Originally Posted by
mtnbke
Usually worn chain rings caused by a worn or stretched chain.
The smart way to keep the chainrings, and cassette from getting too worn is to keep the bike on a four chain rotation, from when everything is new. You swap chains every month or so (no more than 1000 miles), to keep everything at about the same level or chain life (stretch). This will just about quadruple the amount of life you can get out of your rings/cogs. What really truly causes ring/cog wear is not unlubricated chains or even mileage, but a stretched chain.
I think I follow... A stretch chain will hit the cog teeth a little bit more than an unstretched chain? Over time it will wear away the cog teeth?
The chain gear/cogs may be worn. Bike's from 2009. About six years of riding it so far. Although money-wise, the chain has lasted this long.... If I want to be cheap, I can just get a new chain and then... maybe replace it in another six years or so. Although I would image the cogs are wearing too. Probably the opposite would be true... Worn cogs might wear out a chain? ...Maybe not. No teeth on the chain.