Cassette and chain

[Beats777]

Hi all

I left my bike in to get a service and few rattles sorted. Anyway guy in shop said I could do with a new chain which in turn meant a new rear cassette as they go hand in hand. A new chain could get damaged quicker on an old cassette, Is this true? Also needed a new front big ring as it was showing signs off wear and tear.

 

[vickster]

Hi all

I left my bike in to get a service and few rattles sorted. Anyway guy in shop said I could do with a new chain which in turn meant a new rear cassette as they go hand in hand. A new chain could get damaged quicker on an old cassette, Is this true? Also needed a new front big ring as it was showing signs off wear and tear.

When was the chain last changed? How many miles have you ridden on it? In what conditions has it been ridden? What maintenance do you do on chain and how often?
If … ages ago or can’t recall, lots, all conditions including wet and mucky, if not a lot/as often as I might, then you likely need new parts unfortunately.

if the chainring is worn, the chain is probably worn and also the cassette as a result. Signs of wear don’t necessarily mean changes unless there is slipping, rattling, poor shifting etc.
These are all consumable items, along with cables, brake pads, tyres

 

[Caperider]

Do you have a chain stretch checker tool? Then you can stay on top of the chains stretch progress and swap it out. Sooner so you won't have to swap cassette. It seems the lighter they make bike parts the quicker they wear out.

 

[Caperider]

The vocational school I went to as a kid used to offer a bicycle maitainance and building class which would have been fun to take just for the heck of it. But as the world would have it got nicked because of stupid covid .

 

[Beats777]

When was the chain last changed? How many miles have you ridden on it? In what conditions has it been ridden? What maintenance do you do on chain and how often?
If … ages ago or can’t recall, lots, all conditions including wet and mucky, if not a lot/as often as I might, then you likely need new parts unfortunately.

if the chainring is worn, the chain is probably worn and also the cassette as a result. Signs of wear don’t necessarily mean changes unless there is slipping, rattling, poor shifting etc.
These are all consumable items, along with cables, brake pads, tyres

The chain is bout 2yr old and roughly bout 1800 miles over the 2 yrs. Cycled in wet conditions and down few mucky country lanes but always cleaned afterwards and oiled.

 

[Beats777]

The chain is bout 2yr old and roughly bout 1800 miles over the 2 yrs. Cycled in wet conditions and down few mucky country lanes but always cleaned afterwards and oiled.

Also 1st time the chain has been changed

 

[vickster]

Also 1st time the chain has been changed

What speed chain is it?

 

[Beats777]

What speed chain is it?

10 speed

 

[Jameshow]

I doubt you would wear out a cassette in those conditions unless you a) commuted in all weathers, b) didn't do any maintainance, c) ride in one gear out of the ten!
Or all three!!

 

[All uphill]

I guess you have to decide whether you trust your bike person.

I used to do bike repairs for neighbours for the cost of parts; I quickly learned that there are people who will just pay, those who want to understand ( my favourites) and those who will be suspicious, even when I did lots of work and only asked for £15.

The best solutions are to learn to do work yourself or find someone you trust, and is open to explaining what is needed and why.

BTW I have seen chains and cassettes trashed in fewer than 1800 miles.

 

[vickster]

Have you had a look at any YouTube videos which explain how to identify a worn chain/cassette/chainring. That sounds very quick to wear the latter out even if the chain is worn?

 

[I like Skol]

If doing DIY I would fit a chain and ride it for a bit to see how it goes. If it is skipping and doesn't settle down in 20-30 miles then it is new cassette time.
Obviously this is not financially worthwhile if using a shop so this time around you are probably better swapping them as a pair. I usually get 3 or 4 chains to run on a cassette by changing the chains as soon as they start to show 0.75% of wear/elongation using my chain check tool.

 

[boydj]

A bike ridden in all weathers will not see much more than 1000 miles out of a chain before it starts to inflict significant wear on the cassette. Go beyond that point and the cassette will need to be changed along with the chain, so a chain checker is a good investment to allow the chain to be changed before the cassette wear becomes a problem.

 

[Ajax Bay]

guy in shop said I could do with a new chain which in turn meant a new rear cassette as they go hand in hand. A new chain could get damaged quicker on an old cassette, Is this true? Also needed a new front big ring as it was showing signs off wear and tear.

Man in shop he gives reasonable advice. With that distance cycled (1800 miles) the chain will have elongated and also worn the cassette. Both will need changing. If you just change the chain, the new one will slip on the cassette.
Echoing what others have said, if you periodically measure this new chain, and change it at (say) 1500 miles or when it's <0.75% elongated then a new chain will (should) not slip: you can normally repeat this and get 3 chains per cassette (then replace both together).
With the distance you say you've cycled, I am very surprised the chainring needs replacing. I'd expect maybe 10,000 miles, but maybe you do nearly all your riding in the large ring, in which case it'd be less. But 1800 miles: no.
Change chain and cassette and see how it rides, I would.

 

[Cycleops]

Its actually quite difficult to spot wear on a cassette, not so much on a chainring and near impossible on a chain without a checker. You'll have problems running a well worn chain on a new cassette. I have a significantly worn chainring on one bike but with a relatively new cassette and chain but it all works fine. Id wait until you get slipping before you decide to replace all.