Should I trust LBS?

[summerdays]

I changed my chain only (my LBS believe in changing both at once) but I haven't had any problems since. I did make one really silly mistake in that I tried to join two wide plates or two narrow plates so I had to take out another half link to be able to join them up.

 

[spandex]

I changed my chain only (my LBS believe in changing both at once) but I haven't had any problems since. I did make one really silly mistake in that I tried to join two wide plates or two narrow plates so I had to take out another half link to be able to join them up.

 

[Mr Pig]

Yes, counting the links on the old chain will do fine. Just remember to count the Power Link on the new chain too! ;0) Any only chain tool will get a link out, it doesn't need to be anything fancy, but Park Tools are good.

I don't know where you are in Glasgow but if you fancy a run out to Plains (near Airdrie) I'm happy to do anything you're needing done and show you how. It's mostly pretty simple. The only thing I can't do is wheel building/straightening but that's next on the list, I've just bought a wheel truing stand. Just need a bent wheel to practice on ;0)

If you change the chain and it kicks you'll either need to fit a new cassette, and probably chain rings too, or put the old chain back on and run the lot until something dies. You'll probably get years out of the transmission but once the chain snaps you'll definitely have to change everything at once.

Oh and if you do come out I'll take you out on the hills, if you like ;0)

 

[fossyant]

You'll get away with just a chain usually, but if it starts jumping, then a new cassette is needed. If lucky you might get 2 chains to one cassette if caught early.

Depends upon use etc - I replaced both chain and cassette recently on my commuter as about 3 of the sprockets were wearing somewhat, and the chain was on it's way out.... plus I'd fitted a new front chain ring, so having a new drive chain was great !!!

 

[magnatom]

I don't know where you are in Glasgow but if you fancy a run out to Plains (near Airdrie) I'm happy to do anything you're needing done and show you how. It's mostly pretty simple. The only thing I can't do is wheel building/straightening but that's next on the list, I've just bought a wheel truing stand. Just need a bent wheel to practice on ;0)

Oh and if you do come out I'll take you out on the hills, if you like ;0)

Maybe when the cyclechat team pass your house at pedal for Scotland you give us all a wee demonstration!

Seriously though, thanks for the offer. Lack of free time at the moment will hold me back (kids do that to ye!) but, the dark night might just turn up at your door one day...

 

[magnatom]

I'll be picking the bike up tomorrow and ordering the parts after that.

I'm actually fairly technical minded, I've just not had the time to dabble in bikes properly. What I need is a weekend and a really old hack to get my teeth into. Getting an old hack is easy, getting a free weekend is another matter....

 

[Mr Pig]

but, the dark night might just turn up at your door one day...

You're welcome any time, just look for the bear ;0)

 

[bonj2]

you should 'service' it yourself (the first benefit being that YOU can decide what 'service' involves)

 

[fossyant]

Mags - you've spent more time on that blooming camera - not the bike !

Bikes aren't complicated, even Dura Ace equipped beasties.... believe you me !

 

[wabbitje]

Anyway, before I handed it in for service I gave my chain a quick check with a chain wear indicator. (The Park one). The 1% wear indicator fitted into the links, suggesting to me that the chain was needing replaced. However, getting off the phone to the LBS, they have said that it just needed a clean and a re-grease?

Should I be suspicious of this? Should I just get a new chain and replace it?

The chap at the shop suggested that if I replaced the chain I would need to replace the sprockets (although he agreed that they were not worn too much). Is this correct?

I really wish I had made it to my cycle maintenance course...

I suspect that you left it too late to replace the chain and not the sprockets. A new chain will wear rapidly to match the wear on the sprockets.

At this point, it's probably best to keep the existing chain and sprockets until the chain is so worn that it starts skipping and then replace them both together. After that, you can probably prolong the life on a set of sprockets to 3 or 4 chains by replacing the chain after it's worn past the .75% mark but before the 1% mark.

As usual, Sheldon has the answer: http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html#wear

HTH,
Wabbitje

 

[summerdays]

I suspect that you left it too late to replace the chain and not the sprockets. A new chain will wear rapidly to match the wear on the sprockets.

Mine was 1% for a while before I changed it... and so far it has seemed fine ... I must admit I haven't rechecked it with the wear tool since, but certainly I've not had skipping etc. In fact I used to suffer from chain suck and that seems to have disappeared since I changed the chain (and accidently made it 1 link shorter than the previous chain).

 

[Tetedelacourse]

My bike was in for a service this week and needed a new cassette and chain apparently. I was surprised given that both were replaced last year. But then I have been busy pedaling.

I wouldn't want to do my own service - I'm not technically minded and not interested in all that tbh. Would rather just pay someone else to do it. And I trust my LBS.

 

[Sapper]

My bike was in for a service this week and needed a new cassette and chain apparently. I was surprised given that both were replaced last year. But then I have been busy pedaling.

I wouldn't want to do my own service - I'm not technically minded and not interested in all that tbh. Would rather just pay someone else to do it. And I trust my LBS.

I am in a similar mindset....

Yes I would like to learn how to service my own bike and to make adjustments. But once a year in the Autumn I prefer a LBS to ensure it is suitable for the winter months...

Just need to ensure I am suitable for the winter months. I seem to be putting off my return to the commute for several reasons. Next week I'm on hols for 8-10 days so.....

But this raises a fundamental question generally these days, can you trust anyone? Be it a car mechanic at a garage, or the central heater r engineer or the LBS.

We are not qualified and have to rely on their call, judgement. I could tell you a story about a GCH engineer....

At the end of the day, we either trust our LBS or we find an alternative.

But I've missed the summer traffic free zone as well

Adrian

 

[HLaB]

I don't know if different makes make a difference? With a SRAM chains and SRAM cassettes I've been able to replace 2 or 3 chains to every cassette but with the Shimano stuff its been a 1 to 1 ratio.

 

[Chris James]

I don't know if I am a bit gung ho, or simply don't put in enough miles, but I don't bother servicing my bike.

I lube it, keep it clean and regularly adjust the brakes, indexing if required, check the chain etc.

I don't even bother lubing cables as standard as whenever I have done it they seemed okay.

Perhaps my bike doesn't fall to pieces because I run it with mudguards and don't get the corroding crap in there in the first place? ... only kidding Bonj.

Oh, I regrease my seat post approximately annually to stop it seizing.

So that only really leaves my bottom bracket (sealed), pedals (not serviceable)and my headset which can be easily be checked for play / wear. I check oif my wheels are out of true too, but my current ones seem bomb proof. So I would just take it in to the LBS if I actually had something wrong with my bike.

I am not particularly handy (I don't do any motor servicing myself for example) but bikes seem easy to look after and rarely go wrong if you keep an eye out for early signs.