Cassette wear or dodgy chain?

Valiant Velocipist
Valiant Velocipist Posts: 5
edited May 2011 in Workshop
Greetings chums. I would appreciate your advice on a perplexing issue.

I am running a KMC chain on a Campag Chorus cassette and cannot get it to run smoothly. In certain gears it clicks badly, but only on the road when the transmission is under load. On the workstand it runs sweetly and swaps cogs perfectly well.

My friendly LBS could not work out why.

Some background:

The cassette is three years old but shows little sign of wear (as far as I can tell. I have been advised that they can last upto 25k - and I am nowhere near that).

I have rotated chains pretty religiously c. 500 miles

KMC's were recommended to me instead of a Campag Record - and I was assured it would run well. First one did, last two did not.

Bike used all year round but cleaned, lubed and loved. Never dropped, crashed or bashed and lives in the house when wife is not around.

Rear mech is properly indexed and cables in good nick.

Have checked BB and pedals for play / clicks - all seem fine.

Is it simply a case that the cassette is worn or should I go back to Campag chains? How does one tell? And if I change the block, I presume the front rings should go too? They also look to be in good repair.

Am longing for the days when the bike whirred along smoothly and would appreciate your thoughts.

Valiant Velocipist

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    what chain?
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Valiant Velocipist
    Valiant Velocipist Posts: 5
    It is a KMC x10-L

    VV
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,321
    It's difficutl to say from here, but I feel like saying it's NOT the cassette.

    Could be the chain, but if you say these KMC chains work well with Campagonolo, then it's not the chain either.
    Campagnolo 10 speed (and 11) systems are quite temperamental and sometimes little noises occur... they don't mean anything and don't compromise the performance, so if you can live with it, I suggest you leave it a bit longer and wait to see if it cures itself... it has happened to me before that a clicking noise on the third sprocket disappeared after a few hundred miles. If the noise persists, I suggest to remove, clean and reinstall the gear cable, which is likely the cause
    left the forum March 2023
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    I would buy two things: a new cassette and a chain wear/measurement tool.

    I would use the chain tool to measure chain wear in the future and only replace when it told me I had to (I would double check if it told me to replace at 500 miles).

    I would use the new cassette to see if the problem went away (if not, I would take it back off and keep it for when needed).

    By the way, 25K for cassettes? Not in my experience, more like 5K, with a new chain every 1.5-2K.
  • rubbernekker
    rubbernekker Posts: 112
    You have been very thorough in discounting everything else.

    I think, in spite of your chain rotation, the cassette has just worn in a funny way and it may be time for it to retire. I think 12k is more realistic for a campag cassette.

    Perhaps you should try one more chain. A campag one, cos i genuinely think there are worth every penny of their seemingly inflated price, and if it goes away- win, if not change the cassette.

    Some things (silent zippy riding smoothness) are worth the cash.

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