Chain life vs cassette life

Euan said:

I've been doing a bit of reading lately and have seen it suggested that
if the chain's replaced before it reaches 1/16 stretch the cassette's
not affected.

Anyone personal experience of this

Yes, still using the same cassette after 3 chains here.

Euan said:

I've been doing a bit of reading lately and have seen it suggested that
if the chain's replaced before it reaches 1/16 stretch the cassette's
not affected.

Anyone personal experience of this or is it just hooey?

Rememeber that the metal chain is in contact with the metal spockets,
so some wear is going to happen but changing a chain frequently will
maximize the cogset's life, no doubt about it.

Quoted message said:

--
Cheers | ~~ __@
Euan | ~~ _-\<,
Melbourne, Australia | ~ (*)/ (*)

I have just over 2000 miles on my Trek 7200 (approx 1.5 years since
purchase new)....and I was wondering when to begin being concerned about
the remaining life of the chain &/or cassette with respect to eventual
replacement [e.g., stretch, wear, etc.].

Am I overdue to do this ? Have another 1000 miles to go before needing
to check ? 5000 ? 10000 ?

Bike has been kept reasonably clean & lubricated, not abused, indoors
when not in use, etc.

In other words, is there a "typical" lifetime range for the chain,
cassette, and so forth ?

============

Qui si parla Campagnolo said:

Euan said:

I've been doing a bit of reading lately and have seen it suggested that
if the chain's replaced before it reaches 1/16 stretch the cassette's
not affected.

Anyone personal experience of this or is it just hooey?

Rememeber that the metal chain is in contact with the metal spockets,
so some wear is going to happen but changing a chain frequently will
maximize the cogset's life, no doubt about it.

Quoted message said:

--
Cheers | ~~ __@
Euan | ~~ _-\<,
Melbourne, Australia | ~ (*)/ (*)

Justa Lurker said:

I have just over 2000 miles on my Trek 7200 (approx 1.5 years since
purchase new)....and I was wondering when to begin being concerned about
the remaining life of the chain &/or cassette with respect to eventual
replacement [e.g., stretch, wear, etc.].

Am I overdue to do this ? Have another 1000 miles to go before needing
to check ? 5000 ? 10000 ?

Bike has been kept reasonably clean & lubricated, not abused, indoors
when not in use, etc.

In other words, is there a "typical" lifetime range for the chain,
cassette, and so forth ?

Definitely worth a check now. Clean the chain then check the length of
12 full links. Under 12 1/16" and it's OK, more than this and you may
need new sprockets.

Lifetime depends on riding conditions, the type of local mud and the
type of lubrication.

Thanks very much...that was the sort of guidance I was looking for :-)
Will follow your suggestion.

==========

Zog The Undeniable said:

Justa Lurker said:

I have just over 2000 miles on my Trek 7200 (approx 1.5 years since
purchase new)....and I was wondering when to begin being concerned
about the remaining life of the chain &/or cassette with respect to
eventual replacement [e.g., stretch, wear, etc.].

Am I overdue to do this ? Have another 1000 miles to go before
needing to check ? 5000 ? 10000 ?

Bike has been kept reasonably clean & lubricated, not abused, indoors
when not in use, etc.

In other words, is there a "typical" lifetime range for the chain,
cassette, and so forth ?

Definitely worth a check now. Clean the chain then check the length of
12 full links. Under 12 1/16" and it's OK, more than this and you may
need new sprockets.

Lifetime depends on riding conditions, the type of local mud and the
type of lubrication.

Discussed this with my boss last week (he's a keen, high-mileage,
all-weather cyclist). He tends to change chain, sprockets and chainset
together - leaving things until the chain is terminally worn and changing
the lot. Reckons to average 6000 miles from the set doing this.

Alternative approach seems to be to change the chain when its worn - every
1500 - 2000 miles seems achievable before the stretch figure below given
reasonable (grit free) conditions and a bit of care.

I suppose the bottom line is to ask how many chains you can get through
before the sprockets need attention anyway - anyone care to comment? If its
more than 3 or 4 chains you're probably on a winner.

"Euan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've been doing a bit of reading lately and have seen it suggested that
if the chain's replaced before it reaches 1/16 stretch the cassette's
not affected.

Anyone personal experience of this or is it just hooey?
--
Cheers | ~~ __@
Euan | ~~ _-\<,
Melbourne, Australia | ~ (*)/ (*)

Euan said:

I've been doing a bit of reading lately and have seen it suggested that
if the chain's replaced before it reaches 1/16 stretch the cassette's
not affected.

There's certainly no reason for the cassette to only last as long as a
single chain. If you ride permanently on a couple of cogs, those'll wear
out eventually, but it takes much longer than for a chain, if the chain is
replaced soon enough. Basically, for every so much the chain 'elongates',
the cogs wear to a certain extent. If the chain wears too much, the
effective chain pitch increases, and the pitch of the cogs remains the
same -- so what happens is the chain starts creeping up to the tops of the
teeth, rather than riding riding nicely in the valley, which also results
in en effectively longer pitch. That causes bad wear, because the cog
tooth tops are smaller than the bottoms, and it causes wear in a pattern
that results in the new chain not fitting properly. This eventually
happens to chainrings as well, but usually you get skipping rear cogs
before that happens.

So, yes. Replacing the chain 'soon enough' (and exactly how soon is soon
enough and what is 'too late' is a matter of some debate, I've seen
figures from 1/16 to 1/8 per 12 inch) means you don't have to buy a new
cassette.

Incidentally, on utility bikes with 1/8 inch chain, perfect chainline
(more or less), and and a single speed (coaster brake or freewheel) or
hub gear bike, especially with a decent chaincase, the chain and both cogs
will last essentially forever. I've replaced the chain on those once or
twice, but never any cogs (except for the welded on chainwheel when I had
to replace the crank for other reasons). And even the chain only needs to
be replaced when the chaincase is missing and you never grease it, so it
rusts shut. Rub some bearing grease into the chain every couple of months,
and it'll last even in regular rains.

Jasper

Bob Huntley said:

Alternative approach seems to be to change the chain when its worn - every
1500 - 2000 miles seems achievable before the stretch figure below given
reasonable (grit free) conditions and a bit of care.

I suppose the bottom line is to ask how many chains you can get through
before the sprockets need attention anyway - anyone care to comment? If its
more than 3 or 4 chains you're probably on a winner.

Chains are *cheap* compared to the cogset, let alone good chainrings. Not
only is it financially attractive, but for the last 2000 of those 6000
miles he's probably already having trouble with chain skip under very high
loads. Not to mention that if you're in the habit of standing on the
pedals, the first time you get chain skip might well mean hospital time.
It's better to replace stuff pre-emptively at half its lifetime than get
it wrong once and have the hospital bill, cause a simple overnight stay
costs more than a Dura-Ace full-carbon bike.

Jasper

Justa Lurker said:

In other words, is there a "typical" lifetime range for the chain,
cassette, and so forth ?

I'm getting about 3,000 miles per cheapest SRAM 9 speed chain (1/16in
wear) on the road in often rainy conditions, and I *used* to get 20,000
miles from a cassette and chainrings (early 90s). I just started riding
again recently, but I certainly hope they last that long.

-Ron

BTW, I lube the chain every 500-1,000 miles with a "dry" lube, and wipe
it down with Pledge every 100 miles or so when I'm wiping the rest of
the bike off. Seems to work well.

-Ron

Justa Lurker said:

I have just over 2000 miles on my Trek 7200 (approx 1.5 years since
purchase new)....and I was wondering when to begin being concerned about
the remaining life of the chain &/or cassette with respect to eventual
replacement [e.g., stretch, wear, etc.].

Am I overdue to do this ? Have another 1000 miles to go before needing
to check ? 5000 ? 10000 ?

Bike has been kept reasonably clean & lubricated, not abused, indoors
when not in use, etc.

In other words, is there a "typical" lifetime range for the chain,
cassette, and so forth ?

MEASURE is the only correct answer, because it depends on.....wether
conditons, cleaning and lube regime, gears you use etc.

Lou
--
Posted by news://news.nb.nu

Euan said:

I've been doing a bit of reading lately and have seen it suggested that
if the chain's replaced before it reaches 1/16 stretch the cassette's
not affected.

Anyone personal experience of this or is it just hooey?

Neither, really. I do replace at 1/16" stretch per foot, and cassettes
last fairly long (as do chainrings), but not forever. OTOH, if you let
the chain wear to the point that it has stretched 1/4", which will not be
all that much longer than replacing it when you are supposed to, and you
will have to replace the cassettee as well, and maybe a chainring.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | "It doesn't get any easier, you just go faster." --Greg LeMond
_`\(,_ |
(_)/ (_) |

Bob Huntley said:

Discussed this with my boss last week (he's a keen, high-mileage,
all-weather cyclist). He tends to change chain, sprockets and chainset
together - leaving things until the chain is terminally worn and changing
the lot. Reckons to average 6000 miles from the set doing this.

Alternative approach seems to be to change the chain when its worn - every
1500 - 2000 miles seems achievable before the stretch figure below given
reasonable (grit free) conditions and a bit of care.

I suppose the bottom line is to ask how many chains you can get through
before the sprockets need attention anyway - anyone care to comment? If its
more than 3 or 4 chains you're probably on a winner.

Considering that some cassettes can cost $100, and chainrings not far from
that, you'll be a winner with less than 2 chains/cassette. But you will
get more than 2, probably 4 or more. Even for a cheap cassette (and that
means $35 these days), you come out way ahead.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Enron's slogan: Respect, Communication, Integrity, and
_`\(,_ | Excellence.
(_)/ (_) |

Justa Lurker said:

I have just over 2000 miles on my Trek 7200 (approx 1.5 years since
purchase new)....and I was wondering when to begin being concerned about
the remaining life of the chain &/or cassette with respect to eventual
replacement [e.g., stretch, wear, etc.].

Am I overdue to do this ? Have another 1000 miles to go before needing
to check ? 5000 ? 10000 ?

check now. It just takes a minute, and a ruler.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | You will say Christ saith this and the apostles say this; but
_`\(,_ | what canst thou say? -- George Fox.
(_)/ (_) |

David L. Johnson said:

Justa Lurker said:

I have just over 2000 miles on my Trek 7200 (approx 1.5 years since
purchase new)....and I was wondering when to begin being concerned about
the remaining life of the chain &/or cassette with respect to eventual
replacement [e.g., stretch, wear, etc.].

Am I overdue to do this ? Have another 1000 miles to go before needing
to check ? 5000 ? 10000 ?

check now. It just takes a minute, and a ruler.

Thanks for all the replies.

May I please ask a 'newbie' question ? Is there any way to know what
type of chain I have on my bike ? The reason I ask is that I have read
over all the various information which I can find on the web from
Sheldon, Jobst, et al., and while seemingly very complete and thorough,
they speak volumes about Shimano chains, power links, master link,
specialized chain tools, reusable pins, non-reusable pins, etc. so I'm a
bit overwhelmed. :-( Nowhere could I find a beginner's "Identifying
your chain for Dummies" sort of chart or writeup.

As stated above, this is a "stock" Trek 7200 with all factory original
parts including, obviously, the chain. My rear derailleur label says
Shimano Alivio (it's an 8 speed, by the way), my shifters say SRAM
MaxPlus, my brake handles say ProMax, etc., etc. Probably no clues
there. But I'm unable to determine anything uniquely distinguishable
about the chain (at this point, they all look alike to me), and I'm
afraid I'm overlooking the blatantly obvious. [I even checked the
specs. on the Trek website.] So please try not to laugh too hard, and
take pity on yours truly.

Any pointers to help me take the next step (removing the chain properly,
and selecting a new one --- if required) now that I know the criteria
for replacement are greatly appreciated.

Justa Lurker said:

David L. Johnson said:

Justa Lurker said:

I have just over 2000 miles on my Trek 7200 (approx 1.5 years since
purchase new)....and I was wondering when to begin being concerned
about the remaining life of the chain &/or cassette with respect to
eventual replacement [e.g., stretch, wear, etc.].

Am I overdue to do this ? Have another 1000 miles to go before
needing to check ? 5000 ? 10000 ?

check now. It just takes a minute, and a ruler.

Thanks for all the replies.

May I please ask a 'newbie' question ? Is there any way to know what
type of chain I have on my bike ? The reason I ask is that I have
read over all the various information which I can find on the web from
Sheldon, Jobst, et al., and while seemingly very complete and
thorough, they speak volumes about Shimano chains, power links,
master link, specialized chain tools, reusable pins, non-reusable
pins, etc. so I'm a bit overwhelmed. :-( Nowhere could I find a
beginner's "Identifying your chain for Dummies" sort of chart or
writeup.
As stated above, this is a "stock" Trek 7200 with all factory original
parts including, obviously, the chain. My rear derailleur label says
Shimano Alivio (it's an 8 speed, by the way), my shifters say SRAM
MaxPlus, my brake handles say ProMax, etc., etc. Probably no clues
there. But I'm unable to determine anything uniquely distinguishable
about the chain (at this point, they all look alike to me), and I'm
afraid I'm overlooking the blatantly obvious. [I even checked the
specs. on the Trek website.] So please try not to laugh too hard, and
take pity on yours truly.

Any pointers to help me take the next step (removing the chain
properly, and selecting a new one --- if required) now that I know
the criteria for replacement are greatly appreciated.

Not a dumb question at all. I'd first measure it (pin to pin), and if much
over 12" then get ready to toss it. (Won't really matter what kind it is 🙂
If it's still right at 12", keep riding but buy a new chain soon anyway (see
below).

You're going to need a chain tool to drive out a connecting pin. Since
you're replacing the chain, technique not crucial this time. (Don't throw
it away yet though!)

Then buy the cheapest 8-speed chain you can find -- was gonna say brand
doesn't really matter but Shimano uses those silly one-use pins so get a
SRAM with a quick-link connector -- and then lay it out next to your old
chain and make the new one the same length. (Use the chain tool to remove
excess links.)

When installing the new chain be careful at the rear derailleur -- there's a
little nub guide thingy that the chain needs to go inside or it'll be noisy
and not shift quite right. (ANOTHER good reason for quick-links, as it's
not the total PITA that it used to be when you mess that up! 🙂 )

Once it's installed and lubed, ride around the block and check things out.
If the shifting's fine then put some pressure down on the pedals and make
sure you don't get any skipping; if you do, it's new cassette time, too.
(Hopefully not chain ring though.)

We'll talk ya thru /that/ when the time comes 🙂

Bill S.

Justa Lurker said:

May I please ask a 'newbie' question ? Is there any way to know what
type of chain I have on my bike ?

It doesn't really matter. If it's original, it's probably Shimano, but
you can replace it with any 8-speed chain.

I recommend the SRAM 8-speed chains. They come with a "super-link" making
changing and cleaning easier. Plus, they are cheaper than Shimano, and
work just as well. Shimano chains come with that dumb non-reusable
special pin.

Quoted message said:

Any pointers to help me take the next step (removing the chain properly,
and selecting a new one --- if required) now that I know the criteria
for replacement are greatly appreciated.

You will need a chain tool, and a few quick pointers on how to use it.
$10 at a decent bike shop, more or less. If you have a Shimano chain,
then you need to use that to remove the chain. You will need it in any
event to adjust the length of the new chain to what you need, even if you
get a super-link to close it up. The length, BTW, should be long enough
so that you can shift into the biggest sprocket in back, and biggest
chainring in the front. Anything shorter is dangerous, anything longer is
unnecessary.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | If all economists were laid end to end, they would not reach a
_`\(,_ | conclusion. -- George Bernard Shaw
(_)/ (_) |

Justa Lurker said:

Quoted message said:

check now. It just takes a minute, and a ruler.

Thanks for all the replies.

May I please ask a 'newbie' question ? Is there any way to know what
type of chain I have on my bike ? The reason I ask is that I have read
over all the various information which I can find on the web from
Sheldon, Jobst, et al., and while seemingly very complete and thorough,
they speak volumes about Shimano chains, power links, master link,
specialized chain tools, reusable pins, non-reusable pins, etc. so I'm a
bit overwhelmed. :-( Nowhere could I find a beginner's "Identifying
your chain for Dummies" sort of chart or writeup.

As stated above, this is a "stock" Trek 7200 with all factory original
parts including, obviously, the chain. My rear derailleur label says
Shimano Alivio (it's an 8 speed, by the way), my shifters say SRAM
MaxPlus, my brake handles say ProMax, etc., etc. Probably no clues
there. But I'm unable to determine anything uniquely distinguishable
about the chain (at this point, they all look alike to me), and I'm
afraid I'm overlooking the blatantly obvious. [I even checked the
specs. on the Trek website.] So please try not to laugh too hard, and
take pity on yours truly.

Chains often have logos or names stamped on the side plates. Often the way the
pins are peened is distinctive. More importantly you really don't care. Just
replace it when it wears out.

Quoted message said:

Any pointers to help me take the next step (removing the chain properly,
and selecting a new one --- if required) now that I know the criteria
for replacement are greatly appreciated.

Get the SRAM 8 speed chain, either the cheaper black one or the nickel plate for
extra bling. Very reliable for me, inexpensive and the master link is fairly
easy to work once you get the knack. You'll need a chain tool to break the old
chain and shorten the new one to the correct length. The one you find at walmart
for under three dollars works as well as any I've seen for under ten. Certainly
not as nice as a good Park but it'll work if you only do a chain a year or so.

Ron

RonSonic said:

Get the SRAM 8 speed chain, either the cheaper black one or the nickel
plate for extra bling.

The cheapest SRAM 8 speed chain is just "metal" coloured and I've found it
corrodes rather easily--still the best damn chain for the money. I'd go
for the bling of nickel plating.