How can you tell when the chain's/cassette's/chainring's worn out?

[Maz]

First off, by 'cassette' I mean the cogs on the rear wheel (don't know if that's the right word).

what are the tell-tale signs of wear? if you catch it early enough, can you get away with only having to change the chain?

Thanks
Regards
Maz.

 

[fossyant]

If you put a new chain on and the chain 'jumps' then the cassette is worn - that's the main indicator of a knackered cassette.

Usually the teeth on the cassette will start to look like a shark's fin, although it's not always easy to tell as the tooth profiles vary on hyperglide casettes.

You'll most likely wear out specific sprockets, but it's near on impossible to buy single sprockets these days - so a whle new casette it is.

 

[Maz]

Many thanks, fossyant. I'll keep an eye out for any 'shark's fins' that start to develop.

 

[andygates]

As a rule of thumb with modern systems that are reasonably well maintained, you get about 2500 miles from a chain, 5000 from a cassette and 10000 from a chainring. Ish. The filthier you are, the less long they last.

 

[Stick on a Giant]

Maz, if you change the change reasonably frequently you may get 3 chains use out of one cassette. I think the chain is considered worn when it measures over 12.25 inches for 12 links (I think, and apologies to the pedants for mixing imperial and metric). As always, I'm sure Sheldon Brown will offer guidance - don't have the actual link but good old Google...

 

[goo_mason]

Many thanks, fossyant. I'll keep an eye out for any 'shark's fins' that start to develop.

Here's a photo of my front chainrings when I took them off to replace them. The large outer ring's teeth are in pretty good nick, but you can see how worn the middle ring's teeth are - showing fantastic shark's teeth wear !

 

[Maz]

@goo_mason...I see what you mean. Did the teeth on the middle ring used to have flat tops like those on the largest ring?

Also, the slopes on the left of the 'peaks' seem slightly gentler than those on the right - like a shark's. Or is that just my eyesight playing tricks?

Thanks for the picture.

 

[mickle]

Here's a photo of my front chainrings when I took them off to replace them. The large outer ring's teeth are in pretty good nick, but you can see how worn the middle ring's teeth are - showing fantastic shark's teeth wear !

OW!

 

[andrew_s]

Here's a photo of my front chainrings when I took them off to replace them. The large outer ring's teeth are in pretty good nick, but you can see how worn the middle ring's teeth are - showing fantastic shark's teeth wear !

When the chainring teeth get like that, the chain sits up on them so you can see daylight between the chain and chainring

His jockey wheel was even worse - you could see daylight through that too.

 

[goo_mason]

His jockey wheel was even worse - you could see daylight through that too.

Mine were getting like that too, and I was about to replace them when I had my icy fallings-off last week and knackered the derailleur. I got a new one at a sale price (£16 - SRAM SX4), which was good considering it was going to cost me £8 plus p & p for just the jockey wheels !

 

[mickle]

I feel sick.

 

[ash68]

Here's a photo of my front chainrings when I took them off to replace them. The large outer ring's teeth are in pretty good nick, but you can see how worn the middle ring's teeth are - showing fantastic shark's teeth wear !

looks like you got ya monies worth out of that chainring

 

[goo_mason]

I feel sick.

Oh dear. Get well soon !