Chain and cassette wear?

I've heard that a chain should be changed at about .75mm with a gauge or at most 1/16 with a 12" ruler. My questions: do you guys find you can use a cassette for 2 chains' lives if you replace them at that wear/stretch point? How often have you had to replace a cassette with the chain? Is there a visual way to know if the cassette's teeth are bad?

FWIW, I was able to reuse a cassette on another bike when I swapped a chain at one year (2-3, 10-15 mile rides/week).

 

I never really had much luck replacing the chain without also he chainrings and cassette. I run the whole drivetrain into the ground until I start getting chainsuck then replace the whole drivetrain.

Dean

 

Last month at around 1600 miles on my previously all-new drivetrain I measured the chain during an off-bike cleaning (Shimano HG-74) and it went from slightly stretched the last time I checked to being a touch over an eighth-inch of stretch. I installed a new chain and haven't had any shifting issues in the last few hundred miles which have included a century road ride and off-road sessions on some steep dirt with a lot of driveline stress.

I've been racking up a lot of miles and haven't done as many off-bike chain cleanings, but normally like buying two new chains when a new cassette and chain rings go on a bike and swap them at cleaning time every 300-400 miles or so to get better life out of the cassette and rings.

The cassette is eventually going to wear out and there are measuring tools but I usually just wait until I get shifting/skipping/suckage issues when a new chain goes on to replace it and the rings. I think Rohloff still makes a wear indicator tool but it's basically a section of brand new chain. You should be able to replicate it by using a new replacement chain and wrap it around the cassette to see how it engages at last teeth where it makes contact.

 

I usually don't have to replace cassettes or chain rings. What's worked for me is the .75 rule or change the chain between 500-700 miles regardless of the stretch measurement.

FYI - There's was a thread about this in the recent past that had various good ideas...

 

I recently put on a whole new drivetrain. My old one had a little over 2000 miles on the cassette and mid-small rings. I went through 3 chains (~700 miles average). I thought I might get one more out of it but the 4th new chain skipped like crazy on the cassette. The rings seemed ok but was getting some chainsuck occasionally. Probably could have run that old chain/cassette/cogs allot longer like Dean said, into the ground, but I was ready for a 2x upgrade anyway. I try to replace chains at 1/16th stretch just to try to prolong the cassette/cog life.
My bottom line, the acid test for cassette wear isn't visual so much as if a new chain will skip. If a new chain skips, run the old one until it's dead or replace the cassette right away and you may be able to delay replacing the larger front rings. YMMV !

 

i just replaced whole drivetrains on both my bikes, skipping chains and chains super stretched worse than the shop had seen in awhile. I had never replaced chains in 3 years on both bikes that get ridden weekly.

So what was the big deal, they still worked, they just work better now. Chain was like $35 and rear casset was like 60 or 65 - Why not just wait and replace it all, as mentioned above just run into the ground. Its not like the casset is that much more expensive than the chain. Now you guys who work on your bikes know way more than I do and if a new chain is easy and you find them at a low price then by all means. But for me, going to the LBS, waiting, and so on - might as well just ride the bike. Funny the shop also commented on dirty my bikes were, I didnt know people detail bikes like their cars - its a mountain bike not a road bike

 

The only issues with running everything to failure is you're stuck running a chain that is further and further degrading and the question when is it going to break? The only times I've broke chains is racing when trying to push the driveline harder than usual but it could still ruin an otherwise great ride.

If you have a quick link and can easily swap chains every few hundred miles until both chains reach the 1/8"-mark (when they should be replaced) it will help with less wear on everything else since more of the chain will engage more of the teeth for a longer period of time. While some cassettes and rings are cheap not all of them are. For those running higher end components some preventative maintenance and easy chain servicing could help the pocketbook and allow for less shop fees to replace other stuff (rings and cassette if you don't do them yourself) than just riding it all into the ground.

 

Just throw on the new chain...if it don't skip...you should be ok. Pretty simple. There is no real reliable way to gauge teeth wear (unless its shark toothed)...until the chain starts to skip or the shifting gets poor.

Roadie rule of thumb is to replace the cassette when you replace the chain. Depending on how worn the chain is...it can wear grooves into the cogs. There are guys that claim 10k of their cassettes by rotating multiple chains. YMMV.

Most I put on my road bike was 5k in one year...switched chains...used the same cassette...no problems.

Last year I switched cassettes and used the same chain...shifts fine.

Chains are cheap enough to where if you think is bad...toss it and get a new one. I'd rather replace chains than cassettes. At least on my road bike...haha...

Just keep the chain clean and it'll cut down on the wear.

 

Never heard of that roadie rule...

I get about 2,000 miles out of chain on my road bike and I've been through 3 chains (on my fourth) with the same cassette. Cassette still looks almost new. As long as the chain is not stretched much you should be able to use a cassette for a long time. Some of the club I ride with have over 15,000 miles on their cassettes on their road bikes.

 

I have seen a lot of people do this with good results.

 

If I could get cassettes for that price I'd replace them often, too. 10- or 11-sp XX/XTR cassettes are pushing (or over) $300. Investing in fresh chains proactively seems like a no-brainer for mitigating that cost.

 

I replace MTB min chains every 400 miles or .75 which ever comes first and usually get 2 years out of a cassette and rings provided I don't break them first. Where are how you ride are also a factor as well as how clean you keep your chain and cassette. I lube my chain after every 2-3 ride and clean the cassette once every 4-6 depending on how dirty it gets.

 

Not being a racer weight weeny rider I have always bought XT cassettes. XT 10 speed $60 SLX $40. I clean and lube the drivetrain after every ride and stay out of the mud and don't ride thought the water.

 

so my last two rides I've had ghost shifting, / chain skipping. I have a Sram Xo rear der on the way. I am going to get a new chain KMC X10 Bicycle Chain (Ti Gold, 1/2 x 11/128 - Inch, 116 Links) and rear Cassette, I was thinking this one Sram PG-980 9-Speed Mountain Bicycle Cassette seem like a good idea?

-=Jason=-

 

Ghost shifting and chain skipping are not the same problem and aren't necessarily caused by the same route problem unless you have the wrong type of chain (i.e. an 9spd on a 10spd drivetrain and it's stretched).
Ghost shifting is usually a shifter/derailleur alignment issue. A skipping chain is usually a chain issue.

 

So you want to run a 10 spd chain with 9 spd cassette?

 

From what i've read that would work, I am not opposed to running a 9 speed chain. I just want to get my drive-train back up and working again. I bought the bike used and have no idea how hard or how many miles are on the drive-train. the rear der is tweaked I spend 2 hours adjusting it and trying to get it to shift through all 9 cogs, but the two smallest ones it doesn't want to go into. I have no idea if the chain is stretched, but with all the skipping / ghost shifting its doing when I'm climbing I figure it needs replacement. and the rear cassette just for piece of mind since im getting a new chain. not sure if I need new front chain rings, but they look ok with non of the teeth looking worn or bent.

-=Jason=-

EDIT:


looks like its the exact same chain according to the specs, only one is $10 more but it comes with a missing link

 

The more expensive chain has hollow pins (for weight weenies )
A couple other thoughts if you haven't yet, derailleur hanger bent? And shifter cable and housing can get sticky and cause bad shifts esp in the smallest cogs of the cassette. cheap things to try. If the cogs are worn your new chain will probably skip even worse, until you get the new cassette on there. Good luck!

 

Your drivetrain can last a very long time if you replace your chain often

 

Have someone take a look at your bike Flo. Perhaps the RD is installed improperly, as I've seen before with people being unfamiliar with Shimano shadow RDs.