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Replacing Chain and Cassette


Suidwes Boytjie

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Good day guys

This has probably been asked before but I would like to find out from the more experienced riders about after how many km's and elevation do you start looking at replacing your cassette and chain?

No I know this will depend on how hard you ride ect ect...

A little info that might be helpful...

Silverback Sprada 1(bought Sept 2014) New

Xt cassette 11-34

Xt 10spd chain...

 

Done since then 2400km

22703m elevation... (I know its not alot of riding and serious climbing like some guys out there)

Wash my bike regularly and lube the chain after washes...

 

So any advice, info?

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You can get a chain wear tool. But generally when the shifting at the back is just not so crisp anymore it time to start looking into it.

I'm also glad you mentioned changing both together as they mesh with each other and putting a new chain on old cassette will just increase wear. On my bikes where I have 2 sets of wheels I also have 2 chains.

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I go through about 4 chains(1750km per chain), before the cassette becomes a big issue. That is if you change the chain at the right time. If you wait too long the chain will wear the cassette a lot quicker and you will need to change them together each time which is expensive.

 

I have the park tool chain checker tool and change chains when it goes over 0.75

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Elevation?

That's a new one for me!  I've never taken total elevation into account when thinking about the drive train!  

It's far easier to just check it with a chain tool...

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I go through about 4 chains(1750 per chain), before the cassette becomes a big issue. That is if you change the chain at the right time. If you wait to long the chain will wear the cassette a lot quicker and you will need to change them together each time which is expensive.

 

I have the park tool chain checker tool and change chains when it goes over 0.75

Geez, What chain you using that costs that much?

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Agree, get a chain wear indicator.

 

At 2400 km you should not be looking at a new chain just yet but its coming....

Also, maybe some new shifter cables might be an idea to restore crispness to shifting.

 

The idea of the chain wear indicator is that if you replace your chain before it is too far gone, then you will likley be able to run a second (and sometimes 3rd) chain before changing the cassette and chainrings.

 

I am on my 2nd chain with a XT 10spd setup and have done about 4500km on this cassette to date. All is OK but I think I may need a new cassette when this chain is done.

 

Some guys buy 2 or 3 chains and then alternate them monthly. The theory goes that this makes the cassette wear more gradually and the rate of wear is distributed amongst the 2 or 3 chains to give more overall milage before replacement. Seems plausible to me if you are prepared to invest in the spare chains up front. It certainly won't make any of the parts wear faster so nothing to lose. When my current chain and cassette are done I'm going to try this with the new set (already purchased during the recent CWC special ☺ )

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Roadbike - Never

MTB - Chainchecker for chain and cassette when its on special 

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As mentioned above get chain checker best 100 bucks you'll ever spend I paid my school fees learnt the hard way 100 bucks vs couple 1000 chain ring, cassettes, pulley wheels and chain

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What they said

 

Plus it really depends on conditions you ride in. Mud and grit will do in a chain very quickly .

 

Chain checker is the only proper way of telling. Distance and elevation gained are indicators. Some chains last longer than others.

 

I try to change when a chain is at .75 on a chain checker....

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Popular chain checkers like the Park Tools variety push links apart to tension them when checking. This is ok but it ends up measuring the wear on the roller rings twice and including this in the link pin wear measurement. It makes these checkers conservative in that they overestimate the actual chain wear and may prompt you to replace your chain earlier than necessary.

 

It is still better than flying blind but if you have this type of chain wear checker (like I do), be aware of this built-in inaccuracy. Because of this, I normally change my chains only when the wear indicator reaches its maximum.

 

Apparently the Shimano chain wear indicators are better and measure correctly but I have never actually seen one for sale in a bike shop (I wonder why [emoji6] ).

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