Chain Wear Tool

[Crankarm]

So how worn is your chain? Has it reached the .75 mark yet meaning replacement is imminent and if it has reached the 1.0 mark you shoud replace immediately. For piece of mind measure your new replacement chain. Use a decent lube as well NOT WD40 or GT85 such as Finish Line Ceramic Pro Road or I am told Prolink Gold.

Maybe your indexing just needs tweaking to make the transmission silent again and changes crisp?

If you routinely push heavy gears or cycle in very hilly areas then your chain will not last as long as some one cycling in a flat region who can spin more easily up to speed so there is not really a definitive answer on chain longevity. Obviously some makes of chain last longer than others as they use better materials and a better construction. One would have thought a club sprinter or mountain climber will wear out a chain more quickly simply as they are frequently putting more or full power through the transmission.

 

[Plax]

So how worn is your chain? Has it reached the .75 mark yet meaning replacement is imminent and if it has reached the 1.0 mark you shoud replace immediately. For piece of mind measure your new replacement chain. Use a decent lube as well NOT WD40 or GT85 such as Finish Line Ceramic Pro Road or I am told Prolink Gold.

Maybe your indexing just needs tweaking to make the transmission silent again and changes crisp?

If you routinely push heavy gears or cycle in very hilly areas then your chain will not last as long as some one cycling in a flat region who can spin more easily up to speed so there is not really a definitive answer on chain longevity. Obviously some makes of chain last longer than others as they use better materials and a better construction. One would have thought a club sprinter or mountain climber will wear out a chain more quickly simply as they are frequently putting more or full power through the transmission.

Well, according to the ruler method my chain isn't worn at all. It hasn't reached the .75 marker on the tool either. I do live in a very hilly area though so perhaps I should consider getting another chain (it is the original Shimano one) in the next 500 miles or so regardless.

 

[02GF74]

I bought a steel ruler from the pound shop.

Do it your way if you want. I used to use a verier caliper to measure 10 links but splashed out on the chain tool - I even posted about it.

Make the job a damn sight easier since you have to mess about keep the cahin taut plus it is a bit hit and miss as to where the centre of the pin is --- plus added bonus my method said chain needs replacing but the tool said no.

to use the tool, put the hooky bit into the chain inbetween the rollers, then try to "swing" in the curved front end in between the rollers, if the 1.0 fits in, replace chain now.

if 0.75 fits in, think of replacing soon.

if 0.75 does not fit in - as per picture below, keep on cycling.

 

[Plax]

Do it your way if you want. I used to use a verier caliper to measure 10 links but splashed out on the chain tool - I even posted about it.

Make the job a damn sight easier since you have to mess about keep the cahin taut plus it is a bit hit and miss as to where the centre of the pin is --- plus added bonus my method said chain needs replacing but the tool said no.

to use the tool, put the hooky bit into the chain inbetween the rollers, then try to "swing" in the curved front end in between the rollers, if the 1.0 fits in, replace chain now.

if 0.75 fits in, think of replacing soon.

if 0.75 does not fit in - as per picture below, keep on cycling.

Nice one - see a picture like that I could have done with on the instructions!
That's how my chain tool is on my chain so I guess I can keep on cycling!

 

[Joe24]

Nice one - see a picture like that I could have done with on the instructions!
That's how my chain tool is on my chain so I guess I can keep on cycling!

Unless it has stretched so much that it is now a full link over, and back to the .75 mark

 

[Over The Hill]

There is some merit in not letting the chain wear too much and then you can replace the chain only not everything else as well. So I would just change the chain anyway!

Also if it does slip a bit on a new chain dont rush out and get a new casette etc - leave it for a few rides as the chain will bed in and lengthen a bit which may then sit ok on the cogs.

 

[Plax]

Oooh, I *knew* I'd posted about my chain tool before, but still had a mental blank about how to use it. Saved by the search function.
On my winter hack the chain wear is now at the 0.75 mark, so I'll have to change it soon. Must say I am a bit peeved as I'm certain I put a brand new chain on it before going to Central America and that was in Feb last year. So the chain has lasted only about a year on my least favourite bike which I don't use as much as the others. Cheap chain (Taya brand I think it was from Halfords), and bad weather condition combo I suppose.

 

[gbb]

Ave a look at this Plax. This is the Park tools one (same as mine) but the same principle applies, you should be able to see the similarities...
http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

Edited to say, i prefer to replace my chains at the 0.75 point. I work on the principle that the lesser wear on the chain at 0.75% will help extend the life of the cassette and chainrings.

 

[gbb]

Bugger i didnt see page 2 in which you've already sussed it...ah well.

The taya chain, i brought one once. It had so much slop in it i never did fit it on the bike. Good job i got it cheap. i didnt measure it, just felt the movement between links and thought...no way.

 

[Davidc]

I find that chain life varies a lot. On my wife's and my bikes, 7 and 8 speed, Shimano HG 40 chains last anywhere between 1 and 2 thousand miles. The SRAM equivalents seem to be good for 500 more. Provided the chains are replaced before the guage says 1.0 a cassette will last 3 chains but I've never managed more. The middle chainrings on all of the bikes wear out after 4 or 5 chains and I had to replace a small chainring last year, I think after 7 chains.

 

[gwhite]

What has been mentioned but has not been stressed and what should be, is that the chain should be pulled taut during measuring. If it isn't, then one can quite easily mistake a worn chain for an unworn one.

 

[summerdays]

I was going to offer to take a piccy of one of those devices in a worn chain ... I checked mine on Saturday and definitely definitely need a new chain and possibly a cassette too .

 

[monnet]

I'm amazed at the short life span chains seem to have here. I reckon I get I get about 4000 miles of riding out of mine before it needs replacing. And that includes racing on it. (10 speed Shimano, which I thought was less durable than 8 speed)