Chain - to change or not to change?

[racingaway]

rather than measuring your chain with a fancy tool if you change it roughly every 3 months you will prolong the life of your cassette and chainrings and save yourself money in the long run.

 

[punkypossum]

Well, had another look at the cassette, and some of the teeth have that sideways wave profile, so I think it will have to go...lbs number 2 gave me a quote that's half of lbs number 1, so I'm going to get it all done....

 

[bonj2]

If you change it at 0.75, you can get about 3 chains to a cassette, if you leave it till it gets to 1.0, then you need to change the cassette with the chain. So changing it at 0.75 works out cheaper.

 

[skwerl]

if you change it roughly every 3 months

isn't that completely arbitrary unless you know how many miles per month someone is riding?

 

[John the Monkey]

Punky, have a look at Sheldon's reference on the subject;

http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

It has some good visual checks you can do on a new chain/old sprockets.

 

[dodgy]

rather than measuring your chain with a fancy tool if you change it roughly every 3 months you will prolong the life of your cassette and chainrings and save yourself money in the long run.

Fancy tool? It's a piece of pressed steel which costs about a fiver.

Does that 3 months advice stand for those that do a 1000 miles per month and those that do 100 a month, too?

 

[Ivan Ardon]

rather than measuring your chain with a fancy tool if you change it roughly every 3 months you will prolong the life of your cassette and chainrings and save yourself money in the long run.

Oh dear, I've just put the second ever chain on my old three speed. That's two chains in 35 years.

I'll just toddle off to my LBS to buy another 138 chains to stick to your rule. Will I still be saving money in the long run?

 

[bonj2]

Well, had another look at the cassette, and some of the teeth have that sideways wave profile, so I think it will have to go...lbs number 2 gave me a quote that's half of lbs number 1, so I'm going to get it all done....

don't *get it* done, *do it*.
It isn't hard.

 

[Panter]

Maybe worth checking on the price of your cassette, my 8sp here was (I think) <£10.00 and cheaper than the chain!

 

[racingaway]

Oh dear, I've just put the second ever chain on my old three speed. That's two chains in 35 years.

I'll just toddle off to my LBS to buy another 138 chains to stick to your rule. Will I still be saving money in the long run?

LOL you better toddle off to your lbs and get a new bike!

 

[02GF74]

LOL you better toddle off to your lbs and get a new bike!

why stop at 1? alwasy good to have a couple spare