoid waste I think I will use the present pair of chains until I can detect some extension.
I got through my first shimano chain in 1300 miles and it was much extended.
I used the SRAMs to 2000 each with no noticable extension but at £6each I retired them while swopping the rear deraileur. However they do get a full wash and soaking in gear oil every 100-200 miles which takes some time.
This is made much easier as they come with the special 'power link' which you can undo without tools very quickly.
This is one of the rare occasions where you dont have to spend a lot of money for a very useful component. The chains are so cheap compared to the chainrings and cassettes it is hard to justify not changing them on financial grounds but to avoid waste I think I will use the present pair of chains until I can detect some extension.
Again!
A new chain has the pins at 1/2" centres. Measure a nominal 12" length of chain, if it comes up 1/16" long, change it immediately & there will be no damage to the sprockets. If it has elongated beyond that expect the new chain to jump on the most used &/or the smallest rear sprockets - or put it another way you need a new cassette. If the chain has elongated to +1/8" then expect damage to the chainrings as well.
A new chain has the pins at 1/2" centres. Measure a nominal 12" length of chain, if it comes up 1/16" long, change it immediately & there will be no damage to the sprockets. If it has elongated beyond that expect the new chain to jump on the most used &/or the smallest rear sprockets - or put it another way you need a new cassette. If the chain has elongated to +1/8" then expect damage to the chainrings as well.
If at first you don't succeed - cheat!!
PW,
I wasn't asking how to detect whether a chain is worn too much but rather whether anyone threw them away rather than cleaning them as was suggested by Matt Seaton. I don't socialise with experienced cyclists and I wondered if this was something that people "in the know" did (even though I thought it a rather strange and very wasteful idea. Mind you it has encouraged me to go and measure my chain and get an SRAM chain if it needs replacing
Regards
Chris
I wasn't asking how to detect whether a chain is worn too much but rather whether anyone threw them away rather than cleaning them as was suggested by Matt Seaton. I don't socialise with experienced cyclists and I wondered if this was something that people "in the know" did (even though I thought it a rather strange and very wasteful idea. Mind you it has encouraged me to go and measure my chain and get an SRAM chain if it needs replacing
Regards
Chris
"Marriage is a wonderful invention; but then again so is the bicycle puncture repair kit." - Billy Connolly
I changed one on the hack at the weekend. It had done 1,550 miles, mainly on gritty canal towpaths. SRAM are as good as any, better than some, and the quick link makes life easy. One of their senior management apparently stated that the expensive chains may look better but the wear rates are the same.
Let your computer earn its keep, once you know how long your chains run before they're crackered. Chains are cheaper than cassettes & chainrings. The computer trick works with other things too. A bike is a lot more reliable if you can change parts *before* they give up the ghost!
Let your computer earn its keep, once you know how long your chains run before they're crackered. Chains are cheaper than cassettes & chainrings. The computer trick works with other things too. A bike is a lot more reliable if you can change parts *before* they give up the ghost!
If at first you don't succeed - cheat!!
The old Mity3 was *so* much better.I'm a Road man, not an Off Road man, so I don't suffer from "Gritty" chains.
I use "White Lightning":
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.a ... 5360008862
Wiggle do a whole range of White Lightning products, including for wet and extreme conditions. Smaller bottles too.
It's absolutely great. It "wears off", shedding the grit and muck as it goes. Just drizzle on some more every now and again. The bottle sounds expensive, but it last ages. Just follow the instructions.
I totally clean the chain and cassette every four or five hundred miles or so, and as I said, my chain has done over 6000 miles with no detectable wear.
I do think that the more expensive chains may not last longer per £ spent than a cheap chain, but I'm sure they DO actually last longer.
Agree, change bits BEFORE they need it, to give you a reliable machine!
Talking of reliable, my Mity 8 computer works just fine! And I keep an accurate Bike Diary.
I use "White Lightning":
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.a ... 5360008862
Wiggle do a whole range of White Lightning products, including for wet and extreme conditions. Smaller bottles too.
It's absolutely great. It "wears off", shedding the grit and muck as it goes. Just drizzle on some more every now and again. The bottle sounds expensive, but it last ages. Just follow the instructions.
I totally clean the chain and cassette every four or five hundred miles or so, and as I said, my chain has done over 6000 miles with no detectable wear.
I do think that the more expensive chains may not last longer per £ spent than a cheap chain, but I'm sure they DO actually last longer.
Agree, change bits BEFORE they need it, to give you a reliable machine!
Talking of reliable, my Mity 8 computer works just fine! And I keep an accurate Bike Diary.
Mick F. Cornwall
I used to clean chains, but I remember it as a horribly messy and slow job, that took a great deal longer than half an hour just for the cleaning, after which it seemed that one of my main acheivements had been to transfer an amount of grit from the outside of the chain, where it wasn't doing any harm, to the inside, where it made the "clean" chain feel rough, even after drying and relubricating!
Maybe I was using the wrong sort of solvent and technique. I daresay I wasn't doing it often enough, so the dirt had become too solid for easy removal. Whatever: the job did not give enough satisfaction to encourage more frequent repetition, when with four people's bikes to look after (three bikes each) I could see my evenings might easily be occupied by chain cleaning and little else!
Nevertheless: in a final attempt to do the "right" thing I got one of those chain cleaning gadgets. Complete disaster. The little brushes were better at losing bristles than removing dirt and the second time I went to use it I found the solvent had half-dissoved the rubber wipers.
I figured I would galdly pay £6 (the price of new Sram PC48, bought in bulk) to avoid spending hours up to my elbows in filth, fiddling at chainlinks with a toothbrush. So I stopped bothering and nowadays just keep dripping on more oil until they're sufficiently worn to throw away. The only drivetrain cleaning I do is to chisel the black gunk off the teeth when it gets thick and dry enough to come away in satisfying chunks!
I nevertheless respect those who have the dedication and patience to clean chains. I just don't think it's realistic to expect most people to do that.
Maybe I was using the wrong sort of solvent and technique. I daresay I wasn't doing it often enough, so the dirt had become too solid for easy removal. Whatever: the job did not give enough satisfaction to encourage more frequent repetition, when with four people's bikes to look after (three bikes each) I could see my evenings might easily be occupied by chain cleaning and little else!
Nevertheless: in a final attempt to do the "right" thing I got one of those chain cleaning gadgets. Complete disaster. The little brushes were better at losing bristles than removing dirt and the second time I went to use it I found the solvent had half-dissoved the rubber wipers.
I figured I would galdly pay £6 (the price of new Sram PC48, bought in bulk) to avoid spending hours up to my elbows in filth, fiddling at chainlinks with a toothbrush. So I stopped bothering and nowadays just keep dripping on more oil until they're sufficiently worn to throw away. The only drivetrain cleaning I do is to chisel the black gunk off the teeth when it gets thick and dry enough to come away in satisfying chunks!
I nevertheless respect those who have the dedication and patience to clean chains. I just don't think it's realistic to expect most people to do that.
Chris Juden
One lady owner, never raced or jumped.
One lady owner, never raced or jumped.
The hack gets highly abused, ridden through floods(!) & all sorts of gunk - not because I'm a mountain biker but because the commute runs along a canal towpath & disused railway line & I need to get to work in all weathers. I used to take the chain off, hang it on the shed door, spray it with WD40 , wipe down, do it again, leave to drain & finally re-lube. Now I can't be bothered, it gets a regular dose of oil - current lot is gearbox oil I found in the back of the shed during a clearout, must have been there since I sold the car in '80 - & I bin it when it's shot at. For some reason the mileage has gone up, my old 6 speeds died at 1,000 miles, give or take 30, the latest 9 speed on the hack made 1550 & probably had another 100 in it when I binned it on Sunday.
If at first you don't succeed - cheat!!
Oh! Good grief! How many time do I have to say this?
It has been debated on this Forum before.
Take off your chain, place it in a tub with a tight-fitting lid. (Some said to use a plastic Coke bottle) Half fill with a "solvent" - I use Gunk Engine Degreaser - and give the thing a good shaking. When your arm gets tired, swap arms and shake again. ad infinitum. Until you've had enough.
Pull it out, place it in the washing-up bowl with v hot water and washing-up liquid, give it a good "shoogling" about, rinse and hang out to dry.
Re-fit the chain, and lubricate with White Lightning.
Do it lots.
DO IT REGULARLY.
Dead easy.
Clean chain, happy chain!
(By the way, you can re-use the Gunk many, many times)
It has been debated on this Forum before.
Take off your chain, place it in a tub with a tight-fitting lid. (Some said to use a plastic Coke bottle) Half fill with a "solvent" - I use Gunk Engine Degreaser - and give the thing a good shaking. When your arm gets tired, swap arms and shake again. ad infinitum. Until you've had enough.
Pull it out, place it in the washing-up bowl with v hot water and washing-up liquid, give it a good "shoogling" about, rinse and hang out to dry.
Re-fit the chain, and lubricate with White Lightning.
Do it lots.
DO IT REGULARLY.
Dead easy.
Clean chain, happy chain!
(By the way, you can re-use the Gunk many, many times)
Mick F. Cornwall