Do you drive your chain inot the ground?

[redefined_cycles]

Usually i always catch my chain at almost 0.75 wear marker (so I have to push the tool in and therefore its probably less wear than 0.75). This in my mind is most economical than replacing the drive train after everythings worn and slipping. Last time I changed a chain Jon mentioned that he kust rides everything until it's all worn and changes all the drivetrain.

Yesterday i have checked the chain (now on a 105 crankset so not as expensive to replace like for like than a DA) and plan to replace it as it's on the 0.75 mark. Whats the forums gut feelings on this. No supposedly-properly scientific evidence please from the BS mags/websites. But if you've constructed a home 'gut feeling' experiemnt then I'm all ears.

It'll be the difference between chucking out this hear chain or keeping it going. Bottom line being me trying to continue to reeuce my carbon footprint (for the turtles)...

[voodoo_simon]

Run it to the ground and then some

Never rotated a chain except on the SS (the chain is always screwed at the end but the rings either end last for years)

[RIP]

As a side-question to that, who reckons to keep their cassette for a couple of chains worth of wear? I usually seem to manage that. Recently forked out £45 for an XT 11-34 cassette and £21 for an XT chain, so at least now got 2 spare cassettes and 4 spare chains in t'shed.

(Oh, the OP - 75 then new chain. Can't be doing with the crap shifting when worn).

[ScotRoutes]

We tried a few options with the hire fleet, so 60+ bikes with a variety of users over the course of a few years

Our conclusion was to change the first chain at 75, chain the second at 75 and change the cassette then too. Third chain would be replaced at 75 again and then the 4th chain would see a replacement of cassette AND rings. We never had any bike long enough to go past that. TBH if you're on an old chain, cassette and rings then that's the time to run them all into the ground, knowing you're going to change them all anyway.

Of course, responsibilities as a bike rental company meant we tended to favour reliability over longevity. We wouldn't want to spoil someone's holiday just because we'd skimped on replacement cost

FWIW we also found that 9 speed was more durable than 8 or 7 speed. I've no comparable data on 10/11/12 speed.

[fatbikephil]

I've tried the two chain method (swap the chain every month) but continually forget to do it, lose one of the chains, get mixed up which chain goes on which bike etc. So I'm back to running the chain into the ground. The fatbike C&S is into its third year and still got plenty of life left (3k or so). If I just had the one bike I probably would go back to the 2 chains per cassette thing but if you have two or more bikes I don't think its worth it. Yonks ago when I was on 6 and 7 speed, I used to run the chain and sproks until the rollers started splitting off - around 6k. Its probably about the same for 9 and 10 so happy with that life given the low replacement costs.

I guess if you have a £300 cassette you'd want to eek it out as long as possible.....

[RIP]

Our conclusion was to change the first chain at 75, chain the second at 75 and change the cassette then too.

Good to hear that from the pro's. Decent cassette not cheap.

[redefined_cycles]

As a side-question to that, who reckons to keep their cassette for a couple of chains worth of wear? I usually seem to manage that. Recently forked out £45 for an XT 11-34 cassette and £21 for an XT chain, so at least now got 2 spare cassettes and 4 spare chains in t'shed.

(Oh, the OP - 75 then new chain. Can't be doing with the crap shifting when worn).

Reg... I have managed about 5 chains per cassette (possibly more but lost count). Shimano chain/cassettes and upwards of XT/Ultegra. I think I'm gonna chuck it and put yhe new chain on again. Yes, I can't be bothered woth that rubbish shifting either

[lune ranger]

My experience isn’t entirely relevant to you Shaf because I’m mostly on Rohloff equipped bikes. I run the chain till it’s very dead. I only properly clean them occasionally - soaking them in solvent for long enough for everything to hose off. Middleburn HC rings and Rohloff sprockets last almost for ever even under those conditions.
On my road bike I have fancy Campag running gear and I switch chains often and keep them spotless. Cassettes last a few chains like that.
Looking at the price of the monster cassettes used with 1x systems, I’d want to do me best to avoid replacing them as much as possible

[Charliecres]

I’ve always just run a drivetrain till it dies. I’d never get around to swapping chains over regularly.

The only exception is on my SS, where it all lasts so long that the chain will sometimes properly die before the ring and sprocket. You then have a few weeks of horrendous graunching noises as a new chain mates to the old rings then it’s good for a few thousand more filthy miles.

[Mariner]

Reg where do you buy an XT chain for £21?

Meanwhile according to road cc Have cyclists resorted to stealing cassettes and rear mechs due to component shortages?

https://road.cc/content/news/parts-shor ... tes-281675

[Lazarus]

Yes run it into the ground

My SS chain was sourced from an old worn 9 speed chain I had lying around [ perhaps 6 or more years ago and its still in use - I did change the rear cog and front cog, both new, [ not due to wear] and had no issues with the chain on these . I did not change them at the same time either.

I can understand why a shop did what scots says but without any bikes they ran into the ground its pretty meaningless. Yes it tells you replacing stuff regularily wont skip whereas we need data on what happens if you dont do this
My experience is nothing much - yes I need to replace casettes but no more often than serial chain swappers

[RIP]

Reg where do you buy an XT chain for £21?

Meanwhile according to road cc Have cyclists resorted to stealing cassettes and rear mechs due to component shortages?

https://road.cc/content/news/parts-shor ... tes-281675

I'll have a look later, 'tis on me laptop....

[RIP]

Well that's annoying. Halfords website says it can do one for £20 now! Collect from Bletchley .

[redefined_cycles]

Well that's annoying. Halfords website says it can do one for £20 now! Collect from Bletchley .

Youre mewsing... you must be talking about 9 speed right Reg? Well done

[redefined_cycles]

Yes run it into the ground

My SS chain was sourced from an old worn 9 speed chain I had lying around [ perhaps 6 or more years ago and its still in use - I did change the rear cog and front cog, both new, [ not due to wear] and had no issues with the chain on these . I did not change them at the same time either.

I can understand why a shop did what scots says but without any bikes they ran into the ground its pretty meaningless. Yes it tells you replacing stuff regularily wont skip whereas we need data on what happens if you dont do this
My experience is nothing much - yes I need to replace casettes but no more often than serial chain swappers

You're right Jon. Same again (shall I drop this current one at 0.75 wear off when I get time?). I might start that test on my next drivetrain but so many variables (I'm sure the xtr chains last linger than the standard 105/Deore) as does wax cause accelerated wear over oil...

[RIP]

Well that's annoying. Halfords website says it can do one for £20 now! Collect from Bletchley .

Youre mewsing... you must be talking about 9 speed right Reg? Well done

Are there any other speeds then?

[redefined_cycles]

Well that's annoying. Halfords website says it can do one for £20 now! Collect from Bletchley .

Youre mewsing... you must be talking about 9 speed right Reg? Well done

Are there any other speeds then?

*messing


______
i think we'll be on 13 speed shortly (or are we there already)

[robbie]

After failing to keep an eye on my chains for years and always having to replace cassetes
I turned over a new leaf and bout a decent park tool chain checker. Now I keep an eye on them and change them at 0.50 or just above
11 and 12 speed. I only buy the cheap sram chains about £13 as don't see any benefit from the more expensive ones and I can replace more often. I've noticed my cassetes last a lot longer now.

[PaulB2]

This was timely, I finally got round to using the chain checker that my sister got me for Christmas and the 0.5 goes through (on a 11 speed chain) - time to replace or wait until 0.75?

[robbie]

This was timely, I finally got round to using the chain checker that my sister got me for Christmas and the 0.5 goes through (on a 11 speed chain) - time to replace or wait until 0.75?

Replace it now.

[fatbikephil]

Reg where do you buy an XT chain for £21?

Meanwhile according to road cc Have cyclists resorted to stealing cassettes and rear mechs due to component shortages?

https://road.cc/content/news/parts-shor ... tes-281675

Cue lots more smugness from the single speed gang

[Mariner]

Cue lots more smugness from the single speed gang.

They will still nick your chain.

[RIP]

Reg where do you buy an XT chain for £21?

It was AllTerrainCycles. Just checked again and they're now out of stock, so Reg must have nabbed the last one....

[voodoo_simon]

Reg where do you buy an XT chain for £21?

Meanwhile according to road cc Have cyclists resorted to stealing cassettes and rear mechs due to component shortages?

https://road.cc/content/news/parts-shor ... tes-281675

Cue lots more smugness from the single speed gang

Front chainring £11
Rear sprocket £6
Chain £14

Smugness at spending £31

Plus all the women come flocking to you


*one of those facts above may be an untruth

[Lazarus]

You're right Jon. Same again

Noneed you go through them faster than i do

time to replace or wait until 0.75?

Really depends what side of this debate you want to be on but 5 chains is more expensive than one cassette[ 2 chains are more expensive than the last cassette i bought and its not deore !] ]