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Chain Change question
Although this should be a simple question, I have found many different
answers. For a XC bike, when should the chain be changed? and should anything else be changed every time the chain is changed? Between taking to some of the other riders, and reading online, I have come up with every +/- 1000 miles a chain should be changed. (or when damaged of course.) I have also heard that I should be changing out my cassette and the chain ring I use the most when changing the chain. The bike I am riding has an 8 speed cassette. Thoughts? Mike mlawrenc(at)gmail.com |
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#2
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Chain Change question
mike wrote:
Although this should be a simple question, I have found many different answers. For a XC bike, when should the chain be changed? and should anything else be changed every time the chain is changed? Between taking to some of the other riders, and reading online, I have come up with every +/- 1000 miles a chain should be changed. (or when damaged of course.) I have also heard that I should be changing out my cassette and the chain ring I use the most when changing the chain. The bike I am riding has an 8 speed cassette. You change the chain fairly regularly so you DON'T have to change the cassette and even the chainring at the same time. A worn chain will wear out these parts much faster than will a fresh one. Of course, no one does this at first; it's only after the $hock of having to buy new parts that one learns. (And even then...) Measure your chain or buy a chain-checker. 12" rivet-to-rivet is spec; once it's visibly more (some say...1/16"? 1/8'?) it's time to replace it. Bill "grinder" S. |
#3
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Chain Change question
On Jul 23, 2:09 pm, mike wrote:
Although this should be a simple question, I have found many different answers. For a XC bike, when should the chain be changed? and should anything else be changed every time the chain is changed? Between taking to some of the other riders, and reading online, I have come up with every +/- 1000 miles a chain should be changed. (or when damaged of course.) I have also heard that I should be changing out my cassette and the chain ring I use the most when changing the chain. The bike I am riding has an 8 speed cassette. Thoughts? Mike mlawrenc(at)gmail.com Mileage has less to do with the need to replace the chain as much as cleanliness and shifting. Chain "stretch" is caused by the link pivots wearing down. This happens when grit gets into your chain and grinds the pivots. The "stretched" chain (plus grit) then deforms the chainrings and cogs. Shifting effects chain life by chainline. You should try and be in a gear that allows you to keep the chain as straight as possible between the chainrings and the cassette. So, if you're in the large ring in the front and the biggest cog in the back, your chain is at a significant angle. Same as if you have the front in the smallest (granny gear) and the back in the smallest cog. You're forcing the chain to cross a couple inches over. This puts more strain on the chain, chainrings and cogs. Both these combinations (big to big, small to small) are more efficiently reached using the middle chainring and a few cogs up or down from the middle in back. Think of it like driving your car. You can probably drive 40mph in first gear if you wanted to, but it wouldn't be a good idea. Nor would you want to drive 10mph in 5th gear. /s |
#4
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Chain Change question
mike wrote:
Although this should be a simple question, I have found many different answers. For a XC bike, when should the chain be changed? and should anything else be changed every time the chain is changed? Between taking to some of the other riders, and reading online, I have come up with every +/- 1000 miles a chain should be changed. (or when damaged of course.) I have also heard that I should be changing out my cassette and the chain ring I use the most when changing the chain. The bike I am riding has an 8 speed cassette. Thoughts? Mike mlawrenc(at)gmail.com Hi Mike, You've already received some good info...and I'll agree with it. Things need to be changed when they are worn. If it happens to be at the same time as the chain (or has to be at the same time as the chain if the chain was left too long and has worn the driveline out) then so be it. My hints for longer driveline life are simple. Clean your chain often (what often is will depend on the riding you do and your local conditions). If you can, have two chains, and rotate between them at a regular interval. I know this sounds weird, but if you driveline is only dealing with a chain with 1/2 the miles on it, the chain should only have half the wear and won't do nearly as much damage to the other components (assuming you keep it in good condition). Besides, chains are cheap as compared to chainrings and cassettes. Just my 2 bits worth, Michael |
#5
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Chain Change question
On Jul 23, 2:25 pm, "Bill Sornson" wrote:
mike wrote: Although this should be a simple question, I have found many different answers. For a XC bike, when should the chain be changed? and should anything else be changed every time the chain is changed? Between taking to some of the other riders, and reading online, I have come up with every +/- 1000 miles a chain should be changed. (or when damaged of course.) I have also heard that I should be changing out my cassette and the chain ring I use the most when changing the chain. The bike I am riding has an 8 speed cassette. You change the chain fairly regularly so you DON'T have to change the cassette and even the chainring at the same time. A worn chain will wear out these parts much faster than will a fresh one. Of course, no one does this at first; it's only after the $hock of having to buy new parts that one learns. (And even then...) Measure your chain or buy a chain-checker. 12" rivet-to-rivet is spec; once it's visibly more (some say...1/16"? 1/8'?) it's time to replace it. Bill "grinder" S. You got good help from eveyone. But heres one more. You could have none of those signs and your chain could be in bad shape. The rollers and plates worn. Go ahead and change it when it needs to be. I had a chain a number of years and none of the tell tail signs showed. But I had a shifting problem. I changed the chain and shifting was great. Sometimes you can even save a cassette buy filing the teeth flat and get rid of those shark teeth. Same goes for chainrings. |
#6
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Chain Change question
On Jul 23, 12:09 pm, mike wrote:
Although this should be a simple question, I have found many different answers. For a XC bike, when should the chain be changed? and should anything else be changed every time the chain is changed? Between taking to some of the other riders, and reading online, I have come up with every +/- 1000 miles a chain should be changed. (or when damaged of course.) I have also heard that I should be changing out my cassette and the chain ring I use the most when changing the chain. The bike I am riding has an 8 speed cassette. Thoughts? Mike mlawrenc(at)gmail.com It only takes one time for a new chain, on used chainrings, to slip and cause you to crash or get injured to change your mind about not changing the whole drivetrain out at the same time. What exactly is your reason for needing to change your chain? Do you think it's going to make you ride faster? Is it not shifting correctly? IMHO the advice to chain chains is an old wives tale that LBS's cook up to sell parts. If I took your advice to change my chain every 1000 miles that would mean a new chain every 4 weeks, or 14 chains/year @ $25ea = $350..... Not to mention that you're still on the same chainring/cassette for that year, which will also need to be replaced @ ~$120... So do you have a minimum of $470/year to buy drivetrain parts? No Thank You. I'll stick to riding same chain/rings/cogs until they wear out and replace all at the same time for about $150... I might go through 2 sets/year and spend the extra money on tires. |
#7
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Chain Change question
mike wrote:
Although this should be a simple question, I have found many different answers. For a XC bike, when should the chain be changed? and should anything else be changed every time the chain is changed? Plus, what sort of terrain do you ride on? Here in NW England we get mud and peat bog, with all manner of hard grit contained in it. When I was putting in the miles I'd clean and relube the chain on the bike after every ride. I'd remove the chain every other weekend and put on a cleaned up ready degreased one. Then I'd got 14 nights to clean degrease and relube the first one. It sure was a hassle but it saved on sprocket wear. |
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