Are people changing their chains way too often?
10-08-21, 05:57 AM
#26
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"If you properly maintain your drivetrain, unlike the OP, you can get 10,000 miles out of a chain, over 30,000 miles from a cassette"
Are you really getting that kind of mileage from chains and cassettes? What is the maintenance you do???
I can get 30k from a cassette, but top out at 2k on a chain.
Are you really getting that kind of mileage from chains and cassettes? What is the maintenance you do???
I can get 30k from a cassette, but top out at 2k on a chain.
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10-08-21, 06:18 AM
#27
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Even with proper maintenance, it's impossible to get that many miles out of a chain and cassette if the bike is ridded a lot in winter on salt covered roads or ridden off road in the dirt.
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10-08-21, 06:23 AM
#28
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What is the value of preventative maintenance?
It's amazing that automobiles don't cause more deaths. Considering that some fraction of drivers are drugged or distracted, another fraction drives too fast for the conditions and their own capabilities, and another large fraction are driving cars getting ready for substantial mechanical failure. You'd be shocked to find out in what disrepair the average motorist keeps his or her car. Cars are inherently pretty darn safe, I guess.
It's amazing that automobiles don't cause more deaths. Considering that some fraction of drivers are drugged or distracted, another fraction drives too fast for the conditions and their own capabilities, and another large fraction are driving cars getting ready for substantial mechanical failure. You'd be shocked to find out in what disrepair the average motorist keeps his or her car. Cars are inherently pretty darn safe, I guess.
10-08-21, 06:42 AM
#29
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I don't know about changing chains often. I do know that people in BF enjoy yanking other people's chains often. 
10-08-21, 06:55 AM
#30
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When the " Except for the chain coming off every 10 rides or so" becomes every 5 rides or you get taken by ambulance to the trauma center, whichever comes first.
Chains skipping or coming off is bad and not safe.
If you properly maintain your drivetrain, unlike the OP, you can get 10,000 miles out of a chain, over 30,000 miles from a cassette and over 60,000 miles from a chainring.
When your chainring teeth look like shark's teeth, they are very worn.
Chains skipping or coming off is bad and not safe.
If you properly maintain your drivetrain, unlike the OP, you can get 10,000 miles out of a chain, over 30,000 miles from a cassette and over 60,000 miles from a chainring.
When your chainring teeth look like shark's teeth, they are very worn.
My experience is not so salutary on chain life; I can rarely go over 2,500 miles before I have to replace the cassette with the chain. That's been with every lube, including waxing the chain, I've tried. How do you properly maintain the drivetrain to get 10,000 miles out of a chain?
10-08-21, 06:55 AM
#31
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I think the question of drivetrain maintenance and the diverging opinions come down to the number of miles ridden per year and cost of gear. A 12 speed AXS Red cassette is almost $400 and the chain is close t0 $100. It is possible to destroy both in 3000 miles or many multiples of that. If someone is on a clunker and doesn't care about gears skipping and going over the bars, all the power to them.
10-08-21, 07:02 AM
#32
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Agree on the chainring thing.
My experience is not so salutary on chain life; I can rarely go over 2,500 miles before I have to replace the cassette with the chain. That's been with every lube, including waxing the chain, I've tried. How do you properly maintain the drivetrain to get 10,000+ miles out of a chain?
My experience is not so salutary on chain life; I can rarely go over 2,500 miles before I have to replace the cassette with the chain. That's been with every lube, including waxing the chain, I've tried. How do you properly maintain the drivetrain to get 10,000+ miles out of a chain?
I run dura ace chains. I first run a new chain with factory grease for about 100 miles. Then, it is cleaning in the ultrasonic. Then into coleman fuel. Then denatured alcohol (your prior criticism is noted, CC). Then, into molten speed wax or now I started using Silca hot wax. I let it in there for about an hour. I remove and wipe of the extraneous wax using a heatgun and towel. Every approx. 200 miles, I touch the chain up with either Squirt or Smoove. At 500-600 miles, I throw it into the hot wax in the crockpot. Rinse and repeat. Unless I did a very long ride in miserable conditions, the chain never gets cleaned again. Just fresh waxing.
10-08-21, 07:16 AM
#33
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The chain coming off at speed and/or under load is a risky situation that can do a lot more damage to yourself and the bike than merely requiring a new chain and cassette. Aside from the obvious safety issues, I can tell you from experience that it can really screw up a derailleur as well.
Every 10 rides would be every other week for me. That would be completely unacceptable risk.
Last edited by livedarklions; 10-08-21 at 07:23 AM.
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10-08-21, 07:21 AM
#34
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Chainrings on high end bikes can run more than $300 (AXS Red) but even relatively normal chainrings are around $100 each more or less.
I think the question of drivetrain maintenance and the diverging opinions come down to the number of miles ridden per year and cost of gear. A 12 speed AXS Red cassette is almost $400 and the chain is close t0 $100. It is possible to destroy both in 3000 miles or many multiples of that. If someone is on a clunker and doesn't care about gears skipping and going over the bars, all the power to them.
I think the question of drivetrain maintenance and the diverging opinions come down to the number of miles ridden per year and cost of gear. A 12 speed AXS Red cassette is almost $400 and the chain is close t0 $100. It is possible to destroy both in 3000 miles or many multiples of that. If someone is on a clunker and doesn't care about gears skipping and going over the bars, all the power to them.
10-08-21, 07:28 AM
#35
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10-08-21, 07:46 AM
#36
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I have have a multi-chain system, where I have 2 chains in rotation for my bikes. So I will always have a clean one to swap out when a cleaning or re-waxing is needed, but replace when the little $10 park tool chain measurer tells me its done.
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10-08-21, 08:10 AM
#37
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Fortunately, 8 speed chains are $10-$15 and Dimension SS cogs are maybe $8 and last for many chains.
Edit: also, with SS, cogs and chainrings can be reversed when they wear the leading edges in one direction.
Otto
Last edited by ofajen; 10-08-21 at 09:08 AM.
10-08-21, 09:05 AM
#38
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When the " Except for the chain coming off every 10 rides or so" becomes every 5 rides or you get taken by ambulance to the trauma center, whichever comes first.
Chains skipping or coming off is bad and not safe.
If you properly maintain your drivetrain, unlike the OP, you can get 10,000 miles out of a chain, over 30,000 miles from a cassette and over 60,000 miles from a chainring.
When your chainring teeth look like shark's teeth, they are very worn.
Chains skipping or coming off is bad and not safe.
If you properly maintain your drivetrain, unlike the OP, you can get 10,000 miles out of a chain, over 30,000 miles from a cassette and over 60,000 miles from a chainring.
When your chainring teeth look like shark's teeth, they are very worn.
How many months/years does it take you to ride 60,000 miles?
I keep bikes a lot longer than average already. But none of my bikes had pass the 60,000 mile mark. No wonder I never experience chainring problems!
Not even any hints of it from what I can tell. 
In fact, I haven't passed the 30,000 mile mark on some of my bikes. So I probably don't have to look at my cassettes either.
10-08-21, 11:39 AM
#39
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You must ride a lot! Or keep your bikes for very long?
How many months/years does it take you to ride 60,000 miles?
I keep bikes a lot longer than average already. But none of my bikes had pass the 60,000 mile mark. No wonder I never experience chainring problems! Not even any hints of it from what I can tell.
In fact, I haven't passed the 30,000 mile mark on some of my bikes. So I probably don't have to look at my cassettes either.
How many months/years does it take you to ride 60,000 miles?
I keep bikes a lot longer than average already. But none of my bikes had pass the 60,000 mile mark. No wonder I never experience chainring problems!
Not even any hints of it from what I can tell. In fact, I haven't passed the 30,000 mile mark on some of my bikes. So I probably don't have to look at my cassettes either.
I actually only have 45K on the chainrings but they look new. I am guessing that I will get 60K out of them. I do have a cassette with over 30K on it. The 28T cog is a little janky (big-big excessively).
ZeroFriction in Australia does wear tests and ascribes a cost per 1000 miles, IIRC. When you see it that way and if you ride a lot, it makes sense to simply keep the drivetrain clean and lubed
10-08-21, 12:19 PM
#40
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I don't change my chains .... I create a positive, nurturing environment, set good examples, and wait for them to change on their own ......
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10-08-21, 01:01 PM
#41
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10-08-21, 02:08 PM
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10-08-21, 02:08 PM
#43
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10-08-21, 02:27 PM
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10-08-21, 02:31 PM
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10-08-21, 02:35 PM
#46
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10-08-21, 02:45 PM
#47
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OP says his chain comes off every 10 rides or so. That is way not acceptable. Your chain should never come off.
Myself, I change the chain when my Park Tool gauge will drop easily into the chain. That seems to be in the 2500 mi range. I change the cassette every third chain.
Myself, I change the chain when my Park Tool gauge will drop easily into the chain. That seems to be in the 2500 mi range. I change the cassette every third chain.
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10-08-21, 07:53 PM
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Only one. But the chain has to really want to change.
…
My context is transportation and I soak chains in hot wax. My practice is to change at sloppy 0.5% with Park Tool go-no go. However, I get many more chains per cassette than 3.
Last edited by flangehead; 10-08-21 at 08:56 PM.
10-08-21, 08:54 PM
#49
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Those of you who change chains every 1000 miles, I hope your bikes last more than 20 years! Better yet, you ride 10,000 a year to justify the "saving" of not needing to change chainrings. Me? I'd rather ride than change chains every other month.
10-08-21, 09:14 PM
#50
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The OP raises a good question. I replace my chain when my chain gauge shows it's worn, and about every third chain, the new chain skips so I get a new cassette to go with the new chain. But... if the old chain worked fine with the old cassette, why replace the cassette? Just keep using the old chain with the old cassette. The only reason I can envision is that the worn chain is also causing wear on the chainrings. Replace the chain to preserve the chainrings. But I've never replaced a chainring and don't know how much wear an old chain puts on chainrings compared to a new chain. I'm sure someone here can answer that.
If the old cassette worked fine with the old chain, but skips with the new chain, why not just keep using the old chain and the old cassette?
If the old cassette worked fine with the old chain, but skips with the new chain, why not just keep using the old chain and the old cassette?
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