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Bike is in the shop, chain is toast.

8K views 108 replies 46 participants last post by  Jay Strongbow 
#1 ·
Well after a 75 mile ride and 3 flats on that ride, I decided to put my bike in the shop for much needed tune up.

My chain was stretched so far it was over the the measurement range on the park cc-2 measurement device.

So my question to you all, is 4000 miles too much for a chain? Will i also need new chain rings and a cassette if they do replace the chain?

Also, now i am at a point where i might be upgrading components in my bike.

As it currently stands
105 brake shifters
105 front and rear derailurers
FSA 50/34 crankset
tiagra chain
tiagra 11-32 10sp rear cassette.

I also had rear wheel that was really out of true.
 
#82 ·
Have I missed the report on how the first ride with a new chain is??? Those are always exciting... Right up there with first ride with new chain and cassette stories.

Chains I change once a year. Usually 4000 miles or so. My cassette has 10000 miles on it. No issues with wear yet. LBS said for that many miles it looks great. I don't have the money to replace parts every week cause they show a little wear on them. I want to get my worth out of it.

Although Pitt, I think you need new components. Get rid of the 105s. They are no good after 4000 miles. I'll be happy to take them off your hands to help rebuild the bike my wife destroyed by backing it into a parked vehicle when it was hanging off the bike rack. Send me your rims also. You should always replace those after 4000 miles also.

While your at it... Just send me the bike... I'll give you back whatever I don't use.
 
#84 ·
a question for those with multiple 1000 miles on a chain. are y'all riding on relatively flat terrain? I get no where near that, closer to that 1500 mark than 2000. I do routinely clean and lube the thing, so it ain't that. and fwiw I am in the 170-175lbs range.
 
#85 ·
I stopped by my LBS this morning and had my chain replaced after about 4100 miles (new bike, 4100 miles in total). It had "stretched" by 1/16th to 1/8th of an inch, and Sheldon Brown recommends (from the great beyond) replacing the chain after 1/16th. The only thing I had noticed before was when in the small cogs a sort of rumbling feeling as the chain rolled thru the rear deraileur. That feeling is gone, the new chain is silky smooth, and there was no need to replace the cassette. I'm fairly conscientious about cleaning and lubing my drive train, and 4000 miles is probably typical for me. I ride a lot of hills, so I'm often putting a lot of tension on the chain.
 
#87 ·
KMC's site says their own testing (using 350 riders under a variety of conditions) yielded results ranging from 1K-17K km (~600-10,000 miles).

so, the correct answer to 'how long can a chain last' is 'it depends'...
 
#88 ·
I'd keep the shifters and derailuers. I'm not fan of FSA rings, but their cranksets are ok.

I'd replace the cassette with a 10 speed Shimano XT (yes, mtb) cassette (11-32). It's lighter and will shift really well.

Use Shimano Ultegra/XT or DuraAce chains. If those are not avail, KMC X10SL. I have had great success with all those.

If you have upgraditus, I'd go for a good set of wheels first. 500-700 from Williams or Boyd cycling will give you a nice set.
 
#92 ·
Every few months, there's another thread in which people debate how long a chain should last.

Why?

A chain lasts what it lasts depending on the rider, terrain, maintenance, etc.

Just replace the damn chain when it's time.

There's no need to start another thread about it.
 
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