Chain wear

cmhill79

I've got one of those simple chain measures that give you a reading of 75% and 100% worn. If I catch the chain at 75% wear will I get away with just changing the chain and not having to change the cassette too?
Is this the best/ only way of measuring chain wear?

keef66

Some will suggest that the simplest and most accurate way to measure chain wear is using a steel ruler held against a taut chain and measuring 12 links from the centre of the pins.

I've tried this and find it quite tricky to do reliably, so bought the simple Park Tools chain wear checker. This may not be quite as accurate, but it is very quick / simple to use.

Mine has 2 sides; one is 0.5% wear, at which point I'll order a replacement chain. When it gets to 0.75% then the new chain goes on. Doing this religiously might mean replacing chains slightly prematurely, but it has meant I'm still to replace the original 105 cassette.

I have noticed that 10 speed chains seem to wear quicker than the older 8 and 9 speed stuff.

cmhill79

keef66 wrote:

Some will suggest that the simplest and most accurate way to measure chain wear is using a steel ruler held against a taut chain and measuring 12 links from the centre of the pins.

I've tried this and find it quite tricky to do reliably, so bought the simple Park Tools chain wear checker. This may not be quite as accurate, but it is very quick / simple to use.

Mine has 2 sides; one is 0.5% wear, at which point I'll order a replacement chain. When it gets to 0.75% then the new chain goes on. Doing this religiously might mean replacing chains slightly prematurely, but it has meant I'm still to replace the original 105 cassette.

I have noticed that 10 speed chains seem to wear quicker than the older 8 and 9 speed stuff.

Thanks that's just what I was after. How long are finding the chain lasts (i.e. How many kms/ miles) and how many chains has that original cassette seen off?

keef66

I've tried a few chains since I got the road bike and I guess on average about 1500 miles per chain? I think 4 or 5 so far on the original cassette. I do run full mudguards for much of the year which I think helps.

mm1

I always change at 75%, but its a bit hit and miss. I've just changed chains on my most used road bike and mountain bike. Pleasantly surprised that the MTB cassette was fine, but 2 sprockets on the road cassette were shot.

rjkflyer

The typical chain wear checkers are very pessimistic - the chain is certainly NOT 0.75% (or whatever) worn when they claim it it.

This is because their method of pushing the chain 'apart' between two points actually includes wear on the INSIDE of the chain rollers as well as the OUTSIDE of the chain pins. The former is mainly irrelevant as when the chain is intension this is taken up and does NOT affect chain pitch.

If you have the fortitude, read this post: viewtopic.php?f=40004&t=12935009&hilit=campagnolo+chain+wear

My point being that the wear metrics were telling me, a 50 year old 61kg guy who has ridden for 18 months, to change my chains ludicrously quickly.

Personally, unless you are of unusual ability, I'd venture to suggest that changing them when at 0.75% (or 1% even) on a shop sold chain checker will preserve your cassettes very well.

We just need to wait now for someone to weight in with the rotating your chains method...

marcusjb

Well, about my chain rotation system......

Chain wear tools are pretty pessimistic. A steel rule is best.

I get around 4-5000km of all-weather riding out of a chain and a cassette will last for around 4 chains (call it 15-20000km).

This is in 10-speed world for reference.

mmacavity

http://pardo.net/bike/pic/fail-004/000.html

careful

Some will suggest that the simplest and most accurate way to measure chain wear is using a steel ruler held against a taut chain and measuring 12 links from the centre of the pins.

I've tried this and find it quite tricky to do reliably, so bought the simple Park Tools chain wear checker. This may not be quite as accurate, but it is very quick / simple to use.

A longer length of chain will give more accuracy so I just nailed a thin cuphook (a panel pin would do) into a fence post and marked a line 50 inches lower down the post. When I occasionally remove my chain to clean it, I just hang the chain up and check the position of the rivet compared with the line. Very easy to see the chain get a bit longer every few hundred miles (unless of course the fence post is getting shorter!).

Ouija

Wood expands and shrinks through the seasons......

careful

Wood expands and shrinks through the seasons......

Actually not to a visibly measurasble degree. As Im a bit fussy I used to check the distance from the cup hook to the line each time I measured the chain -never any visible change. Unless you think that my steel tape measure also expands with seasonal temperature change. But then of course the chain itself will also expand as would the chainrings - no worries.

cmhill79

careful wrote:

Some will suggest that the simplest and most accurate way to measure chain wear is using a steel ruler held against a taut chain and measuring 12 links from the centre of the pins.

I've tried this and find it quite tricky to do reliably, so bought the simple Park Tools chain wear checker. This may not be quite as accurate, but it is very quick / simple to use.

A longer length of chain will give more accuracy so I just nailed a thin cuphook (a panel pin would do) into a fence post and marked a line 50 inches lower down the post. When I occasionally remove my chain to clean it, I just hang the chain up and check the position of the rivet compared with the line. Very easy to see the chain get a bit longer every few hundred miles (unless of course the fence post is getting shorter!).

This is going to sound like a dumb question but how do remove and put back on a chain? It would obviously be a lot easier to clean it that way

cycleclinic

These topics come up from time to time and the same repsonces come. Quite frankly there is no aggreed deniftion of chain wear limts just differing opinion based on user experience. The chain manufacturers include roller wear as part of there measurements and changing at 0.75% will preserve your cassettes quite well. I have come to the conclusion I would rather change my chain "early" than try to eak every last mile out them and risk trashing the cassette.

Steel rule as recomended by Sheldon brown and many other's is a decent guide but wear is the limit for a chain 1/8" over 12 links seems like enough (1.04%) but I have found sometimes this method can leave the chain on long enough to trash the cassette if one small sprocket is used to much.

So to those who get on the rule method and get very long life from there chains I wish I could but I have never managed close to that. Changing when the park checker shows 0.75% seems to be the only way I get good cassette life.

careful

Removable link - make sure you get the right type (Campag or Shimano) and the correct speed chain (9, 10). Not sure if 11 speed are available>

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/kmc-10-speed-chain-links/

cycleclinic

11 speed is available KMc make them easy to find.