how many miles does a chain last ?

stronginthesun

mines done 2000 miles and seems alright but i think looks can be deceptive ?

bianchimoon

stronginthesun wrote:

mines done 2000 miles and seems alright but i think looks can be deceptive ?

if it's changing gear ok, not jumping you should be fine, you can get a chain measure tool that will tell you when optimum replacement is before it starts to damage cassette

Lillywhite

At 2000 miles, if it's a quality chain, then it's hardly run in :shock: and if the gears are working and not jumping then leave alone but keep it clean on a regular basis and use a good quality chain lube.

danowat

3000ish on mine, and I have a replacement ready to fit at any time as it just doesn't sound right anymore.

rogerthecat

Sorry guys I thought you should change a chain about every 1500 - 2500miles, (depends on your riding style) as your cassette will not accept another chain due to wear, therefore you will need to buy a cassette aswel as a new chain?

Could you clear this point up. :?

CiB

Depends entirely on usage and environment. At this time of year road dirt is like grinding paste so chains need a good clean more often, and if you cycle the Welsh hills or The Peak District your chain will suffer more than someone in Norfolk.

That said, I have two chains and swap them usually at about 1500 miles, to prevent the situation where a brand new chain gets fitted to a wellt-worn cassette + rings. TBH I haven't done the maths to see if it's really worth it, but it feels like it is.

tri-sexual

1500 miles max for me
change them once worn
10 speed chains due to their narrowness stretch alot more than older systems which last several times longer
life of a chain will depend on many factors including rider weight/power terrain, weather conditions etc
i ride with some guys who can get over 3000 miles out of theirs, lighter riders or riders who cruise can get much more life out of their drivetrain than aggressive riders
chain stretch can be measured with a measuring tool or a steel ruler, once the chain starts jumping then its too late and will require replacement cassette and or chainrings as well so replace chain before this happens

Bozman

Due to the sheer strength in my quads i have to change my chain after every ride, the cassette and chainrings roughly once a week, i seem to be lucky with the crankarms because they only start to bend after about a month!!


Once a year in the real world but i only average roughly 100/120 miles a wk over a year (Duraace or fsa slk).

durianrider

I race Cat 1 and get at least 10 000miles before I swap my chain/cassette. I keep em clean and NEVER use degreaser to clean em. I use a dry rag and do it a few times a week. Take my cassette apart and listen to some audiobooks whilst giving it a clean over. Easy.

I also keep my gears adjusted crisp too.

bianchimoon

Bozman wrote:

Due to the sheer strength in my quads i have to change my chain after every ride, the cassette and chainrings roughly once a week, i seem to be lucky with the crankarms because they only start to bend after about a month!!


Once a year in the real world but i only average roughly 100/120 miles a wk over a year (Duraace or fsa slk).

owenlars

I think there are two schools of thought, firstly run both chain and cassette into the ground together and change both when necessary or secondly change chains at regular intervals (1500 milesish in my case) when it reaches 0.75% worn and change cassette every ffth or sixth chain or when a new chain jumps all over the place.

Durianrider's 10,000 miles, I suspect, is not achievable by most people and is probably a result of what looks like an excellent maintenance regime.

kettrinboy

Durianrider's 10,000 miles, I suspect, is not achievable by most people and is probably a result of what looks like an excellent maintenance regime[/quote
my Ultegra 6600 chain has done 8300 miles and is still going strong so i expect it will do 10,000 miles why change it when its running well.

Velonutter

I always change my chain after 2000 miles max, makes it cheaper than changing the cassette, it takes about 50 miles for the chain to bed in with the cassette.

I always always clean my chain with a dry rag after every ride, then liberally spray with GT85 and leave overnight.

You can tell when a new chain is fitted and can hear when an old one is knackered and full of dirt.

vorsprung

stronginthesun wrote:

mines done 2000 miles and seems alright but i think looks can be deceptive ?

See the section on this page "Measuring Chain Wear"

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

2000 miles is not a long way for a chain.

On my commute bike that I ride in awful weather up muddy lanes and that gets a chain clean at the weekends if it's lucky I would get 5,000 miles

ademort

The chain/cassette on my good racing bike has had 10,000 miles and still going strong. I never ride it in bad weather. It,s never seen rain and of course is used in the April to October period. When i get home from a ride my bike doesnt need cleaning it only needs polishing. There is still no signs of wear. Ok, in the Netherlands we have no hills/mountains and i do try to vary the gearing when i,m out. On the other hand my work bike can expect to have 3 to 4 chains/cassettes every year. the bikes ridden in all weathers and when i get to work the bike sits all day in a locked bikeshed sometimes covered in Mud or Grit. I know this doesnt help. Also for my work bike i use the cheap version Shimano wheels and usually at least once a year the freehub is worn. I usually buy a new set of wheels at no more than 80 to 100 quid.I,m sure that i could do better with a better cleaning regime on my work bike but it just comes down to time for me, i dont have any.
Ademort

keef66

Looks can indeed be deceptive. My 105 10 sp chain lasted just over a year before the wear checker told me it needed replacing. I got a cheapo (Mavic I think) from CRC for a tenner but despite the fact it seems more rust prone and it's done more miles in worse weather, it's still not showing up as worn at all. Wish I'd bought the 3 pack now!

Velonutter

keef66 wrote:

Looks can indeed be deceptive. My 105 10 sp chain lasted just over a year before the wear checker told me it needed replacing. I got a cheapo (Mavic I think) from CRC for a tenner but despite the fact it seems more rust prone and it's done more miles in worse weather, it's still not showing up as worn at all. Wish I'd bought the 3 pack now!

Three of us bought the 3 pack of Mavic Chains and for me was the biggest pile of cr@p that I have ever bought, poor gear changes, noisy and as for wear well I could not stand more than 500 miles on them so we all ended up binning them.