Drive Train Replacement...
Headhuunter
Posts: 6,494
I think I need to replace the entire drive train of my Ribble - 53/39 and 11-25 9spd cassette and chain. I tried just replacing the 53T chainring about a month ago when it started slipping but it seems to be b*ggered already... I can see wear and it's started to slip again. I thought I might be able to get away with just replacing the chainring as the chain was not that worn but apparently not.... Weird because the chain had only been on for about 6 months, if that.
I've found a 9spd Tiagra 11-25 cassette for £14.99 at CRC which seems the cheapest. I think someone here found a 53T Shimano chainring somewhere for fairly cheap? Perhaps on ebay? Anyone else seen 53T and/or 39T chainrings going a song?
My final question is, what is the best chain to go for. In the past I have always gone for Shimano ones as I have a Shimano groupset, but I hear that KMC are better because they are easily removable with the "missing link" and can be refitted. People have mentioned SRAM chains but that once they are fitted you cannot remove and then replace them. Also Conex Wipperman chains? Are they any good?
I've found a 9spd Tiagra 11-25 cassette for £14.99 at CRC which seems the cheapest. I think someone here found a 53T Shimano chainring somewhere for fairly cheap? Perhaps on ebay? Anyone else seen 53T and/or 39T chainrings going a song?
My final question is, what is the best chain to go for. In the past I have always gone for Shimano ones as I have a Shimano groupset, but I hear that KMC are better because they are easily removable with the "missing link" and can be refitted. People have mentioned SRAM chains but that once they are fitted you cannot remove and then replace them. Also Conex Wipperman chains? Are they any good?
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I like Connex. My new bike came with KMC, that seems OK as well. I have also bought Mavic chains, they were on special offer 2 years ago on CRC so I bought 3.
I like the Connex quick links the best, I have fitted one to my KMC chain. Just make sure you put the link the right way round, it makes a big difference apparently.
Can't help on the rings though.....0 -
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Do you do a lot of miles? That's what is the actual measurement for how often replace the drivetrain, not how long you've had it. I remember the time when one chain and one cassette could last me for years. Now I have to replace them every 6 months...
Are you sure it's the front chainring where the chain is slipping? Sometimes when the cassette is worn out you can get the slipping/skipping chain on some gear combinations while it's fine on the others.
You would do the best if you replaced everything at the same time: chain, cassette and front rings.0 -
So it's the cheapest cassette available and the "best" chain?
Don't quite follow that
If you want to replace the drive train. JFDI, it's only bits, it's not a complex job0 -
medoramas wrote:Do you do a lot of miles? That's what is the actual measurement for how often replace the drivetrain, not how long you've had it. I remember the time when one chain and one cassette could last me for years. Now I have to replace them every 6 months...
Are you sure it's the front chainring where the chain is slipping? Sometimes when the cassette is worn out you can get the slipping/skipping chain on some gear combinations while it's fine on the others.
You would do the best if you replaced everything at the same time: chain, cassette and front rings.
It does seem to have worn out v quickly. I bought the bike new in May 2010. I do about 60-80 miles per week on it, however I bought a new wheelset and rear cassette for it in about Jan or Feb 11 so the cassette was changed at that point, and a short time before that it had a new chain.
Then it started slipping and skipping in about May 2011 when in the upper chainring which looked worn (the smaller chainring also looks worn but it doesn't seem to skip on that). Seeing as the cassette and chain were relatively new, I replaced the 52T chainring, but about a month later that looks very worn and has started to skip....Do not write below this line. Office use only.0 -
vorsprung wrote:So it's the cheapest cassette available and the "best" chain?
Don't quite follow that
If you want to replace the drive train. JFDI, it's only bits, it's not a complex job
Well I woul dlike the cheapest decent cassette and chain.... I was simply going to replace the cassette like for like - Tiagra to Tiagra unless I'm missing something and I should be using A N Other cassette brand? As for the chain I had heard that there were better types and brands out there....Do not write below this line. Office use only.0 -
There has to be something wrong with your chain I reckon. In such a short time having the front rings worn out - I don't think it's normal for not very big milage you do.
First of all are you 100% sure the front rings need replacement? Compare them against brand new ones if you have a chance. I assume you know that good teeth on the rings look kinda weird, irregular and sometimes people think they are not good anymore... Reality is that when they look like sharp and regular triangles that means they are due to replace. I don't belive yours look like that. Replace the chain and the cassette - I'm pretty sure that's your problem.
They don't have to be the top model. Even the cheap ones (but decent) are designed to do the job properly. Sometimes they even last longer comparing to the higher models (obviously they weight a bit more, but that's not always a big issue).
Can you post a picture of your front ring? Close up macro would be the best y sure that's your problem.
They don't have to be the top model. Even the cheap ones (but decent) are designed to do the job properly. Sometimes they even last longer comparing to the higher models (obviously they weight a bit more, but that's not always a big issue).
Can you post a picture of your front ring? Close up macro would be the best 0 -
Conventional wisdom is that you need to replace the chain, cassette then chain rings in that order i.e., new rings will require a new chain and cassette.
The drivetrain wears together and each part starts to "fit" into the others so chaning one part will usually cause mayhem, bad shifting, skipping and rapid wear - I would guess this is what's happened to your ring
Go for a chain with a reusable link (SRAM 9spd or KMC 10spd-not Shimano), Morwe money will generally get you a better performing chain up to a point, I usually go for the second cheapest one!
Oh, and splash out an extra tenner for a chain checker so you can replace the chain before it starts prematurely wearing the other bits...We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
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medoramas wrote:There has to be something wrong with your chain I reckon. In such a short time having the front rings worn out - I don't think it's normal for not very big milage you do.
First of all are you 100% sure the front rings need replacement? Compare them against brand new ones if you have a chance. I assume you know that good teeth on the rings look kinda weird, irregular and sometimes people think they are not good anymore... Reality is that when they look like sharp and regular triangles that means they are due to replace. I don't belive yours look like that. Replace the chain and the cassette - I'm pretty sure that's your problem.
They don't have to be the top model. Even the cheap ones (but decent) are designed to do the job properly. Sometimes they even last longer comparing to the higher models (obviously they weight a bit more, but that's not always a big issue).
Can you post a picture of your front ring? Close up macro would be the best y sure that's your problem.
They don't have to be the top model. Even the cheap ones (but decent) are designed to do the job properly. Sometimes they even last longer comparing to the higher models (obviously they weight a bit more, but that's not always a big issue).
Can you post a picture of your front ring? Close up macro would be the best
I'll try to post a photo later... The 52T ring is definitely worn, when it was replaced a month or so ago the old ring looked very "sharks fin", now the teeth are not so much sharks fin in shape but they look "dented" and misshapen...! Perhaps it is the chain....Do not write below this line. Office use only.0 -
ddraver wrote:Conventional wisdom is that you need to replace the chain, cassette then chain rings in that order i.e., new rings will require a new chain and cassette.
The drivetrain wears together and each part starts to "fit" into the others so chaning one part will usually cause mayhem, bad shifting, skipping and rapid wear - I would guess this is what's happened to your ring
Go for a chain with a reusable link (SRAM 9spd or KMC 10spd-not Shimano), Morwe money will generally get you a better performing chain up to a point, I usually go for the second cheapest one!
Oh, and splash out an extra tenner for a chain checker so you can replace the chain before it starts prematurely wearing the other bits...
Weird thing is that the chain was quite new. Replaced the chain, then later the chainring started to skip (about May this year). However the new chainring, which has been on the bike for literally about a month (60-80 miles per week) already seems to be knackered.
Why would I get a SRAM 9 spd but a KMC 10spd? The bike is 9 spd....
What's the difference between the various types of KMC chain - there seem to be X9 73 and X9 93 etc etc?Do not write below this line. Office use only.0 -
I don't know if this has any relevance, but are you splitting the chain to the appropriate length? Would a shorter than recommended chain length contribute to excess wear? Just a thought.0
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kelsen wrote:I don't know if this has any relevance, but are you splitting the chain to the appropriate length? Would a shorter than recommended chain length contribute to excess wear? Just a thought.
To be honest I have never split a chain in my life, my dad put it on... Actually come to think of it, I think he shortened a 10spd Shimano 105 chain.... I would have thought he would have got it to the right length though, he usually knows what he's doing, although sometimes his bike knowledge can be stuck in the 80s and 90s! He doesn't understand new fangled things like brifters....Do not write below this line. Office use only.0 -
Aha! There lies your problem. Your old man is obviously not swapping the new parts onto the bike and just shifting them on down the pub for a tidy wee sum.
Seriously though, chain length might be worth checking out if you've eliminated everything else...
http://sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html#chain0 -
kelsen wrote:Aha! There lies your problem. Your old man is obviously not swapping the new parts onto the bike and just shifting them on down the pub for a tidy wee sum.
Seriously though, chain length might be worth checking out if you've eliminated everything else...
http://sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html#chain
The 105 chain was new though, I bought it for my other bike but then it ended up on the 9 spd Ribble bike...Do not write below this line. Office use only.0 -
People have mentioned SRAM chains but that once they are fitted you cannot remove and then replace them.
What's that about SRAM chains? I've got SRAM with an SRAM powerlink on one of my bikes and it comes off and goes on easily enough. Or are you talking about something else?0 -
Merlinare knocking groupsets out pretty cheaply
It may prove more economical to but the whole groupset and ebay the bits you don't need.
Join their VIP club for an extra 10%“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!0 -
bails87 wrote:SRAM's ten speed quick links aren't reusable, but a reusable kmc link can be used on any chain. SRAM's 8 and 9 spd links are reusable.
Ah, thanks for the clarification - I've only got 8 and 9 speeds and no doubt I'll get up to 10 speed one day.. Still, HH needs a 9 speed chain so the SRAM problem doesn't apply.0 -
I wondered about that, one is about two quid more and according to one of the sites that sell it it is more durable.Headhuunter wrote:[What's the difference between the various types of KMC chain - there seem to be X9 73 and X9 93 etc etc?
I like the convenience of kmc and the quick link.
You could replace the whole of the front - cranks as well as chain rings then you could add worrying about crank length to your list of conundrums.
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Twostage wrote:
I wondered about that, one is about two quid more and according to one of the sites that sell it it is more durable.Headhuunter wrote:[What's the difference between the various types of KMC chain - there seem to be X9 73 and X9 93 etc etc?
I like the convenience of kmc and the quick link.
You could replace the whole of the front - cranks as well as chain rings then you could add worrying about crank length to your list of conundrums.
Yes I think I'll leave the cranks well alone! The whole bike is not even 18 months old, it's bad enough having to replace the drive train etc, I think the rest of it should be fine!Do not write below this line. Office use only.0 -
TailWindHome wrote:Merlinare knocking groupsets out pretty cheaply
It may prove more economical to but the whole groupset and ebay the bits you don't need.
Join their VIP club for an extra 10%
Hmmm.... Worth thought I suppose. An entire Tiagra groupset is GB250 without 10% discount.... Sh!t I'm spending too much cash at the moment!Do not write below this line. Office use only.0 -
bails87 wrote:SRAM's ten speed quick links aren't reusable, but a reusable kmc link can be used on any chain. SRAM's 8 and 9 spd links are reusable.
How bizarre, why would SRAM produce 8 and 9 spd with reusable links but not 10 spd?Do not write below this line. Office use only.0
