Roughness in pedaling question

Bob Grabowski <bubsywub at mindspring.com> wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

The bike shop told me that they could change the chain, but in the majority of cases, when the
chain is changed, the rear gearset (or whatever the technical name is for
it) usually needs to be changed as well. They said that if I wanted to change the chain, they'd
replace it then see if it worked with the current gearset and if not, they'd need to replace
it. They said that the "cartridge" is fine, and the problem is not related to the pedals. This
is my first road/racing bike. I've had mountain bikes before. With 5,000 miles of use, might
the chain and/or rear gears need changing?

How often do you clean and oil your chain? If not maintained well (and sometimes even if maintained
well), your chain will need replacing well before 5000 miles. Did your shop measure your chain?
That's an easy way to tell if it is worn out. If the chain is over worn, then yes, you will need to
change your cassette as well.

Bob Grabowski said:

Greetings:

I have a Trek 1200 bike that I've ridden for about 5,000 miles in the past 3 years. Recently,
there is a roughness when I'm pedaling. My bike shop, which is excellent, couldn't find anything
wrong with the gears or the chain. However, they did do a thorough cleaning of the chain. Yet the
"roughness" persists. The bike shop told me that they could change the chain, but in the majority
of cases, when the chain is changed, the rear gearset (or whatever the technical name is for it)
usually needs to be changed as well.

Only if you've waited too long to change the chain.

Quoted message said:

They said that if I wanted to change the chain, they'd replace it then see if it worked with the
current gearset and if not, they'd need to replace it.

That is the easiest way to tell if the cogs are worn. A new chain on an worn cassette will sometimes
"skip" -- come off the gear and rotate forward one notch, then catch again. Not comfortable.

Quoted message said:

They said that the "cartridge" is fine,

Referring to the bottom-bracket (crank axle) I assume.

Quoted message said:

and the problem is not related to the pedals. This is my first road/racing bike. I've had mountain
bikes before. With 5,000 miles of use, might the chain and/or rear gears need changing?

Yes.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | This is my religion. There is no need for temples; no need for _`\(,_ | complicated
philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our (_)/ (_) | temple. The philosophy is kindness.
--The Dalai Lama

Quoted message said:

This is my first road/racing bike. I've had mountain bikes before. With 5,000 miles of use, might
the chain and/or rear gears need changing?

If you've really got 5,000 miles on your chain, and you haven't kept it spotless & well lubed, and
you never ride the hills, and you weigh under 110 pounds...

...then you *might* not need a new chain. But chances are you fail at least one of the tests above,
and quite possibly all. I ride mostly in the hills, weigh 175 (on a good day), and don't clean my
chain all that often. For me, 2,000 miles would be absolutely max life for a chain; if I tried to
get anything more out of one, I'd find my shifting suffering and I'd go through rear cassettes
pretty rapidly.

Unfortunately, your chain is probably so badly worn ("stretched" isn't technically accurate, since
what actually happens is that the moving parts wear and cause it to elongate) that it has tried to
shape the rear cogs to match, so when you put on a new one, you'll have skipping problems.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles chainreactionbicycles.comchainreactionbicycles.comOpen ↗

"Bob Grabowski" <bubsywub at mindspring.com> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Greetings:

I have a Trek 1200 bike that I've ridden for about 5,000 miles in the past 3 years. Recently,
there is a roughness when I'm pedaling. My bike shop, which is excellent, couldn't find anything
wrong with the gears or the chain. However, they did do a thorough cleaning of the chain. Yet the
"roughness" persists. The bike shop told me that they could change the chain, but in the majority
of cases, when the chain is changed, the rear gearset (or whatever the technical name is for
it) usually needs to be changed as well. They said that if I wanted to change the chain, they'd
replace it then see if it worked with the current gearset and if not, they'd need to replace
it. They said that the "cartridge" is fine, and the problem is not related to the pedals. This
is my first road/racing bike. I've had mountain bikes before. With 5,000 miles of use, might
the chain and/or rear gears need changing?

Thanks for you comments.

Bob

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