How often should I renew the chain and sprockets?

sark716

I have a Trek 2.1 2012.

Over the last few weeks I have had a few issues with creaking drivetrain and bottom bracket etc. Also this weekend I've realised that I have done over 1000 miles on this bike.

I was wondering after how many miles should I consider changing the chain and sprockets ?

turnerjohn

get yourself a Park chain checker and check it. if your lucky (and keep your drive nice and clean) your be ok....if not the chain would have worn out the sockets and even worse the front chainrings :oops:

Barbarossa

Chain should be good for 3000-4000 miles, cassette 4 or 5 chains, chainrings at least twice that.

rhext

Should be ok on 1, 000 miles. Bit of creaking usually means time for a good clean and relube rather than new drivetrain, and it's amazing how many different bits can not only creak but make it sound like it's coming from the drivetrain. The chainchecker will tell you. I'd usually replace a chain after about 2-3 thousand miles, then wear out the whole drivetrain with the next one...about 4-5 thousand miles. Time to replace it when the chain starts to skip!

Yossie

Re Park Tools job - very mixed reports on here - I just go by looking at the teeth of the cassette/sprockets and how much give there is when you try and pull the chain over the sprockets on the front (use the big ring for this).

Re life: depends: I clean mine (full degrease with Jizer, hose down, Zip wax wash, compressor dry and re lube - takes 10 minutes) every week and get 2 years of everyday use out of the commuter bike chain and sprockets (doing this on eth race bike I'm easily thousands of miles in but that's dry weather use only, so not to be taken as a guideline).

Chainrings last for years, cassettes depend on when you change the chain.

1,000 miles is nothing if you've taken care of it all.

sark716

Thanks for that. I have been stripping down bits and regreasing. Even upgraded the bottom bracket. Still sounds a bit clinky, especially under load on the granny gear.

Velonutter

I usually manage 2000 miles per chain and about 10,000 to cassette.

I use a park tool and am very pleased with it: -

http://www.parktool.com/product/chain-checker-cc-2

Bozman

10.000 miles for a cassette and I'll get through roughly three chains for one cassette.

cycleclinic

The above is the ideal but I know no one who actually gets 3000 miles from a chain and then can change the chain and can do that for 10000 miles.
I have to change my changes a bit more regularly but as I have a dura ace cassette it is worth it to get longer cassette life. With a chain rotation system with 3-4 chains 10000 miles from a cassette should be possible, this is what I have started doing.

Barbarossa

thecycleclinic wrote:

The above is the ideal but I know no one who actually gets 3000 miles from a chain and then can change the chain and can do that for 10000 miles.

My road bike is two and a half years old, 12000 miles, 2 new chains and still on the original cassette.

marcusjb

Barbarossa wrote:

thecycleclinic wrote:

The above is the ideal but I know no one who actually gets 3000 miles from a chain and then can change the chain and can do that for 10000 miles.

My road bike is two and a half years old, 12000 miles, 2 new chains and still on the original cassette.

Are you based in Italy?

Very different riding conditions to most of us.

Bozman

thecycleclinic wrote:

The above is the ideal but I know no one who actually gets 3000 miles from a chain and then can change the chain and can do that for 10000 miles.
I have to change my changes a bit more regularly but as I have a dura ace cassette it is worth it to get longer cassette life. With a chain rotation system with 3-4 chains 10000 miles from a cassette should be possible, this is what I have started doing.

I used to comfortably get 4500 miles out of a chain but now I err on the side of caution with 3k miles, I've never had an issue with premature wear or slipping on a cassette or chainring, personally I feel that there's a lot of scaremongering out there.
Many moons ago in the days before I knew about maintenance(early 90s) in ran an 8 speed Shimano chain for over 30k miles without an issue.

Yossie

Many moons ago in the days before I knew about maintenance(early 90s) in ran an 8 speed Shimano chain for over 30k miles without an issue

Nothing at all to do with "knowing about maintenance" - the 7 and speed stuff back then was bullet proof - as things have got lighter faster,. more gears, etc then they wear out quicker. Simples like.

Back in the days of 7 and 8 speed we all ran stuff for thousands of miles and didn't worry about it at all, which is the way it should be.

Knowing about maintenance seems such a cock arssed phrase anyway .....

mulletmaster

Stupid question perhaps but without measuring it what are the signs of a chain giving out?
I did 5000 on a campag chain before a ham fisted front shift killed it and have done a further 3000ish on an ultegra chain, out in all weathers, without any issues?

Yossie

I stick mine in the big ring (oooeeerrr) and pull the chain forward - a little play is fine, if it starts coming right over the edge its shaggged.

Loads of side to side play in the plates as well is a giveaway as well as if it looks shaggged. Checks for gaps and obvious shagnessed as well.

Its all pretty much common sense.

Not sure how chain measuring things work because I've always done it as per the above and in 39 years of riding never had one break. But that's just me. Nowt at all to do with "knowing about maintenance" ......