Originally Posted by
cuyd
I know that in normal conditions it's poor maintenance that kills most chains, but you have to take in account that the load on drivetrain is highest when you're doing something odd, like sprinting uphill on high gear. If somebody has enough power to do it then such loads, even in short time, could put much bigger stress on components than few months of casual riding. In fact it could be totally different kind of stress, more like short bursts of very high mechanical pressure instead of prolonged linear stretching over time. And given that even best components could have subpar batches, IMO it's totally possible to happen.
Yes uphill sprinting in a high gear will take its toll but there would likely be other issues involved to wear out a chain in a ride or two. Like I said there could be an issue with the chain before it was installed or as a result of poor install which is not a common issue and not one to blame on chains. Maybe Robert Forstemann aka Quadzilla could go through a chain in a single ride but he is a monster and that would still be some impressive riding and probably a poor chain. Breaking a chain is different that could happen in a single ride for a multitude of reasons however I am talking wear only.
In your case again figure out what is going wrong and solve that problem. Why are your chains wearing out quickly? Make sure everything is properly adjusted, maybe also measure chainline (which normally I don't care about) and make sure you are maintaining things properly. Most people don't wear through chains quickly without something going wrong usually on their end not on the chains end. If it is a single chain then you could chalk that up to a bad batch or something odd but if it is multiple chains it is a sign there is an issue or issues and those need to be solved first before saying it is the chain manufacturer or I need to buy a lot of cheap stuff because of that.
As a heavier rider and someone who has had 3 single speeds as an adult and plans for another as well as a bunch of other bikes. I don't go through chains in any crazy fashion. I do replace them when needed but I generally try to keep them clean and lubricated. I use a wax lube so sometimes I am not as thorough with the cleaning but I make sure things are adjusted properly and I don't think in a long time have had a chain issue aside from a 10 speed Shimano chain that would technically have been a warranty had it not been purchased many years ago and not used and at a low enough cost I am not really worried about it and the bike was not for me so it got a new chain and done.