Reusable Links with Campagnolo Chains

[Climate]

I'm afraid the names of the mountains you ride has very little effect on chain life. That is irrelevant. It is a function of chain hygiene, gear size (smaller gears are harder on chains) and ultimately, mileage.

 

Lets clarify something. You say you get 20k kms on one chain and then don't have to change the cassette? Change the cassette in-between or change the cassette when you fit a new chain?

 

We've had this debate before and one very meticulous Hubber sent me a spreadsheet with his log of mileage and chain cassette replacement and IIRC it was 12k or 15 kms with one chain and cassette. However, that cassette wasn't reusable with a new chain.

 

A scenario of riding 20 000 kms on one chain and cassette and then still find the cassette usable with a new chain is unimagineable.

 

 

If I remember to bring it with me, I'll show you that cassette at the fork workshop. Over 12 links, the 12th rivet had not quite reached 1/16" past the 12inch marking on my ruler, but the DC was looming, so just wanted to play it safe. The relevance of the climbs mentioned earlier, is that I could sit on a flat road in a bunch for 20km and put far less strain on a chain, than climbing a 20km mountain. So the life of that chain included a fair share of load. I don't use a power meter, but I'll guarantee you I'll generate more watts climbing a mountain, which translates into heavier load on the chain. I'm sure you'll agree that heavier load = greater wear (given same distance covered & chain hygeine).

 

Having said all that, I did change the cluster at the same time that I replaced the chain (I reckoned 24000km was a job well done). But my reference to the cluster being good for another chain, was because the "stretch" factor was less than 1/16" and I've always held that the cluster is toast if the chain gets to 1/8" over the limit. I of course realize, that a new chain will quickly deteriorate to the "characteristics" of the previous chain (if the cluster is not replaced) ... but the fact remains: the chain was still within limits, so the cluster was good for a new chain.