Symptoms of a worn chain?

[Prando]

I have a 3 year old Defy 1. It was 6months old when I bought it.

I average at least 3000 miles per year, so I have done maybe 6000-8000 miles. It was serviced by LBS a month ago with nothing reported chainwise, albeit I did not specifically ask him to investigate same, assuming it would crop up within the normal servicing regime. (He did say it was not 'set up' well?)

I read issues regarding chain wear and tools to measure same, and to be honest, I'm not the most handiest of guys mechanic wise (!)

I occasionally get a little bit of 'slipping' within gear changing, but have put that down to a 'non positive' shift.

What are the tell tale symptoms ?

 

[vickster]

Slipping while changing gear I believe. Probably need new cassette too

 

[Prando]

Slipping while changing gear I believe. Probably need new cassette too

Would you have expected the LBS to have picked it up ?

 

[alicat]

Doing 6000 miles on a chain. Agree you probably need a new cassette too.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

If the bike has done 6-8000 miles on the original chain you've had your moneys worth. As Vickster says, after that mileage it's almost certain you'll need a new cassette and possibly one or more new chainrings too depending on what gets most use.

 

[vickster]

Would you have expected the LBS to have picked it up ?

Guess it depends what the service covers

 

[Prando]

Accepting my "lack of handy mechanical skills" should I seek confirmation via the LBS ?

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Would you have expected the LBS to have picked it up ?

Yes to be honest. It's not a hard thing to check and you can do it with a 12" rule so it's not like they didn't have the tools.

 

[Prando]

Ok guys thanks.
I should have added that I am quite meticulous in regularly cleaning the chain, preferring the chainfoam stuff and sometimes the specific purpose thingmy. Would my fetish in this area have helped with potential wear ?

 

[alecstilleyedye]

Ok guys thanks.
I should have added that I am quite meticulous in regularly cleaning the chain, preferring the chainfoam stuff and sometimes the specific purpose thingmy. Would my fetish in this area have helped with potential wear ?

to a degree, but but it's not a cure-all…

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Ok guys thanks.
I should have added that I am quite meticulous in regularly cleaning the chain, preferring the chainfoam stuff and sometimes the specific purpose thingmy. Would my fetish in this area have helped with potential wear ?

Yes, to an extent. To check it yourself take your 12" rule and offer it up to the chain. 24 links (12 inner & 12 outer) measure 12 inches to the pin centres when new but the play introduced by wear causes the chain to lengthen.

If it has stretched to 12" and 1/16th you may get away with just changing the chain. If it's gone to 12" and 1/8th you probably won't. Any further than that and a new chain will definitely skip on the old cassette.

 

[Prando]

Yes, to an extent. To check it yourself take your 12" rule and offer it up to the chain. 24 links (12 inner & 12 outer) measure 12 inches to the pin centres when new but the play introduced by wear causes the chain to lengthen.

If it has stretched to 12" and 1/16th you may get away with just changing the chain. If it's gone to 12" and 1/8th you probably won't. Any further than that and a new chain will definitely skip on the old cassette.

Thanks Rickshaw buddy. I will give it a go tomorrow. May need to find an alternative decent Bike Shop near Tamworth.

 

[Globalti]

Chain wear it caused as much by poor technique as by dirt. If you bend the chain a lot by riding with it across the chain line you transfer all the stress to the ends of the pins. Only by a tiny amount but enough to accelerate wear. You'll also see wear inside the side plates of the joining link.

Try to keep the chain line straight as possible by swopping between the rings in good time.

 

[simongt]

And it never fails to amaze me how many cyclists who one would think would know better - i.e., 'roadies / clubbies' wearing all the gear and riding a fancy bike - who ride cross chained - ! Like the fella at work who arrived today on his gleaming Caad 8 as a winter training bike which he'd only taken delivery of a day or so earlier, whilst he was wittering on about its virtues; I looked down and the chain was on the 52 at the front and one down form the biggie on the cassette - ! Ouch - !

 

[summerdays]

Chain wear it caused as much by poor technique as by dirt. If you bend the chain a lot by riding with it across the chain line you transfer all the stress to the ends of the pins. Only by a tiny amount but enough to accelerate wear. You'll also see wear inside the side plates of the joining link.

Try to keep the chain line straight as possible by swopping between the rings in good time.

Thanks I hadn't thought about why not to do the poor chain line.

I'm not mechanically minded and struggled with the measuring bit, and just bought the tool.... It's easy to pop on the chain and see if it falls in (must do it this weekend thinking about it!).