Using different gears for wear prevention?
#1
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Using different gears for wear prevention?
Do any of you make a point to use differing gears so as not to wear out certain cogs prematurely?
I'm almost always in the 15 or 17 tooth cogs and middle chainring. I was just reading how the smaller cogs can wear out a chain quicker than larger ones. I'm gonna switch it up to 23 and 26 & the large chainring for a while. I do have concerns about crosschaining and extra noise but so be it.
The thread titled "Anyone Tracking Gear Usage" got me thinking about this.
I'm almost always in the 15 or 17 tooth cogs and middle chainring. I was just reading how the smaller cogs can wear out a chain quicker than larger ones. I'm gonna switch it up to 23 and 26 & the large chainring for a while. I do have concerns about crosschaining and extra noise but so be it.
The thread titled "Anyone Tracking Gear Usage" got me thinking about this.
#3
Senior Member
I shift for good cadence to not wear out my knees. I worry less about wearing cogs since they are easier to replace than knees.
Do you always go with same speed on flats? I naturally shift through most cogs by starting at 0 and riding at varying speeds at varying grades and wind.
Do you always go with same speed on flats? I naturally shift through most cogs by starting at 0 and riding at varying speeds at varying grades and wind.
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#4
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The machine is supposed to prevent me from wearing out, the reverse definitely takes a back seat. I use the gears I need, and really don't care if it takes a few miles off a replaceable part.
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#5
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I also worry about cog wear and drivetrain wear in general. This mindset has me usually installing a new chain about every 2500 to 3000 miles. I know there is about a rivet diameter of stretch at this point. The bike just seems to shift better and everything feels smoother with that brand new chain, could be mental. Part of me wants to be able to say “screw it, it’s just a bicycle, ride it till it skips”, but that will never happen.
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Do any of you make a point to use differing gears so as not to wear out certain cogs prematurely?
I'm almost always in the 15 or 17 tooth cogs and middle chainring. I was just reading how the smaller cogs can wear out a chain quicker than larger ones. I'm gonna switch it up to 23 and 26 & the large chainring for a while. I do have concerns about crosschaining and extra noise but so be it.
The thread titled "Anyone Tracking Gear Usage" got me thinking about this.
I'm almost always in the 15 or 17 tooth cogs and middle chainring. I was just reading how the smaller cogs can wear out a chain quicker than larger ones. I'm gonna switch it up to 23 and 26 & the large chainring for a while. I do have concerns about crosschaining and extra noise but so be it.
The thread titled "Anyone Tracking Gear Usage" got me thinking about this.
Why not just replace the 15 or 17 cogs when they wear out?
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Do any of you make a point to use differing gears so as not to wear out certain cogs prematurely?
I'm almost always in the 15 or 17 tooth cogs and middle chainring. I was just reading how the smaller cogs can wear out a chain quicker than larger ones. I'm gonna switch it up to 23 and 26 & the large chainring for a while. I do have concerns about crosschaining and extra noise but so be it.
The thread titled "Anyone Tracking Gear Usage" got me thinking about this.
I'm almost always in the 15 or 17 tooth cogs and middle chainring. I was just reading how the smaller cogs can wear out a chain quicker than larger ones. I'm gonna switch it up to 23 and 26 & the large chainring for a while. I do have concerns about crosschaining and extra noise but so be it.
The thread titled "Anyone Tracking Gear Usage" got me thinking about this.
#10
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The fastest wear item in the drive train is the chain. But if you ride with a worn chain, you will also wear out your cassette.
No need to worry about overusing one cog, as long as you replace the chain before it’s worn. Check the chain for wear monthly.
Park Tool makes a chain wear checker that’s not expensive:
Chain Checker
No need to worry about overusing one cog, as long as you replace the chain before it’s worn. Check the chain for wear monthly.
Park Tool makes a chain wear checker that’s not expensive:
Chain Checker
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Definitely. I run my car in 4th on the highway half the time to spare the overdrive, too.
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Hmmm, cross-chaining to prevent drivetrain wear.... interesting.
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OK I'll admit it, I have selected gears for no other reason than to distribute wear. I don't shift as much as most, and sometimes I don't "shift" mentally from my fixed gear to road bike and might finish a ride without shifting at all. It's just a shame when the 16+/- are worn out and the rest of the cassette is pristine.
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#15
Cogs primarily wear out when they are used with a worn chain. Chains wear out from being ridden with inadequate lubrication and, eventually, over time. If you replace your chain before it get to the point where it is wearing the cogs, your cogs will not wear out.
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I constantly bunny hop to reduce tire wear.
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Yeah, this is annoying. Particularly when you primarily ride on the flat lands and you're mostly in 3 or 4 cogs max.
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Do any of you make a point to use differing gears so as not to wear out certain cogs prematurely?
I'm almost always in the 15 or 17 tooth cogs and middle chainring. I was just reading how the smaller cogs can wear out a chain quicker than larger ones. I'm gonna switch it up to 23 and 26 & the large chainring for a while. I do have concerns about crosschaining and extra noise but so be it.
The thread titled "Anyone Tracking Gear Usage" got me thinking about this.
I'm almost always in the 15 or 17 tooth cogs and middle chainring. I was just reading how the smaller cogs can wear out a chain quicker than larger ones. I'm gonna switch it up to 23 and 26 & the large chainring for a while. I do have concerns about crosschaining and extra noise but so be it.
The thread titled "Anyone Tracking Gear Usage" got me thinking about this.
#22
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Cassette and front ring wear can be minimized by using several chains throughout the life of one cassette.
I use three chains per cassette, cleaning and swapping about every 1000 miles for road, more frequent for gravel.
-Tim-
I use three chains per cassette, cleaning and swapping about every 1000 miles for road, more frequent for gravel.
-Tim-
#23
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If you really want to avoid wear, don't ride the bike.
Solutions can be worse than the problems they are intended to address. If your legs are ok with shifting for this purpose, no harm in doing it. If I were to shift for that purpose only, I would find it incredibly annoying because of my strong preference for high gears.
The better question might be if there's any way to buy bikes these days other than SS that don't have a bunch of gears we don't need?
Solutions can be worse than the problems they are intended to address. If your legs are ok with shifting for this purpose, no harm in doing it. If I were to shift for that purpose only, I would find it incredibly annoying because of my strong preference for high gears.
The better question might be if there's any way to buy bikes these days other than SS that don't have a bunch of gears we don't need?
#24
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I make a point of staying out of the small cogs unless I'm in the big chainring (I have triple cranks). In the past I have worn out the small cogs prematurely, so I try to avoid that.