Chain life expected

JamesB
JamesB Posts: 1,184
edited March 2010 in MTB workshop & tech
How much wear from MTB 9 chain would be a good average?

Very surprised to find my current chain is >1mm stretch on Park Tools gizmo; used <1000miles, well maintained (ie cleaned off with Muc Off , lubed frequently). Never really had any issues with poor gear shift, occasional chain suck (but isn`t that more frequent with a new chain). Not used in gritty / sandy routes, Surprised! :o

Comments

  • benpinnick
    benpinnick Posts: 4,148
    I would say a thousand miles is about time to change the chain. In theory you could run a chain for 5 years of decent riding miles ok, but its a false economy. Actually, earlier is often (IMHO) better to save the chain / cassette wearing out together. If you change your change reasonably often (1 per year or perhaps 1000 miles tops) then you'll find cassettes and chainrings last better in the long run. Doing it this way means you can also take advantage of cheaper chains (something like a PC951 or 971) as the chain doesn't need to be the best available. You can often save by buying un-boxed bulk chains too from your LBS, or Merlin sell them cheaper for 2s and 3s.
    A Flock of Birds
    + some other bikes.
  • Dirtydog11
    Dirtydog11 Posts: 1,621
    JamesBwmb wrote:
    How much wear from MTB 9 chain would be a good average?

    Very surprised to find my current chain is >1mm stretch on Park Tools gizmo; used <1000miles, well maintained (ie cleaned off with Muc Off , lubed frequently). Never really had any issues with poor gear shift, occasional chain suck (but isn`t that more frequent with a new chain). Not used in gritty / sandy routes, Surprised! :o

    I'm not too sure but if I where to hazard a guess I would say I get around 600km out of a chain. I usually use Shimano XT .My most recent chain was an XTR although it didn't last any longer than the XT. I may try one of the cheaper SRAM chains next time.
    Kinesis Maxlight XC

    Orange 5 AM Custom
  • ilovedirt
    ilovedirt Posts: 5,798
    usually about a year if you ride regularly
    Production Privee Shan

    B'Twin Triban 5
  • El Capitano
    El Capitano Posts: 6,400
    ilovedirt wrote:
    usually about a year if you ride regularly

    About the same for me. I also tend to change the cassette at the same time. I've never found changing the chain more regularly made a difference to how quickly the cassette wore out.
    1 2 3 4 (Dead)5 6
  • ilovedirt
    ilovedirt Posts: 5,798
    I've never kept a bike long enough to let the cassette wear out properly! :lol:
    Production Privee Shan

    B'Twin Triban 5
  • dav1
    dav1 Posts: 1,298
    1000 miles is wahat I expect from my sram PC 971 typically.
    Giant TCR advanced 2 (Summer/race)
    Merlin single malt fixie (Commuter/winter/training)
    Trek superfly 7 (Summer XC)
    Giant Yukon singlespeed conversion (winter MTB/Ice/snow)

    Carrera virtuoso - RIP
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Depends hugely on what sort of riding you do and in what conditions, if your chain is full of mud and grit 1 mile into a winter ride it'll take a beating before it gets cleaned, frinstance. I think I got about 1200 miles from my last KMC X9L but that's really a total guess.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • peter413
    peter413 Posts: 4,909
    I just wore my sram pc951 out in about six months which is probably about 6-700 miles. I've gone through two tyres in that time as well though so I'm not to worried about having to spend 30 quid a year on chains when I spend nearly triple that on tyres
    Transition Patrol
    Cube LTD 29er

    Glentress Trailfairies
  • JamesB
    JamesB Posts: 1,184
    Cheers and thanks---too much road riding had led me to expect 2000 miles + (usual for my road bikes, with swopping chains at 700 miles in rotation), but my MTB chain life appears in ball park to others experience. Fitted new chain today and surprisingly seems to have bedded in with old cassette no problems at all :D:D

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