How long/far should a chain last

[ELL]

there's something not right here. Take it to another bike shop.

Thing is I need to get it sorted ASAP as its how i get to work. I can fit a rack to the back of my other bike and carrying a backpack give me back and shoulder pain. My fav LBS is closer to home than work and not open when i go past. I just want the chain off now

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Go fixed.

The chains are a fiver.

off topic. £5 where from zoiders?

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Well took the bike out again yesterday on very a short ride whilst my friend test rode my other bike (only about 6 miles), the chain didn't seem 100% but got better after a couple of miles so thought all was fine. Woke up this morning nice and early to ride to work got the bike out and had a look at the chain and its still broken.



The chain swap is back on again so will have to find a nice KMC one I think.

dump that lbs, if they can't fix a simple chain prob they're shite. you are well into the window for a new chain, 9 speed chains are about £20 they come with all the gubbins you need.

you might not even need any special tools to remove existing chain, as you report the side plates have come off, if so, it's just a question of sliding the pins out of the holes.

new chains generally come in the right length, well for derailleurs set ups anyway. a chain swap can be done in less than 5 mins.

hope that helps


hope that helps

 

[ELL]

The new chain arrived today and I'm amazed how easy it is. It's just annoying that I paid so much to get one sorted last time.

Got the kmc x10 silver from wiggle and they are very helpful.

Thanks for all the help. It saved me a chunk of change.

 

[Fab Foodie]

i'm at 1618 miles on my 105 chain, i've been at the .75 wear mark on my park tool for about 150 miles. no biggy, until i checked the prices on 10 speed chains, wtf, £35. it'll get a new chain when i see one on sale somewhere (i'm even thinking of turning it single speed and selling the 105 kit). the bike probably won't get another 1000 miles on on it this year, too scared of the prices of parts.

Chain prices vary a lot, but unless you're Cadel or Cav you're not going to notice differences in performance or weight too much. More expensive chains save a few grams and have fancy coatings (which you don't need). The KMC site is quite useful. Just bought a new 9 speed KMC for £15 from wiggle. basic but I've gotten about 4000+ miles all-weather riding out of the same on worn chainrings. I'm not anal about chain hygiene either, if it's lubed it's OK.
I'm also with dellzeqq, change 'em once a year in the spring. It's a small cost.

 

[slowmotion]

You can get KMC 10 speed chains for a little under £20 on ebay and at some on-line retailers, complete with a quick link.

 

[Glover Fan]

I bought a 105 chain from CRC two days ago for £20.

 

[Oldbloke]

The Ultegra chain on my 10sp road bike disintegrated yesterday after a life of less than 1,000 miles after being lubed regularly, didn't get heavy use and rarely got wet.

This is half of the 105 chain the bike came with.

Have fitted a KMC X10L and won't be buying Ultegra again

 

[baznav]

You roadies don't know how good you have it, i'm on my third chain since may on my mountain bike.

 

[Trull]

I'm amazed you guys are getting this mileage out of your chains, I'm replacing a 10-sp KMC chain after 1200km, using a Park chain wear tool its between 0.5 and 0.75. Most of the miles were done indoors on my CycleOps Fluid2 trainer (ie perfect dry conditions).

I'll put it down to my awesome sprint…. lol...

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

I'm @2700 miles on a Shimano Dura-Ace chain..with no sign of wear, but it is mickled after every single ride... Well impressed

 

[GrasB]

On my uprights I get about 50kWh out of a chain I look after, on my recumbents I'm at somewhere north of 100kWh. That's bout 4500 miles for me, big power, or almost 7000 for my OH, lower power.

 

[KneesUp]

I have to say (as a cyclist in my youth, recently returned) that modern chains seem to be rubbish compared to the ones I used! I presume it's because they have to be thin to allow so many gears?

 

[byegad]

I use SRAM chains, while commuting to work on a Thorn Club Tour I got nearly a couple of thousand miles to 0.75% worn out of my chains, replacing them when the Park Tools go/no go tool slips in saves the need for a cassette at the same time, and I got three chains to each cassette. and a couple of cassettes to a middle chain ring, the one I was using most of the time. Outer rings lasted a couple more chains before replacement.

In miles that's about:-
1800/chain
5500/cassette
11000/middle ring
13000/outer ring
I didn't use the bike in heavy rain and kept the chain well lubed with a spray down with GT85 if it got wet, followed by some more oil and a monthly reasonably thorough clean.

This followed my riding a Scott Hybrid for a year (Approx 4000 miles) with little care other than a lube now and again. It needed a new chain, cassette and two chain rings! Once a chain gets past 1% worn it eats the cassette and chain rings fast!

 

[Svendo]

I think for the convenience it's worth buying a set of KMC quicklinks, which work with any 10 speed chain. You still need a chain tool to make the new chain the right length, but then don't have to fart about with pins if using shimano chains (which I've never had a problem with, and seem to last as long as KMC for me, which at the moment is not very long as I'm a bit of a grinder on hills and the chainrings are near the end of their lives). As they come in twos, you can also have the other in your on bike tool kit which gives you chain mending options if your multitool has a chain tool on it.