Wore out my chain and cassette

[leemo]

I've been cleaning them regularly but they seem to have worn out in what I guess is 3k-4k miles.

The gear indexing had gone a bit and so I took it in for repairs and they said the chain had worn because it got too long. I was surprised because the sprockets seemed to have quite some teeth left. Also the chain ring is apparently about half worn on the middle ring and they said to see how it goes. Cost eighty pounds. I paid slightly over the odds for the parts: £30 cassette and £20 chain but never mind.

I hear one should use a pair of chains on rotation, but I dont have the tools. Maybe I'll do it on the next set but if its only gonna save half a cassette in 4k miles it doesnt seem worth it.

Also noticed back tyre is well worn and so swapped it with the front at the weekend.

I'm kind of pleased as it shows I have been keeping up my cycle commuting and I never wore out a chain and cassette before -- came close after a few years on my last bike but then it got stolen. I think the basic 8-speed setup I have is good choice for a commuting work horse and glad I didn't go for something more sophisticatd now.

 

[Aperitif]

Plenty of info on this subject leemo, but I would not swap the back tyre to the front, particularly if it is somewhat 'squared off' through use. Just buy a new one.
Even with good tyres one is often 'eased' over a draincover or suchlike, by road traffic and, when smooth 'square' tyre meets damp, slimy drain cover - your front wheel with worn tyre will be doing its very best to slide.

 

[marzjennings]

I watch my chain stretch carefully. Switching out for a new chain as soon as the old one is too worn.

Pick up one of these...

... and you'll know when to buy a new chain.

This way I've been able to make cassettes last for years.

 

[CharlieB]

Hi Leemo,

I read somewhere (prob. on one of these fora) that you should always have the better tyre on the front, because it's harder to control a tyre failure on the front than the back.

3-4k sounds reasonable for a chain. My heavily used Brompton had both chain and sprockets replaced at about the 3k mark.

 

[gbb]

I've been cleaning them regularly but they seem to have worn out in what I guess is 3k-4k miles.

The gear indexing had gone a bit and so I took it in for repairs and they said the chain had worn because it got too long. I was surprised because the sprockets seemed to have quite some teeth left. Also the chain ring is apparently about half worn on the middle ring and they said to see how it goes. Cost eighty pounds. I paid slightly over the odds for the parts: £30 cassette and £20 chain but never mind.

I hear one should use a pair of chains on rotation, but I dont have the tools. Maybe I'll do it on the next set but if its only gonna save half a cassette in 4k miles it doesnt seem worth it.

Also noticed back tyre is well worn and so swapped it with the front at the weekend.

I'm kind of pleased as it shows I have been keeping up my cycle commuting and I never wore out a chain and cassette before -- came close after a few years on my last bike but then it got stolen. I think the basic 8-speed setup I have is good choice for a commuting work horse and glad I didn't go for something more sophisticatd now.

You sound positively ecstatic Leemo Being a tightwad, i hate it when things wear out (not that bad really)

8 speed is a very durable setup, my old Raleigh did something like 4 or 5 thousand miles with good care. A guy at work just runs everything into the ground, chain, cassette etc, then replaces the lot. 'No point mucking about...i've already saved a fortune of taxis and bus fairs...i'm still well in pocket' is his mantra. That sounds fair enough..
With 9 and 10 speed setups, it all wears that much quicker.

 

[661-Pete]

I hear one should use a pair of chains on rotation, but I dont have the tools.

I'm not sure what you mean by that: do you not have the tools to remove a chain? If so, how have you been cleaning it?

Most 9- and 10-speed chains now come with a 'powerlink' or other quick-release link that can be opened without any special tools at all. However you will need a chain rivet tool to shorten a new chain to the correct length. If you don't have that, get one! They're not too expensive and not difficult to use.

 

[leemo]

I'm not sure what you mean by that: do you not have the tools to remove a chain? If so, how have you been cleaning it?

Oh I've ben using a park tools chain cleaning tool. Works well but uses a lot of degreaser. http://www.parktool.com/product/cyclone-r-chain-scrubber.


BTW Better to describe the rear tyre as somewhat rather than well worn. Has about half a dozen little punctures and various other little nicks where shards of glass became embedded. Still a good bit of rubber on it, so I think I'l be ok but I'll have another check -- fair point.

 

[fossyant]

don't use degreaser. All you need is a rag, and only oil the rollers.