New chain and cassette

vision267

Need a new new chain and cassette,would it be a good idea to get two chains and swop around after 1000 miles or so.I have never changed a chain,I know I need a chain breaker and it looks pretty simple to use.

Cassette's are expensive almost twice the price,maybe if I alternate my chains I would get much more value for money?

Zendog1

Change the chain when it's worn (no more than 1/8th inch stretch in twelve links). Cassettes should then last for three or even four chain changes.

toontra

With my set-up (Ultegra 10s) chains can be found for £10 whereas cassettes are nearer £50, so I usually replace the chains regularly (about every 1500 miles). That way I get through about 3 or 4 chains for every cassette.

vision267

toontra wrote:

With my set-up (Ultegra 10s) chains can be found for £10 whereas cassettes are nearer £50, so I usually replace the chains regularly (about every 1500 miles). That way I get through about 3 or 4 chains for every cassette.

Wow where can I get a ultegra chain for £10!!!That sounds fantastic value.

What happens to the 1500 mile chain is it then waste.Or do you use it for 1500 miles then use a new one,then after 1500 miles again use the first chain.That was my plan anyway.

vision267

Zendog 1 wrote:

Change the chain when it's worn (no more than 1/8th inch stretch in twelve links). Cassettes should then last for three or even four chain changes.

Thanks for your reply Zendog,I bought a chain wear tool Saturday.Man at the bike shop said it was a very accurate tool.I took him at his word and it was not expensive so I bought it.May be I should have saved my money and got my tape out.

I am using ultegra and the price of the cassette is about 12 euro more than the chain I am thinking of getting.Cassette is almost 54 euro and chain is priced accordingly.Is the chain after it has stretched 1/8 of an inch then thrown away.No obliously its not,I just use a new one then swap again.Is that what you are telling me.Sorry about my confused state.

Zendog1

No - once it's stretched throw it away

A stretched chain no longer "fits" properly on the cassette and this damages the cassette much faster than a new chain.

By the way I get 4-5,000 miles from an ultegra chain - not many hills were I live.

toontra

vision267 wrote:

toontra wrote:

With my set-up (Ultegra 10s) chains can be found for £10 whereas cassettes are nearer £50, so I usually replace the chains regularly (about every 1500 miles). That way I get through about 3 or 4 chains for every cassette.

Wow where can I get a ultegra chain for £10!!!That sounds fantastic value.

The drivechain, shifters, mechs are Ultegra but I use the cheapest chains I can get (for the above reason). EG. CRC are selling 3 Mavic 10s chains for £30 at the moment.

vision267

Zendog1 wrote:

No - once it's stretched throw it away

A stretched chain no longer "fits" properly on the cassette and this damages the cassette much faster than a new chain.

By the way I get 4-5,000 miles from an ultegra chain - not many hills were I live.

I don't have a tape,get one tomorrow.I just checked the chain with my chain tool its a park tool and its not 100% worn yet.Maybe I dont have to buy a new cassette.Maybe a new chain is all I need?Where do I measure from ,is it centre of the pin and 12" to the next centre of the pin?Oh by the way thanks for your help.

vision267

I have just found a tape and looked up the Sheldon Brown site.Its rivet centre to centre and I have just checked it and its slightly under 1/16 of an inch.So I am thinking all I need to do is just change my chain.The cassette should be crossed fingers ok.

Zendog1

If it's under 1/16 inch you do not need a new chain. Run it until 1/8 th inch.

topdude

Change it at 1/16 before it wears the cassette too much, if you wait till it is 1/8 it is too late :shock:
Chains are consumable items.