How often do you change your chain???

[superbadger]

My bikes done nearly 1900 miles since Feb and just wondered what the life is on a chain. The bikes a cheap Halfords rigid MTB that i have turned into a tourer. Its out everyday averaging about 6 miles a day but just did a tour with it and weight of around 25kg's (tour was 6 days and 470 miles). I keep it clean and oil regular. I could Google but the wisdom of the forum members seems a better option......

 

[Globalti]

With regular cleaning and lubing I believe it ought to be possible to get 4000 to 6000 miles out of a chain. I have bought a very cheap chain wear checker: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=10219

 

[numbnuts]

as above ^^
I normally get 6500 miles I put this down to maintenance and sitting and spinning, but it all depends on where you ride

 

[superbadger]

Thanks guys... It was just a thought. I did do 'Snake Pass' during the tour and other hilly parts in Derbyshire but other than that its just day to day riding without much weight. should be fine then.

 

[sean8997]

OMG I just had to replace my chain after only around 1000 miles

 

[upsidedown]

Last one did 7000, this ones on nearly 4000 and seems fine.

 

[Brains]

I find that commuting miles is well under 1,000 (and not just the chain, but the rear sprockets as well)
Touring miles is however a lot more

 

[ohnovino]

About 2000 miles for me.

Get a ruler or steel tape measure and line up the 0 with one of the chain's rivets. On a brand new chain, there should be another rivet level with the 12" mark. Once it's out by 1/16", you should think about fitting a new chain. If it gets to 1/8" out, you'll have worn the teeth on the cassette and that'll need swapping too.

 

[superbadger]

Thanks for that tip ohnovino... Will do that tomoz. At GF's at min and does she own a tape measure?... Nope!!!! Interesting the different milages though??? Lots of factors i would imagine,like type/quality of bike,riding style,care and regular cleaning..... Its a bit of a minefield really eh???

 

[Moodyman]

I replace when they stretch 1/16" - see the 12" ruler method above.

This is usually about 1600 commuting miles - heavy rider, heavy bike & hills.

 

[GrahamG]

Erm, not being funny but these replies are all totally irrelevant without specifying the type of chain!

I suspect anyone getting 3k miles plus out of a chain is using 8 speed kit or 9 speed and looking after it well. A 10 speed chain is unlikely to last for that kind of time unless it's a fair weather only bike and/or you're a bit of a spinner so don't put too much stress on it. So many variable factors like whether or not you are prone to running rather 'extreme' chainlines etc. (big ring + big sprockets), living near the coast will make a difference too. Hideously dull/boring to debate the various influences... so.

My bike servicing so far this year includes:
Two 8 speed tourers that did 3000 miles fully loaded through europe last year plus another 1000 or so of commuting.... no noticeable wear according to chain checker and hardly any visible wear to cassette sprockets.

My audax bike (again 8 speed) on which the chain/cassette had done ~5000 miles, and since completed PBP too, and still there's just some wear to sprockets and a tiny bit of stretch but again nothing to justify changing either cassette or chain.

Friend's 9 speed road bike, used for two years of commuting and odd weekend riding (estimated mileage about 5000) - chain, cassette and big ring on his compact chainset totally FUBAR'd.

Then there's the guy at the LBS who's just fitted the new XTR 10 speed kit to his MTB and has had to replace the chain after about 500 miles

 

[2Loose]

My 9spd chains normally last about 1000-1500m over winter due to grit and salt, but around 2000-2500m through the drier months.
Did run one for just over 4500m but needed to replace the whole drivetrain at the end of it.0

 

[Norm]

My MTB's chain is toasted after 1,500, the two road bikes seem fine with slightly higher mileage.

 

[samid]

As posts #8 and #10 said - the only rule in this case is, measure it! Also, only use a metal tape or ruler.

Better yet - read this first: http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

 

[Davidc]

Not the most interesting of topics - but I usually get 1000 to 1500 from my round town mtb and up to 4000 from my tourer (less if I repeatedly climb hills). That's with 8 speed and cheapish chains, measuring them and changing once a chain measurer says worse than 0.75% but not as much as 1.0%.