Why is there always more?

BobScarle

For some time now I have been putting up with a noisy bottom bracket. Fairly sure that was the problem as there was play in the cranks as well. So I changed it on Monday. As the chain was about three years old and had done around 5000 miles, I thought I would change that as well. I stripped and cleaned the cassette and reinstalled it. I gave all of the bits that are hard to get at normally a clean and once it was reassembled it looked lovely.

For a number of reasons, I have not been able to test ride until tonight. Had an hour really looking forward to getting out. What a disappointment! Putting a little pressure on the pedals to go up some short rises the chain starts jumping. Not changing gear just jumping on the cassette. Now, I know that I should change the cassette along with the chain, but I thought I could get away with it. It appears not and to that end, I have just given Wiggle another £38 pounds of my money.

There's always something else to buy.

Mad_Malx

Was the cassette 5k old too? Shouldn't really have been badly worn, unless you really neglected the chain.

Two things - check there are no stiff links (especially at the join). Also might be worth trying fiddling with the indexing? I just did a similar change, and although it was fine before the chain was changed I had exact same problem, cured by small tweak to the indexing. I think it wasn't perfect before, but worn chain had more tolerance.

rolf_f

BobScarle wrote:

There's always something else to buy.

Well, you haven't bought a chain in three years so, up until now, what have you been continually spending money on to keep that bike going?

cycleclinic

If a chain is left for 5000 miles and not changed as the OP said the cassette will be very worn.chains cannot be changed after 5000 miles with an expectation the cassette will be fine. I have killed cassettes in 2000 miles before by leaving a chain a bit too long. Generally I find 1500 miles or so is the limit for a chain if I want to be able to keep the cassette or I find my new chain skips.

So change your cassette and change your chains alot sooner. A customer did the same thing as you but he left his long enough to kill the outer chainring too so it could be worse.

Mad_Malx

thecycleclinic - Interesting - on another thread someone said that 3000k wasn't much and when I said I though it was plenty, several posters told me I was wrong.

Obviously variable on weather, frequency of cleaning etc., but for me I don't seem to get skipping problems changing about 3k and cassette about every 9k. My miles are mostly commuting (all weathers) on 10 speed 105, so replacements are not too expensive. Even then the changes are before I notice any problems to avoid the expensive problems you described, and the more painful consequences of a chain snapping (which happened before I knew better at around 6k).

If I was on my (imaginary) Sunday best bike with a gold-plated chainset I might change more often.

pinno

If Campag made all chains, they would probably be the best chains in the world.

Only 3k for a chain :shock:

cycleclinic

Everyone is different but 1500 miles for me (and I do take care of my bikes) seems to be all I can manage on my all weather bike if I want to keep the cassette. On my summer bike which has a DA 7900 cassette I could get more but DA cassettes are expensive so changing a cheaper 10 speed chain early make sense to me to preserve a cassette and my expensive chain rings. Essentially I get nervous about my cassettes at about 1500 miles and if I check chain wear I find I have cause to be nervous. I don't think I have ever managed 9000 miles from a cassette that is dream land for me.

I have used campagnolo chains and I do like them but a KMC chain last just as long. Campag record chains on a campagnolo cassette do seem to give slightly better shifting maybe it is the record -plasebo effect.

Really though 5000 miles and every cassette I have seen has always been screwed of course it may have done more than the customer thinks.

rolf_f

thecycleclinic wrote:

I have used campagnolo chains and I do like them but a KMC chain last just as long. Campag record chains on a campagnolo cassette do seem to give slightly better shifting maybe it is the record -plasebo effect.

Probably - certainly it shouldn't matter what breed of Campag chain you use. The shapes of the plates are identical and I'm pretty sure that the side plates are completely identical from Centaur up (poss depending on year) - certainly there are no visual differences in shape or colour (fresh or worn) between Centaur and Record. The differences there are probably mainly just in the hollow pins of the Record.

Incidentally, on 10 speed I have been using Mavic/Wippermann chains in preference to Campag. They are slightly wider (and slightly noisier consequently) which ensures that they don't fall between chainrings which the Campag chains sometimes do no matter how I set everything up. I've just put a Record 11 crankset on my Look so I am going back to the Campag chains to see if that eliminates the problem. Theoretically, it should.

keef66

I'm with Cycleclinic. I use a park Tools chain checker and with my 10 speed 105 I seem to reach 0.75% wear after just 1500 miles. Changing the chain at that point might be considered by some to be premature, but a new chain has yet to skip on the cassette which is coming up for 6000 miles. I think once that happens I'll just keep rotating 3 worn chains until the whole drivetrain is knackered.

(I ran an MTB for years without ever checking for chain wear. I suspect everything needed replacing by the time it was nicked)

rolf_f

keef66 wrote:

I'm with Cycleclinic. I use a park Tools chain checker and with my 10 speed 105 I seem to reach 0.75% wear after just 1500 miles. Changing the chain at that point might be considered by some to be premature, but a new chain has yet to skip on the cassette which is coming up for 6000 miles.

I think Sheldon says that 0.75% is the correct time to replace - you can leave it longer and get away with it but you are wearing the rest of the drivetrain more than you should.

But it is really better to measure the chain rather than using the checker which doesn't distinguish between pin and roller wear - and it doesn't really take any longer. I use the Park tool to measure to 0.75% and the ruler thereafter.

pinno

Rolf F wrote:

thecycleclinic wrote:

.....

I've just put a Record 11 crankset on my Look so I am going back to the Campag chains to see if that eliminates the problem. Theoretically, it should.

I have Record 11 on my Wilier. I have not had a problem with the 11 slipping between the gap.