How many miles before changing chain and Cassette?

[DaveReading]

I've seen lots of videos from the likes of GCN and similar shows and every time you see a bike the chain is silver, the cassette is shiny, you could eat your dinner off it!

Save yourself aggro by not having a silver chain or cassette ...

 

[Nebulous]

I havent worn out a cassette in a very long time. I do change chains very regularly though, around 1500-1800 miles. My current cassette would be on its fifth chain.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

I find that if you monitor your components and bikes in kilometres, things seem to last longer.

 

[silva]

I mount a 5 kilo chain then I monitor the sky and the girls (not necessarily in that order).

 

[Deleted member 1258]

On my geared bike, 2x10 speed a chain annually, its done 2500-3000 miles by that stage and its usually at 0.75, a cassette usually lasts 3-4 years, 7000- 10000 miles. My fixed gets a new chain annually as well, like the geared bikes its usually at 0.75 and has done 2000 - 2500 miles, cog and chainring lasts several years.

 

[Ajax Bay]

need to do something about my chain and maybe the whole drivetrain which I've neglected. I've ridden at least 6000 miles, that's being cautious, and not changed a single thing

The day your chain starts skipping - likely to happen on the sprocket you happen to use most - then change both. Till then, ride on (and procure a new chain and cassette ready for 'the day'). At 6000 miles you have done very well (cue comments along the lines of "that's not a knife!" [Crocodile Dundee II]).

 

[Signum-GB]

This has been an interesting thread for me to read. I have never delved into bike maintenance before. Infact, my first bike that I had, I did say 500 miles over a 4 year period (didn't use it much), all I ever did was blow the tyres up. It's now been sold as it turned out it wasnt a great commuter bike (drop bar with 22 tyres). Got a new bike, done over 300 miles on it already and trying to get up to speed on how often I should clean and oil the chain etc. Seems everyone here has a different approach, but if they all work to an extent, I don't see the issue. One thing I will invest in however, is a chain checker. I did not know this was even a thing! I just assumed you rode a bike til the chain snapped! (My own ignorance). My current bike has a 2x11 drive train. What would be more appropriate? A 0.75 to 1.0% or 0.5 to 0.75% ?

Thanks

Ps, the chain lube I have is muc-off.... I was on offer in Aldi at the time. I am not sure if it's even good or not but that's what I have just now.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Got a new bike

 

[Deeps]

Thanks for the tips. Haven't really noticed any skI think my next move is to clean it down as best as I can then have a good look at it to see if it needs changing. I'm guessing after so many miles it wouldn't do any harm to chain the chain at least.

Are there any dead cert giveaways that my cassette needs changing or am I just looking to see if the teeth are a bit shabby?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I find that if you monitor your components and bikes in kilometres, things seem to last longer.

I get millions of metres out of my chains...

 

[johnnyb47]

Ive just replaced my chain tonight on my Winter bike. The old one was well past its sell by date. Using the chain checker its was showing 1.0% and it sounded noisy when spinning the crank..
Another way but less accurate way to check the chain is to simply pull it away from the front chain ring. If it pulls away enough to see a considerable gap between the chain and ring it means its on its way out.
I think its worth keeping on top of chain wear . You can buy a decent branded chain for under £10 and it only takes a few minutes to fit. It helps in the longevity of rear cassettes and front chain rings and minimises in a sudden chain failure which could lead to injury if your "putting down" the power up hill.
Like all things, bikes also need a little tlc from time to time 👍

 

[Ajax Bay]

it wouldn't do any harm to chain the chain at least.
Are there any dead cert giveaways that my cassette needs changing or am I just looking to see if the teeth are a bit shabby?

If you change the chain I'll bet it starts skipping - is that 'harm'? So get a new cassette before changing the chain.
You cannot tell by looking at it if the cassette needs changing, until it should have been changed yonks ago. The cassette needs changing
"the day your chain starts skipping". This may be when they've slowly worn down in synch together (btw this will wear your chainrings quicker) or when you've fitted a new chain. Never change chains without having a (new or nearly new) cassette ready to go on. If you do decide to change a chain, keep the old one temporarily until you're content the new chain is not skipping on the old cassette. If it is skipping, replace the old chain; and ride on to the pub.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

"the day your chain starts skipping". This may be when they've slowly worn down in synch together (btw this will wear your chainrings quicker) or when you've fitted a new chain. Never change chains without having a (new or nearly new) cassette ready to go on. If you do decide to change a chain, keep the old one temporarily until you're content the new chain is not skipping on the old cassette. If it is skipping, replace the old chain; and ride on to the pub.

I keep all (what I deem to be) serviceable drivetrain parts off the donor bikes I acquire, then I mix and match these bits to get the wheel and gear ratio combinations I want. Because I am always using part-worn stuff with other part-worn stuff I do not experience any chain skipping issues, other than the odd stiff link that has needed to be lubed and wiggled to loosen it up. I wipe chains with a rag to get the gritty grime off and spray lube regularly. My regime works fine with moderate mileage utility use and costs me bugger all. I'm not concerned about chain failures as I don't habitually ride out of the saddle, I use the appropriate gear ratio instead, and any failure is going to be inconvenient not dramatic.
However I would not fit a well-used secondhand chain to a low-mileage "good" bike with little or no discernible mechanical wear. It makes sense to conserve unworn chainrings and freewheels, but it doesn't make sense going OTT and binning already-worn bits that still have some wear life in them. Since I run all the same sort of transmission tech; full-width chains & cogs not skinny stuff designed to squeeze in too many sprockets at the back, I can keep part-worn "good" bike chains as future hack bike spares then run them into the ground like that. It does depend what mix of bikes you run, I have deliberately shunned what I consider to be stupid or poor design - essentially I won't touch anything that has been compromised just to squeeze in extra ratios at the expense of component durability and lacking compatibility with 5/6 speed and hub gear roadster transmissions.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I havent worn out a cassette in a very long time. I do change chains very regularly though, around 1500-1800 miles. My current cassette would be on its fifth chain.

My CGR gets a lot of '365', useage in all weather/road conditions (& some bridleways/woodland trails), & is on the original cassette (March 2017 purchase), but its 5th chain was fitted about a fortnight ago
(precautionary/preventative)

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Save yourself aggro by not having a silver chain or cassette ...

Mine are 'silvery'
The cassette gets a fortnightly to monthly (weather dependant) clean
I take the wheel out & use the hem of an old towel to do so, between the sprockets, & the jockey-wheels too

Not todays picture, but from August (average condition, when removed to clean)





Ooh!, shiney spares!