Chain Wear

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JWSurrey
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Joined: 25 Sep 2009
Chain Wear

The bikes came up for their periodic maintenance check last week, and I seem to have amazingly managed to wear out 3 chains simultaneously :(

Park Tool recommend chain replacement at 1% wear (and to watch from 0.75%).

Interestingly, Sheldon Brown recommends replacement at 1/16" stretch over 12 links (a link being exactly 1 inch in length - a pitch of half an inch).

If I have got my math. right, that's 0.52% wear. (He goes on to say that if you leave it until 1.04% wear, it's game over for avoiding wear to your chainset and cassette's popular rings/sprockets).

So, 0.52%,0.75% or 1% - Discuss!

(I'm going with 0.75% as I have noticed it getting less rideable).

ned
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Joined: 27 Jul 2009
erm, I think I need a new

erm, I think I need a new chain, but have no tools or know-how to measure it!

JWSurrey
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Joined: 25 Sep 2009
Heh! Probably the correct

Heh! Probably the correct approach - if it feels gritty, starts sucking, and wrong, then change it!

sheldonbrown.com has a good article on chains (and most other stuff too).  He suggests that if you measure from dead centre of the first link, to dead centre on the last link, that should be exactly 12 inches.  If it's off by more than 1/16 of a inch, look to replace.

The easier option is to get one of Park Tools' chain checkers.... or ask Ritchie/LBS!

Mark
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Joined: 10 Sep 2009
bring the chain in question

bring the chain in question around when you pop round for the bb. I have the decent park tool for this.

ned
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Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Thanks for the offer Mark,

Thanks for the offer Mark, but chain is filthy and still on bike so just ordered a couple of identical replacements today off crc for the weekend trip to Wales..!

 

neilt
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Joined: 12 Aug 2009
Are you getting a new rear

Are you getting a new rear cassette as well? When I changed my chain recently the cassette was obviously already worn enough so that the new chain would not run on it without skipping and jumping. I then had to change the cassette and middle chain ring as well before I could get it to work properly again. So be warned....changing just the chain could make things worse, not better!

JWSurrey
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Joined: 25 Sep 2009
At risk of making myself

At risk of making myself "master of the blatantly obvious", use the old chain to measure the same number of links! I've got a Wippermann quick-link on mine, for quick disassembly and cleaning - Sram and KMC provide similar - just have to get the one in the right width.

Fortunately, I've managed to catch the chain before sprocket and chainring wear have ensued.