Road Bike Chain Life Expectancy
For example if chains costs 40 the cassette cost 120 and chain life is 5000 miles the cassette could be used for 10 000 miles.
Road bike chain life expectancy. My current bike is a raleigh pioneer 120 hybrid 5 gear which i bought in 2001. You hook the curved end into the chain and if the gauge tip on the other end fits completely into a chain link the chain is worn to the point it needs replacing one side measures 0 5 wear the other side measures 0 75 wear. 1 000 1 500 miles in dirty conditions or infrequent lubrication. And keeping a chain clean and properly lubricated helps increase its service life.
I had the chain rear cog and gear changer replaced at a bike shop last year for around 60 the lot because it was worn out. This is park tool s cc 3 2 chain checker with an rrp of 9 99 although you ll find it cheaper if you look around other brands offer similar instruments. Once the tool shows the chain is worn it s time for a new one. Nothing will extend the lifespan of your new bike like using your old bike through the winter or when it rains.
Your bike will last longer if you take no risks. Dura ace chain life expectancy in miles i recently increased my weekly miles significantly and had overlooked changing my chain. Lighter cyclists riding on clean dry roads might expect 2 000 3 000 miles with poor maintenance and up to 5 000 miles with a daily high quality lubrication. The cost per mile is 1 6 cents.
Keeping an eye on chain wear is the best way to prolong cassette and chainring lifespan. I ride most days on local journeys and to work. Sram recommends using a drop in style chain checking tool to measure service life. Again i ve replaced tyres rear cog brake blocks saddle.
Remember a 10 chain can be changed 3 times as often as a 30 chain. Chain wear is caused almost exclusively by road grit that enters the chain when it is oiled. How you ride affects the life of your chain. This video walks through several methods for measuring chain wear and it includes a handy.
Grit adheres to the outside of chains in the ugly black stuff that can get on one s leg but external grime has little functional effect being on the outside where it does the chain no harm. If a third chain was included in the rotation the cassette might be useable for 15 000 miles and the cost drops to 1 3 cents per mile. As a result of this overisght my rear cassette has worn and i will be forced to change it out.