Hello, I have installed a new chain on my 10 speed bike. It now slips when the chain is on the smallest gear. Why does this happen? If I persist, is it likely to go away? Do you always need to get a new cassette every time you get a new chain? One thing seems to lead to another. I started out by buying new pedals. Despite getting the old ones off seemingly OK, the new ones only held in place for a day because of damage on the front chain wheel threads. So, I buy and fit a new chain wheel and chain.Doh!
Can anyone recommend a bike maintenance book specifically for road and mountain bikes?
Hello, I have installed a new chain on my 10 speed bike. It now slips when the chain is on the smallest gear. Why does this happen? If I persist, is it likely to go away? Do you always need to get a new cassette every time you get a new chain? One thing seems to lead to another. I started out by buying new pedals. Despite getting the old ones off seemingly OK, the new ones only held in place for a day because of damage on the front chain wheel threads. So, I buy and fit a new chain wheel and chain.Doh!
Standard problem with a new chain caused by a worn cog. The old chain and cog have worn together as the chain pitch lengthened. Put on a new chain and its the wrong pitch for the old cog. This time a new cog is the answer but in future change the chain when its length over 12 links has lengthened from 6" to 6 1/16" See http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html
Quoted message said:
Can anyone recommend a bike maintenance book specifically for road and mountain bikes?
The Haynes book is quite good and many people like Leonard Zinn's books
-- Tony
"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using his intelligence; he is just using his memory." - Leonardo da Vinci
"Tony Raven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Peter Goddard said:
Hello, I have installed a new chain on my 10 speed bike. It now slips when the chain is on the smallest gear. Why does this happen? If I persist, is it likely to go away? Do you always need to get a new cassette every time you get a new chain? One thing seems to lead to another. I started out by buying new pedals. Despite getting the old ones off seemingly OK, the new ones only held in place for a day because of damage on the front chain wheel threads. So, I buy and fit a new chain wheel and chain.Doh!
Standard problem with a new chain caused by a worn cog. The old chain and cog have worn together as the chain pitch lengthened. Put on a new chain and its the wrong pitch for the old cog. This time a new cog is the answer but in future change the chain when its length over 12 links has lengthened from 6" to 6 1/16" See http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html
Quoted message said:
Can anyone recommend a bike maintenance book specifically for road and mountain bikes?
The Haynes book is quite good and many people like Leonard Zinn's books
-- Tony
"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using his intelligence; he is just using his memory." - Leonardo da Vinci
In the link that you have referenced Mr Brown is actually talking about 'complete links' so that makes it 12" to 12 1/16 ".
Hello, I have installed a new chain on my 10 speed bike. It now slips when the chain is on the smallest gear. Why does this happen? If I persist, is it likely to go away? Do you always need to get a new cassette every time you get a new chain? One thing seems to lead to another. I started out by buying new pedals. Despite getting the old ones off seemingly OK, the new ones only held in place for a day because of damage on the front chain wheel threads. So, I buy and fit a new chain wheel and chain.Doh!
If the old chain wasn't slipping or causing any other problem then you changed it too soon. Could you put it back? To get maximum mileage and keep cost down it's best to keep same chain and cassette from new until the chain starts to slip and then change them both, and perhaps the middle front chain ring at the same time - or the small one if you use it most. Once they have all run in together then the rate of wear is at it's least and it's better to keep them going together. A lot of people think they can beat the system by changing chain often etc but in the end it costs more for no gain.
Hello, I have installed a new chain on my 10 speed bike. It now slips when the chain is on the smallest gear. Why does this happen? If I persist, is it likely to go away? Do you always need to get a new cassette every time you get a new chain? One thing seems to lead to another. I started out by buying new pedals. Despite getting the old ones off seemingly OK, the new ones only held in place for a day because of damage on the front chain wheel threads. So, I buy and fit a new chain wheel and chain.Doh!
If the old chain wasn't slipping or causing any other problem then you changed it too soon. Could you put it back? To get maximum mileage and keep cost down it's best to keep same chain and cassette from new until the chain starts to slip and then change them both, and perhaps the middle front chain ring at the same time - or the small one if you use it most. Once they have all run in together then the rate of wear is at it's least and it's better to keep them going together. A lot of people think they can beat the system by changing chain often etc but in the end it costs more for no gain.
I use two chains, that I alternate about once per month (more often if it's very wet). I do find that this gets me approximately double the life out of the rear cog on the brompton.
Tim.
-- God said, "div D = rho, div B = 0, curl E = - @B/@t, curl H = J + @D/@t," and there was light.
If the old chain wasn't slipping or causing any other problem then you changed it too soon. Could you put it back? To get maximum mileage and keep cost down it's best to keep same chain and cassette from new until the chain starts to slip and then change them both, and perhaps the middle front chain ring at the same time - or the small one if you use it most. Once they have all run in together then the rate of wear is at it's least and it's better to keep them going together. A lot of people think they can beat the system by changing chain often etc but in the end it costs more for no gain.
Given the relative costs of chains, cassettes and chainwheels I would suggest that lots of people are in fact right. A cassette will outlast many changes of chain provided you don't let the change lengthen too much before you change it.
-- Tony
"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using his intelligence; he is just using his memory." - Leonardo da Vinci
If the old chain wasn't slipping or causing any other problem then you changed it too soon. Could you put it back? To get maximum mileage and keep cost down it's best to keep same chain and cassette from new until the chain starts to slip and then change them both, and perhaps the middle front chain ring at the same time - or the small one if you use it most. Once they have all run in together then the rate of wear is at it's least and it's better to keep them going together. A lot of people think they can beat the system by changing chain often etc but in the end it costs more for no gain.
Given the relative costs of chains, cassettes and chainwheels I would suggest that lots of people are in fact right. A cassette will outlast many changes of chain provided you don't let the change lengthen too much before you change it.
-- Tony
Well should the OP buy a new cassette or get a bit more free mileage by putting the old chain back on? It's obvious if you think about it.
Well should the OP buy a new cassette or get a bit more free mileage by putting the old chain back on? It's obvious if you think about it.
In this case where the cassette is already gone yes, but for next time, no, change the chain more often and stop it getting to this state in the first place
-- Tony
"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using his intelligence; he is just using his memory." - Leonardo da Vinci
Hello, I have installed a new chain on my 10 speed bike. It now slips when the chain is on the smallest gear. Why does this happen?
Could be for the classic reason explained already, or there may be a stiff link* that's just bad enough to notice on this small sprocket. Also make sure the chain is the same length as the one it replaced.
Quoted message said:
If I persist, is it likely to go away?
A very slight bit of skipping can go away as the chain wears in, but don't persist if it's more than that.
Quoted message said:
Can anyone recommend a bike maintenance book specifically for road and mountain bikes?
Well should the OP buy a new cassette or get a bit more free mileage by putting the old chain back on? It's obvious if you think about it.
In this case where the cassette is already gone yes, but for next time, no, change the chain more often and stop it getting to this state in the first place
-- Tony
Yebbut the chain would be in better nick but the sprockets would be getting more wear, not less, by having a new (not run-in) chain fitted - anyway that's my theory! There must be a lot of only slightly worn chains being dumped. I've been caught out several times thinking I ought to fit a new chain and then finding that I also needed a new cassette etc having in the mean time binned the old chain. The change-often idea is perhaps a variation on the illusion of the perpetual brush: "my old yard brush has lasted for years, mind you it's had three new heads and two new handles"
Well should the OP buy a new cassette or get a bit more free mileage by putting the old chain back on? It's obvious if you think about it.
Don't forget to think about the *chainrings* if putting the old chain back on. Yes you'll get more life out of the cassette (perhaps much more) but the existing chainrings would most likely be ok with a new chain and then last many thousand more miles. Depends on how good the chainrings (re price & condition) are and whether or not you're planning to change them soon anyway, for whatever reason, including wanting different sizes.
Yebbut the chain would be in better nick but the sprockets would be getting more wear, not less, by having a new (not run-in) chain fitted - anyway that's my theory! There must be a lot of only slightly worn chains being dumped.
Have a read of Sheldon Brown's piece on chain and sprocket wear where he explains the accelerated wear you get of the sprocket and the chain. If you change the chain before it has elongated beyond the 1/16" for 12 links the sprocket won't have worn outside the normal tolerances and you can put a new chain on multiple times without a problem. Let it go much beyond that and you will either get the chain wearing quickly to the effective pitch of the old chain or the chain skipping. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/chain-care.html
Quoted message said:
I've been caught out several times thinking I ought to fit a new chain and then finding that I also needed a new cassette etc having in the mean time binned the old chain.
That's because you let it go too far. If you changed your chain earlier with the simple length test you would probably still be on your original cassette.
The cheapest cassette on Wiggle is £15. The cheapest chain £6. Every time you change a chain it would cost you £21 minimum and every time I do it would cost me £6 minimum. I doubt your chains last three and a half times as long as mine do which is the breakeven point.
-- Tony
"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using his intelligence; he is just using his memory." - Leonardo da Vinci
If the old chain wasn't slipping or causing any other problem then you changed it too soon. Could you put it back? To get maximum mileage and keep cost down it's best to keep same chain and cassette from new until the chain starts to slip and then change them both, and perhaps the middle front chain ring at the same time - or the small one if you use it most. Once they have all run in together then the rate of wear is at it's least and it's better to keep them going together. A lot of people think they can beat the system by changing chain often etc but in the end it costs more for no gain.
Given the relative costs of chains, cassettes and chainwheels I would suggest that lots of people are in fact right. A cassette will outlast many changes of chain provided you don't let the change lengthen too much before you change it.
....and changing a cassette involves a lot more messing around than changing a chain. Which is important to me, at least.
"Tony Raven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Peter Goddard said:
Hello, I have installed a new chain on my 10 speed bike. It now slips when the chain is on the smallest gear. Why does this happen? If I persist, is it likely to go away? Do you always need to get a new cassette every time you get a new chain? One thing seems to lead to another. I started out by buying new pedals. Despite getting the old ones off seemingly OK, the new ones only held in place for a day because of damage on the front chain wheel threads. So, I buy and fit a new chain wheel and chain.Doh!
Standard problem with a new chain caused by a worn cog. The old chain and cog have worn together as the chain pitch lengthened. Put on a new chain and its the wrong pitch for the old cog. This time a new cog is the answer but in future change the chain when its length over 12 links has lengthened from 6" to 6 1/16" See http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html
Quoted message said:
Can anyone recommend a bike maintenance book specifically for road and mountain bikes?
The Haynes book is quite good and many people like Leonard Zinn's books
-- Tony
"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using his intelligence; he is just using his memory." - Leonardo da Vinci
Hello,
Thanks for all the replies. I was surprised by the amount of wear considering how little mileage I do on that bike. The old chain was very grubby and it seemed a good idea at the time to change it. 🙂
Thanks for all the replies. I was surprised by the amount of wear considering how little mileage I do on that bike. The old chain was very grubby and it seemed a good idea at the time to change it. 🙂
It depends on where/how you ride and maintain the chain. My mountain bike chains only get a few hundred miles out of them but my dry weather road bike gets thousands of miles and an old style bike with an enclosed oil chain bath will manage 100,000+. The main culprit is dirt, especially if you oil a dirty chain which washes the dirt from the outside where it does no harm to the inside where it grinds away at the important bits. Always thoroughly clean a chain before you oil it or be prepared to change it more often.
-- Tony
"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using his intelligence; he is just using his memory." - Leonardo da Vinci
