Why are my cassettes only lasting as long as the chains?

[MossCommuter]

A while back I'd let my chain wear so badly that I had to replace the cassette and chain rings too. Lesson learned, I kept my eye on the chain and the next time replaced it at 0.75% wear (according to my chain wear tool) but found that I needed a new cassette as well.

So this weekend I changed the chain at 0.5% wear but again the new chain is slipping over the smallest sprocket on the cassette, so again, I need a new cassette.

I'd be better off if I let the chains and cassettes wear out completely if I am changing both chain and cassette each time.

Am I missing the trick here? Why can't I make a cassette last through 3 or 4 chains, even when I change the chain at 0.5% wear?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

do you do a lot of riding on the smallest sprocket? It has the fewest teeth and therefore wears faster than the others.

ime it is your chocolate gear that skips, the one you ride in the most, as that gets the most wear. usually one of the middle ones for me.

 

[fossyant]

Don't get this - you are wearing out the smallest sprocket ? - Are you in the big ring or the small at the front. If big ring/small sprocket then you must either be bloody fast, or grinding ? If small ring, small sprocket, then chain line will be poor, hence the wear.

 

[HLaB]

What brand of cassettes are you using and without being cheaky what price. My original Campy Veloce cassette regularly cleaned and only used in mild condition (Sunday was its first outing of the year) I've got 3 chains to one cassette so far. With the 10sp SRAM cassette on my Kinesis, I've had two chains out of the cassette so far even though its been used in harsh weather and was over 1% but with the Shimano cassettes for a similar mileage in less harsh conditions I've only got 1 chain to 1 cassette. On my now turbo bike with SRAM cassettes again (870 or 890 iirc) when it was on road and used in all conditions I usually got 2-3 chains per cassette. However with the cheaper and less well maintained SRAM & Shimano cassettes on other bikes I've only ever got 1 chain to 1 cassette so I've subsequently run them to snapping point.

 

[MossCommuter]

Don't get this - you are wearing out the smallest sprocket ? - Are you in the big ring or the small at the front. If big ring/small sprocket then you must either be bloody fast, or grinding ? If small ring, small sprocket, then chain line will be poor, hence the wear.

Middle ring, typically 5/6/7/8 at the back, most of the time 7 or 8

My cadence is quite low

 

[MossCommuter]

What brand of cassettes are you using and without being cheaky what price. My original Campy Veloce cassette regularly cleaned and only used in mild condition (Sunday was its first outing of the year) I've got 3 chains to one cassette so far. With the 10sp SRAM cassette on my Kinesis, I've had two chains out of the cassette so far even though its been used in harsh weather and was over 1% but with the Shimano cassettes for a similar mileage in less harsh conditions I've only got 1 chain to 1 cassette. On my now turbo bike with SRAM cassettes again (870 or 890 iirc) when it was on road and used in all conditions I usually got 2-3 chains per cassette. However with the cheaper and less well maintained SRAM & Shimano cassettes on other bikes I've only ever got 1 chain to 1 cassette so I've subsequently run them to snapping point.

They're bog standard Shimano parts.

I was trying to weigh up whether more expensive parts would be cheaper in the long run or whether it'd be cheaper to let the cheaper parts wear out

 

[lulubel]

I rotate chains, so I use 3 different chains with one cassette.

When I got a new cassette, I got 3 identical chains (all with "quick links"), and I use each chain for 1000 miles or so, then swap it for the next one in rotation. The idea is that the chains and cassette will all be at about the same stage of wear, since chains wear faster than cassettes, and when all the chains are worn, it's time to start again with a new cassette and 3 new chains.

That's the theory, anyway. My bike was wrecked in a crash before I found out how well it would work, but I'll be doing the same thing on my new bike.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Middle ring, typically 5/6/7/8 at the back, most of the time 7 or 8

My cadence is quite low

Out of how many sprockets on the cassette in total? I'm hoping you'll say 10.....

 

[fossyant]

You need to get cadence upto 80-100 rpm. TBH, I'd used to go through a cassette and chain on my commuter (before I got my fixed) every time - just wasn't worth messing - changed both.

If you are wearing out the smallest sprocket, you aren't using the 'mechanically' most efficient gears. The small sprocket should only be used on a descent in the big chain rings.

 

[MossCommuter]

Out of how many sprockets on the cassette in total? I'm hoping you'll say 10.....

8

 

[MossCommuter]

You need to get cadence upto 80-100 rpm. TBH, I'd used to go through a cassette and chain on my commuter (before I got my fixed) every time - just wasn't worth messing - changed both.

If you are wearing out the smallest sprocket, you aren't using the 'mechanically' most efficient gears. The small sprocket should only be used on a descent in the big chain rings.

80 - 100 RPM

I'll just keep buying new cassettes

 

[fossyant]

80 - 100 RPM

I'll just keep buying new cassettes

Ah guess it's nothing like that I average 80 on hilly rides in the Peaks (and I'm a out of the saddle climber - so big gear) but on the flat, average is about 90, even with a 53 chain ring. 80-100 rpm is the most efficient !

Worth learning to spin more !

 

[YahudaMoon]

Try using a smaller gear and spinning more

You'll go faster get fitter and save money on your running gear. It's a win win win situation, although it may not suit your style of riding ?

Also I'd bin that chain checker and use a steel ruler as chain checkers calibrate incorrectly

 

[MacB]

So you're using mainly the smallest 4 sprockets from the middle ring?

 

[MossCommuter]

So you're using mainly the smallest 4 sprockets from the middle ring?

Yes