Chain Change question

mike said:

Although this should be a simple question, I have found many different
answers.

For a XC bike, when should the chain be changed? and should anything
else be changed every time the chain is changed?

Between taking to some of the other riders, and reading online, I have
come up with every +/- 1000 miles a chain should be changed. (or when
damaged of course.)
I have also heard that I should be changing out my cassette and the
chain ring I use the most when changing the chain.

The bike I am riding has an 8 speed cassette.

You change the chain fairly regularly so you DON'T have to change the
cassette and even the chainring at the same time. A worn chain will wear
out these parts much faster than will a fresh one.

Of course, no one does this at first; it's only after the $hock of having to
buy new parts that one learns. (And even then...)

Measure your chain or buy a chain-checker. 12" rivet-to-rivet is spec; once
it's visibly more (some say...1/16"? 1/8'?) it's time to replace it.

Bill "grinder" S.

mike said:

Although this should be a simple question, I have found many different
answers.

For a XC bike, when should the chain be changed? and should anything
else be changed every time the chain is changed?

Between taking to some of the other riders, and reading online, I have
come up with every +/- 1000 miles a chain should be changed. (or when
damaged of course.)
I have also heard that I should be changing out my cassette and the
chain ring I use the most when changing the chain.

The bike I am riding has an 8 speed cassette.

Thoughts?

Mike
mlawrenc(at)gmail.com

Mileage has less to do with the need to replace the chain as much as
cleanliness and shifting.

Chain "stretch" is caused by the link pivots wearing down. This
happens when grit gets into your chain and grinds the pivots. The
"stretched" chain (plus grit) then deforms the chainrings and cogs.

Shifting effects chain life by chainline. You should try and be in a
gear that allows you to keep the chain as straight as possible between
the chainrings and the cassette. So, if you're in the large ring in
the front and the biggest cog in the back, your chain is at a
significant angle. Same as if you have the front in the smallest
(granny gear) and the back in the smallest cog. You're forcing the
chain to cross a couple inches over. This puts more strain on the
chain, chainrings and cogs. Both these combinations (big to big, small
to small) are more efficiently reached using the middle chainring and
a few cogs up or down from the middle in back.

Think of it like driving your car. You can probably drive 40mph in
first gear if you wanted to, but it wouldn't be a good idea. Nor
would you want to drive 10mph in 5th gear.

/s

mike said:

Although this should be a simple question, I have found many different
answers.

For a XC bike, when should the chain be changed? and should anything
else be changed every time the chain is changed?

Between taking to some of the other riders, and reading online, I have
come up with every +/- 1000 miles a chain should be changed. (or when
damaged of course.)
I have also heard that I should be changing out my cassette and the
chain ring I use the most when changing the chain.

The bike I am riding has an 8 speed cassette.

Thoughts?

Mike
mlawrenc(at)gmail.com

Hi Mike,

You've already received some good info...and I'll agree with it. Things
need to be changed when they are worn. If it happens to be at the same
time as the chain (or has to be at the same time as the chain if the
chain was left too long and has worn the driveline out) then so be it.

My hints for longer driveline life are simple. Clean your chain often
(what often is will depend on the riding you do and your local
conditions). If you can, have two chains, and rotate between them at a
regular interval. I know this sounds weird, but if you driveline is only
dealing with a chain with 1/2 the miles on it, the chain should only
have half the wear and won't do nearly as much damage to the other
components (assuming you keep it in good condition). Besides, chains are
cheap as compared to chainrings and cassettes.

Just my 2 bits worth,

Michael

Bill Sornson said:

mike said:

Although this should be a simple question, I have found many different
answers.

Quoted message said:

For a XC bike, when should the chain be changed? and should anything
else be changed every time the chain is changed?

Quoted message said:

Between taking to some of the other riders, and reading online, I have
come up with every +/- 1000 miles a chain should be changed. (or when
damaged of course.)
I have also heard that I should be changing out my cassette and the
chain ring I use the most when changing the chain.

Quoted message said:

The bike I am riding has an 8 speed cassette.

You change the chain fairly regularly so you DON'T have to change the
cassette and even the chainring at the same time. A worn chain will wear
out these parts much faster than will a fresh one.

Of course, no one does this at first; it's only after the $hock of having to
buy new parts that one learns. (And even then...)

Measure your chain or buy a chain-checker. 12" rivet-to-rivet is spec; once
it's visibly more (some say...1/16"? 1/8'?) it's time to replace it.

Bill "grinder" S.

You got good help from eveyone. But heres one more. You could have
none of those signs and your chain could be in bad shape. The rollers
and plates worn. Go ahead and change it when it needs to be. I had a
chain a number of years and none of the tell tail signs showed. But I
had a shifting problem. I changed the chain and shifting was great.
Sometimes you can even save a cassette buy filing the teeth flat and
get rid of those shark teeth. Same goes for chainrings.

mike said:

Although this should be a simple question, I have found many different
answers.

For a XC bike, when should the chain be changed? and should anything
else be changed every time the chain is changed?

Between taking to some of the other riders, and reading online, I have
come up with every +/- 1000 miles a chain should be changed. (or when
damaged of course.)
I have also heard that I should be changing out my cassette and the
chain ring I use the most when changing the chain.

The bike I am riding has an 8 speed cassette.

Thoughts?

Mike
mlawrenc(at)gmail.com

It only takes one time for a new chain, on used chainrings, to slip
and cause you to crash or get injured to change your mind about not
changing the whole drivetrain out at the same time.

What exactly is your reason for needing to change your chain?
Do you think it's going to make you ride faster?
Is it not shifting correctly?

IMHO the advice to chain chains is an old wives tale that LBS's cook
up to sell parts.
If I took your advice to change my chain every 1000 miles that would
mean a new chain every 4 weeks, or 14 chains/year @ $25ea = $350.....
Not to mention that you're still on the same chainring/cassette for
that year, which will also need to be replaced @ ~$120...
So do you have a minimum of $470/year to buy drivetrain parts?

No Thank You.

I'll stick to riding same chain/rings/cogs until they wear out and
replace all at the same time for about $150...
I might go through 2 sets/year and spend the extra money on tires.

mike said:

Although this should be a simple question, I have found many different
answers.

For a XC bike, when should the chain be changed? and should anything
else be changed every time the chain is changed?

Plus, what sort of terrain do you ride on?
Here in NW England we get mud and peat bog, with all manner of hard grit
contained in it. When I was putting in the miles I'd clean and relube the
chain on the bike after every ride.

I'd remove the chain every other weekend and put on a cleaned up ready
degreased one.
Then I'd got 14 nights to clean degrease and relube the first one.
It sure was a hassle but it saved on sprocket wear.