New cassette and chain slip

Phippsy

Hi

I broke my chain last week so replaced and tried to run it on the old cassette. This has never worked before and didn't this time. In the big ring at the front any power slips the chain. In the middle ring all was fine, so I rode home and ordered a new cassette.

Old one was 11-36, but I fancied a change and went 11-32. New cassette fitted, same thing happens. Only on the big ring front, both middle and small are fine. So I'm thinking maybe my chain length comparison was out? (I laid them down next to each other. Or it's the right length for 11-36 and changing cassette ratios means its too long? Only a year old with 2000 miles on the clock. All was fine until the chain broke. Any advice/ideas appreciated before I take out a link and potentially make it worse...

cooldad

You definitely need to resize the chain if you change ratios. Around big/big missing out the mech plus at least one link. Possibly two if it's a full sus - check the chain at maximum extension.

mattyfez

What he said, but Also, are your front rings worn it could be that as well.

The Rookie

So it was slipping on the big ring and you expected chasing the cassette to fix that?

Phippsy

Front ring has no wear, thanks for the chain advice. Not sure what the last post is saying, The rookie, it wasn't slipping until chain break and replacement. Still slipping usually means cassette had it too.

sniper68

Phippsy wrote:

Hi
Only a year old with 2000 miles on the clock. All was fine until the chain broke. Any advice/ideas appreciated before I take out a link and potentially make it worse...

2000 miles!I'd be very surprised if the front ring doesn't need changing!
You say it was OK before the chain snapped and it was and you could have gotten another 1000miles out of it as everything has bedded/worn together.
Chains/cassettes/chainrings all wear/bed together.At that sort of mileage,whether the front ring looks worn or not,it's likely that it will need replacing.
A good guide is your chain wear.Get a chain checking tool(about £5)and check wear every couple of months.If you replace your chain at 0.75 you'll probably get away with 3-4 chains to a cassette and 4-5 to a front ring.Leave it to 1.0 and it's more than likely you'll need to replace the lot.
On the MTB I generally get to 0.75 around the 600-700 mile mark,depending on conditions.On the road bike(current) it's still OK with 2200miles on it.I've reached 1.0 at 700 miles before and tried to get away with just changing the chain,then cassette but ended up having to do the lot.
I generally go through at least three chains a year on the MTB.

The Rookie

If it was only slipping on the one chainring (and the biggest puts least load in the chain making slipping at the rear less likely than in the middle ring), it seems a dead cert that chainring is FUBAR, changing the cassette clearly won't fix slip at the chainring.

Phippsy

ibbo68 wrote:

Phippsy wrote:

Hi
Only a year old with 2000 miles on the clock. All was fine until the chain broke. Any advice/ideas appreciated before I take out a link and potentially make it worse...

2000 miles!I'd be very surprised if the front ring doesn't need changing!
You say it was OK before the chain snapped and it was and you could have gotten another 1000miles out of it as everything has bedded/worn together.
Chains/cassettes/chainrings all wear/bed together.At that sort of mileage,whether the front ring looks worn or not,it's likely that it will need replacing.
A good guide is your chain wear.Get a chain checking tool(about £5)and check wear every couple of months.If you replace your chain at 0.75 you'll probably get away with 3-4 chains to a cassette and 4-5 to a front ring.Leave it to 1.0 and it's more than likely you'll need to replace the lot.
On the MTB I generally get to 0.75 around the 600-700 mile mark,depending on conditions.On the road bike(current) it's still OK with 2200miles on it.I've reached 1.0 at 700 miles before and tried to get away with just changing the chain,then cassette but ended up having to do the lot.
I generally go through at least three chains a year on the MTB.

Blimey 3 chains a year? I'll do that for this chain going forwards, thanks. I'll also check the front ring. Just looked at Strava, it's 1700 miles. Not much difference from 2000. Thanks all.

cooldad

Chain checkers are an evil plot to get people to replace perfectly good chains.

IMHO of course.

sniper68

Phippsy wrote:

Blimey 3 chains a year? I'll do that for this chain going forwards, thanks. I'll also check the front ring. Just looked at Strava, it's 1700 miles. Not much difference from 2000. Thanks all.

£15 for a chain is next to nowt!

cooldad wrote:

Chain checkers are an evil plot to get people to replace perfectly good chains.
IMHO of course.

You're quite possibly right but Cheaper to replace a chain than chain/cassette and front rings.

cooldad

I just run mine for a few years - plenty of regular riding, and replace whatever's needed. I do have an old Rockhopper from 1987 that's still on the original Biopace rings. And cassette AFAIK. Been through a few chains though.

Phippsy

I have never had to replace a front ring due to wear before, hence my surprise. On my last bike just changing chain and cassette was always enough. I had over 5000 miles on that one.

If I can overcome my inherent laziness I shall try and stay in top of it...

The Rookie

Alloy rings wear much faster than steel.......

Phippsy

That may be the answer. Better bike, lighter bits this time around.