a Chain a Month!!??

[CdT85]

Guys also seem to rate the KMC chains really highly in reviews.

Then you got to obviously clean it after any gritty ride.

 

 I prefer KMC chains from my BMX'ing days. Used to get only  300/400km on shimano deore chains before I started breaking them, switched to KMC, problem solved

[BrandonF_]

So you are lubng after every 3rd ride?

 

Do yourself a favour and lube before EVERY ride - even if it's over old lube - you will double or more the life of the chain.

 

It's also possible you are not completely removing the prepsol after cleaning the chain (stuff is a nightmare for oil integrity) and/or not lubing enough on the clean chain - you have to get lube between the plates and under the rollers - this takes a bit of doing initially with a completely dry chain.

I do V12man. As per the Manufacturer's recommendations, each application is good for three rides.

 

I don't like to apply over old lube, purely because of the ridiculous wax build up, and, my understanding, that all the gunk grinds its way in between the plates and pins..?

 

Point taken regarding Prepsol, and maybe I should leave it overnight to dry before working in the lube.

 

Edit: Strangely tho, I do everything as before, and the KMC is still perfect after 500km's,...leaving me to believe it's a chain issue, rather than maintenance

[BrandonF_]

sjo, I think you got a factory faulty batch of chains to get 500km...

If I got 500km on a chain, I would stop riding!

 

Anything under 2500km on a chain/casette combo, I feel short changed. I'm on XTR chain, casette and crankset and they've really served me well.

When I ride mud and rain often I get around 2500km at 0.75% wear (measured on my Parktool chaintool), and in dry season, around 3000km at 0.75% wear on my chain casette and I change them together.

I reckon that if they wear together, I will have crisp shifting for the full duration of their life. This assumption is based on previously changing the chain on 1500km, fitting a new chain on a midlife casette gave me crappy shifting, so I refit the old chain and rode it to its wear limit.

 

And around 5700km for biggest chainring, 6000 for middle chainring and small chainring will last forever (still on triple yes).

I've had great service with my 10spd chains,.(Barr one: A Rotor chain) My topic is only in reference to the XT 11spd chain, that I had to replace twice at the 500km mark

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Don't know yet. Haven't changed anything. But when I do...

 

Degrease with benzine or diesel

Hang to dry

Small bottle (quart) of motor oil.

Drop chain in oil

Drip dry

Wipe with rag

 

Depends on conditions as to how often this is done.

[Butterbean]

I prefer to cycle three chains. Leave two constantly clean and in a bottle with some lube. Day before the chain change, which is about once a month regardless of mileage, I take the next one in line out and hang it up. Change chain, clean out and degrease used one, and chuck it in the oil too.

 

Keeps everything nice and long lasting. I wipe down chain and re lube after each ride, independent of lube manufacturers claims.

 

Side note: if you're usin wax lube, it's supposed to build up and "shed" while you ride, hence the "self cleaning" title on most bottles. Lube before each ride, preferably the night before.

[SwissVan]

Sounds like a shimano copy made in china, china

[BrandonF_]

Sounds like a shimano copy made in china, china

...maybe sounds like,...but no. Bought from reputable SA online store????

[V12man]

I do V12man. As per the Manufacturer's recommendations, each application is good for three rides.

 

I don't like to apply over old lube, purely because of the ridiculous wax build up, and, my understanding, that all the gunk grinds its way in between the plates and pins..?

 

Point taken regarding Prepsol, and maybe I should leave it overnight to dry before working in the lube.

 

Edit: Strangely tho, I do everything as before, and the KMC is still perfect after 500km's,...leaving me to believe it's a chain issue, rather than maintenance

There may be some small percentage of old dirty wax dissolved finding it's way between the pins when you add new over old - but in general it's still better than old lube only - you will see this effect after 75km of a dusty 120km ride - adding lube helps a lot to keep everything working smoothly

 

My best longevity is on a shimano dura ace 10spd chain - 14000 and a bit km - but it got lubed religiously before every ride - mostly new over old white lightening clean ride.

 

Prepsol being a soap (of a sort of a type) will probably need to be washed out with water to be sure you are not just adding lube to solvent.

 

I normally clean my chains using a water soluble automotive degreaser and park tool chain scrubber and small paintbrush, then spray muck off on them and wash off with water after a minute or so - I never break the chains to clean them - then re-lube when dry - usually get about 1500km racing km on them before swapping them out.

[i24]

I use a Birzman chain checker. Im a fair weather rider, and wont go play in the mud,...learned my lesson long ago. My cassette, chain and chainring gets scrub with Prepsol after every 3rd ride (Im pedantic). I wont lube over old lube and after the chain is thoroughly cleaned, I'll apply more than enough lube, work it into the chain with my hand, wipe the excess and let it stand overnight.

 

My approach is different...

 

I believe the chain is lubed between pins and rollers etc during manufacture. If you wash out that lube it is very difficult to replace it, so I rather just leave it there. I do however ensure there is a layer of wax lube over the chain to keep the dust and mud out.

 

After a ride I will:

 

- brush the dust, mud and excess wax off the chain and lubricate.

- or if the chain is really dirty, brush and rinse the dust and mud off with low pressure water, wait for it dry, then lubricate.

- maybe a couple of times a season rinse and brush, spray with a little degreaser, scrub with the brush, then rinse and brush again. Wait for it to dry, then lubricate.

 

I scrape off the wax build up from the jocky wheels. I never take the chain off the bike. I use a kitchen washing up brush  to clean the chain and wash it with degreaser afterwards to get off as much wax as I can.

 

For lubrication I use Squirt. After applying, I run the chain slowly through my fingers (carefully) to work the soapy stuff into all the gaps. Then I let it dry. The chain is usually dirty black enough to mark my leg if it touches. (Clean chain = no lubricant).

 

 

My results are different too...

 

My last chain I replaced at 3500km with 0.4% wear. (I measure the wear with a vernier calliper and log it in a spread sheet). The replacement has done 1700km with plenty of life left. I am still running my original cassette and chain rings. (10x3)

 

Maybe I've just been lucky, or maybe it was because that 3500km chain was a KMC. More likely it is just because I am not capable of peddling more than 175W. But my approach means more cycle time is spent riding the bike and less time messing with chains. I look after my wife's bike the same way and her chain achieves a similar life.

 

PS: If you do clean the factory lubricant out from between the links, you need to soak the chain in a bath of hot (liquid) grease, then let it cool. Or soak it in a liquid lubricant that has grease and solvent then hang it up so the solvent evaporates leaving the grease behind. But it is more cost effective to leave the original grease in place and buy a new chain when it finally is worked out.

[mazambaan]

Lots of very good (and interesting ideas) here. It would also be interesting to pull a u/s chain apart and see where the wear was (pardon the pun) and if there were any signs of corrosion (rust). My worst chain life was when I had one of those roller brush magoofta's you attach to the chain with degreaser inside and clean. My guess is that it cleaned alright but rust set in immediately where lube didn't displace the degreaser.

 

Now I almost always lube before every ride (Finish Line Wet but I guess most lubes are ok), even over old lube. If I wash the bike I blow the water out of the chain afterwards with a compressor, then lube immediately. XT chains 10spd last 2000 to 2500km and are not destroyed when I change.

 

Finally though; is 10spd and 11spd on MTB's just a gimmick. Why not stick with 9spd; same low and high gears? Are the extra intermediate gears that beneficial, particularly on 2x?  1x I sort of understand.

[nox1111]

Lots of very good (and interesting ideas) here. It would also be interesting to pull a u/s chain apart and see where the wear was (pardon the pun) and if there were any signs of corrosion (rust). My worst chain life was when I had one of those roller brush magoofta's you attach to the chain with degreaser inside and clean. My guess is that it cleaned alright but rust set in immediately where lube didn't displace the degreaser.

 

Now I almost always lube before every ride (Finish Line Wet but I guess most lubes are ok), even over old lube. If I wash the bike I blow the water out of the chain afterwards with a compressor, then lube immediately. XT chains 10spd last 2000 to 2500km and are not destroyed when I change.

 

Finally though; is 10spd and 11spd on MTB's just a gimmick. Why not stick with 9spd; same low and high gears? Are the extra intermediate gears that beneficial, particularly on 2x?  1x I sort of understand.

Sorry - off topic and sorry OP - I see I misread your topic that it was specifically 11spd related.

In regards to your gear question;

I don't think it's just a gimmick - for me personally subtle gearchanges when I'm climbing can make the world of difference - that, and when I'm 80km into a ride and struggling into wind or just tired.  On long roads and singletrack it also makes sense to me, when on slight inclines or declines you'd like to keep your cadence steady - you just drop or pick up a gear and don't gain or lose too much speed. On downhill sections it doesn't make any difference whatsoever imo.