is the shimano chain wear indicator worth the cost?
- Thread starter Strelok
- Start date
You've gone and stirred up the pot now. I use the Nashbar chain checker and replace my chain shortly after reaching the .75 wear. I use the .75 as an order point for my replacement.
You can more accurately measure wear by using a steel rule. Measure the center distance between the link pins over 10". If your measurement comes out to 10 1/8" or 10.125 you are at the max wear and need to replace your chain.
Keeping your chain properly lubed and replacing it when worn will save your cassette from premature wear.
You can more accurately measure wear by using a steel rule. Measure the center distance between the link pins over 10". If your measurement comes out to 10 1/8" or 10.125 you are at the max wear and need to replace your chain.
Keeping your chain properly lubed and replacing it when worn will save your cassette from premature wear.
While chain wear increases cassette wear, the cassette will still wear, whether or the chain is new or not. Hopefully, the cassette wear will not "jive" with chain wear. If that were the case, you'd have to replace the cassette much more frequently.
Some people like chain checkers. Some don't. I prefer the machinist rule as it's more accurate and removes roller slop from the measurement.
Some people like chain checkers. Some don't. I prefer the machinist rule as it's more accurate and removes roller slop from the measurement.
If your chain is worn so that it enlongates or "stretches" by more than 1%, more rapid wear of the cassette cogs and chainrings will result, as well as increased noise and slightly increased power loss. If wear continues well beyond 1%, at some point the chain will skip under heavy loads, ie, start jumping cogs. Putting a new chain on a worn cassette can also lead to skipping.
Rate of wear depends on a lot of factors, including lubrication, riding environment, and loads. Dirty or sandy roads and rain aren't good for chains at all. My experience has been that chains last about 5K miles before hitting the 0.75% wear point. I change the cassette every two chains, because I learned that putting the third chain on a cassette (after about 10K miles) results in the dreaded chain skip.
Chainrings wear too. They have more teeth to share the load, but of course are made of aluminum, not steel like the cogs. I've changed chainrings once on my current bike at 18K miles. Did this because I had excess "play" in a crankarm on the middle chainring, as well as noting that most of the chain wasn't being loaded when I pressed on the crankarm. New chainrings restored the "like new" smoothness and quiet under load.
Rate of wear depends on a lot of factors, including lubrication, riding environment, and loads. Dirty or sandy roads and rain aren't good for chains at all. My experience has been that chains last about 5K miles before hitting the 0.75% wear point. I change the cassette every two chains, because I learned that putting the third chain on a cassette (after about 10K miles) results in the dreaded chain skip.
Chainrings wear too. They have more teeth to share the load, but of course are made of aluminum, not steel like the cogs. I've changed chainrings once on my current bike at 18K miles. Did this because I had excess "play" in a crankarm on the middle chainring, as well as noting that most of the chain wasn't being loaded when I pressed on the crankarm. New chainrings restored the "like new" smoothness and quiet under load.
That would totally be up to you and your budget. I have a 4.99 checker from Nashbar that works just fine. It will last me my lifetime. I also have never had any premature wear of my cassettes due to using a worn chain.
Lubrication is the key to longevity (thats why fiber is important). Ocassionally check your chain for wear once you find it is around .75 its time to get your new chain. Its almost like a tank of gas once it gets down to a 1/4 tank it emptys quick.
Chain wear is not rocket science. The Park tool, or the $4.99 tool from Nashbar, will do the job just fine if you remember to use it.
For the newbs, I get about 2500-3000 miles out of a chain, and I wear out a cassette for every two chains. Or so. Your mileage will vary. A clean and well-lubricated drivetrain gives better mileage.
For the newbs, I get about 2500-3000 miles out of a chain, and I wear out a cassette for every two chains. Or so. Your mileage will vary. A clean and well-lubricated drivetrain gives better mileage.
Well the Shimano tool is the only chain tool one which is held to measure chain wear without introducing the measurement bias/error common to the other tools. So it is the best of all the proprietary tools. I have one and it seems to work well. A good write up of chain wear and reviews of some major tool types are given here:
http://pardo.net/bike/pic/fail-004/000.html
In general, a ruler will do the same job with less uncertainty as it measures over a larger number of links than any chain tool. That and the fact that it is cheaper means it gets my first vote.
Just line the 0" mark up with the centre of a chain pin and then check where the 10" mark falls. It should fall very near to the centre of the pin 10 links away. If the 10th pin is at more than 10.1" then you've exceeded 1% length increase and the chain is worn out.
http://pardo.net/bike/pic/fail-004/000.html
In general, a ruler will do the same job with less uncertainty as it measures over a larger number of links than any chain tool. That and the fact that it is cheaper means it gets my first vote.
Just line the 0" mark up with the centre of a chain pin and then check where the 10" mark falls. It should fall very near to the centre of the pin 10 links away. If the 10th pin is at more than 10.1" then you've exceeded 1% length increase and the chain is worn out.
