more even wear on cassette??

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simongrant

Active Member
Hi all,
Having just had new chain and cassette fitted after 4500 commuting miles i was having a thought as to how i could better spread wear over the cassette but im struggling.I have triple up front and only use the middle chainring and 8sp in back and use gears 3,4,5 and sometimes 6 if fast downhill/tailwind etc.These gears keep me in the 80-95 rpm range which is where im most comfortable.So what do you guys do,same,similar or something different??I suppose i cant complain getting 4500miles out of a chain and cassette and could have done more really,was having no shifting issues etc just wanted it done after the winter before something packed in lol.Had all cables done too.bike is cleaned weekly and babywiped after each commute.

Simon
 

Moodyman

Legendary Member
I've read in a few places to get 2 or 3 new chains together with a new cassette.

It's the chain that wears first and then causes the cassette to wear with it later.

So you ride with a new chain and a new cassette. After a while - say 2-300 miles, you change your chain to a second new one. Ride 2-300 miles and switch to the third chain.

By this time, you've done 900 miles. You start using your first chain again and repeat the whole process.

The idea is that your cassette does not get worn because you keep changing your chain before it wears significantly. So you go through 3 chains and 1 cassette - but your mileage will be triple.

Sounds good, if you're riding Dura Ace but not really worth the hassle if your riding an ordinary bike with ordinary components. A new cassette can be picked up for £20 - give or take a few.
 
OP
OP
simongrant

simongrant

Active Member
Thanks for the response moodyman,no dura ace here but like you say that would be a great idea if i was,what i have ordered is one of those park chain checkers and first sign of wear am gonna get a new chain,hopefully get 2-3 chains per cassette that way.
Can'tcomplain on cost,for new cassette(shimano hyperglige)SRAM chain and all new gear cables and brake cables fitted and setup cost me £65 at lbs which i was really chuffed with.Wouldnt mind paying that every 12 months lol or even every 6 months.
So back to my other point,do you tend to use only a few gears on your commute or more in the range?

Regards
Simon
 

Moodyman

Legendary Member
My set up is similar to yours.

Triple on the front, 8 on the back. Being at the foothills of the Pennines, I've got some climbs.

I use all three of the front - granny for climbing, middle for flats and Big ring for descends.

On the rear I use 3-7, sometimes 8. It's the 4-6 that get the most wear.

That's why I've ordered an ALfine hub geared bike. I get 8 usable gears and no drivetrain wear.
 

RecordAceFromNew

Swinging Member
Location
West London
If one is using 3/4/5/6 with the middle chain ring, and if one keen to even out wear on an expensive cassette, one might be able to spread the wear by using 1/2/3 and 6/7/8 with the other chain rings to achieve roughly the same ratios (at the expense of crossing the chain diagonally). Obviously it depends on the cassette and in particular the chainset one has, but one can easily check feasibility by using the calculator here.
 

jimboalee

New Member
Location
Solihull
When I buy a chain, its £20.
When I buy a cassette, its £20.

I wear both of them till death and it costs me £40 every 18 months.

Rings are steel. Not much wear after 3 1/2 years.


There may be 14 or 15 useable ratios on the bike. 3 or 4 may be used much more than others. It seems unfair but that's the way it is.
 

BentMikey

Rider of Seolferwulf
Location
South London
Think I've got about 6,000 miles out of my current chain, it's getting close to the 0.75 on the park tool now. Mind I do run 2.5 chains all at the same time.
 

GrasB

Veteran
Location
Nr Cambridge
I would run 2 chains for cleaning reasons if it wouldn't cost a fortune in powerlinks but for wear reasons I don't see the point.. a cassette is £50, a chain is £25 & I doubt that doing this will double the life of the cassette.
 
The old chains 30 years ago used to last forever.....didn't matter anyway because if they broke you just got a bit of chain from somewhere else and joined them up.

Why do I need twenty gears on my commute when ten is more than sufficient?
 

jimboalee

New Member
Location
Solihull
hackbike 666 said:
The old chains 30 years ago used to last forever.....didn't matter anyway because if they broke you just got a bit of chain from somewhere else and joined them up.

Why do I need twenty gears on my commute when ten is more than sufficient?

These days they are cunning.
Bicycle specific chain is Case Hardened so lightly, the things don't last five minutes, AND, the price is more than the old bog std 3/32 x 1/2 because they are bicycle specific.

There are two types of cyclist. The ones who resent being 'ripped off' and the gullible.


Why do I need twenty four gears on my commute when a three-speed Sturmey is sufficient ????
'cus the twenty four geared MTB/Hybrid makes me look twenty four years younger...
 
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