Bike Chain Wear

[JHZR2]

My wife got her road bike serviced after many years of sitting. They measured the chain wear and said it was due I don’t know how many miles it had but it was a lot. Bike is probably 20 years old.

So I got a chain wear gauge. Figured it was good
To keep track of, since we never really did much with her bike chain, it was quite worn (shifted fine), and they recommended changing the cassette too.

Tried it on my kid’s 24” trek. Saw this:

So it’s about 0.5% of wear? And 0.75-1.0% is condemnation? This is a 1x9 setup, iirc.

How do I know if/when the cassette is also too worn?

Anything else I should do besides clean and lube the chain? What’s the preferred cleaner? Those plastic scrub units that hold solvent?

 

[rijndael]

I don't like those chain checking tools.

I strongly prefer using a tape measure and going from pin to pin over 12". If it's 1/16" past 12", it's time to replace.

 

[Pablo]

Wow. Clean that chain!!

 

[NA4U]

My two cents, clean the chain and oil with a little slick 50 and you're good for another 10K.

 

[JHZR2]

Wow. Clean that chain!!

They look like this after a few rides if going mountain biking. Do folks seriously clean chains that often?

This bike has had the chain wiped down now and again but never actually cleaned. I’ll have to pull out my old cleaning machine. Was always a mess and hassle to do.

 

[Pablo]

They look like this after a few rides if going mountain biking. Do folks seriously clean chains that often?

This bike has had the chain wiped down now and again but never actually cleaned. I’ll have to pull out my old cleaning machine. Was always a mess and hassle to do.

Not that often, that looks more like ancient grease.

Couldn't resist

 

[supton]

FWIW I've used mineral spirits to clean the chain. Used to use soda bottles, but don't have any, anymore--last time I used a glass jar that salsa came in. Much easier to fish the chain out! Decant the dirty fluid through any sort of filter (paper towel) and then let it settle. The dirt will settle out and you can reuse.

I've been using this way too expensive Gold something or another lube. Prior oils would be dirt magnets, but this lighter lube seems to pick up less. Just doesn't last as long, meaning it needs to be reapplied once a week or every 50 miles or so.

 

[JHZR2]

Not that often, that looks more like ancient grease.

Couldn't resist

No it’s good feedback. It’s a kids bike, used to bike around town, to baseball, park, friends house, etc.

My MTB is clean now and again but it would gunk up so quick.

I kind of figured for an around town bike a wipe and relube was good enough.

It’s worth a clean. Same for the other bike my oldest sometimes rides to school.

 

[JHZR2]

FWIW I've used mineral spirits to clean the chain. Used to use soda bottles, but don't have any, anymore--last time I used a glass jar that salsa came in. Much easier to fish the chain out! Decant the dirty fluid through any sort of filter (paper towel) and then let it settle. The dirt will settle out and you can reuse.

I've been using this way too expensive Gold something or another lube. Prior oils would be dirt magnets, but this lighter lube seems to pick up less. Just doesn't last as long, meaning it needs to be reapplied once a week or every 50 miles or so.

Maybe I’m missing something. I wasn’t aware that most chains come apart, unless they’re an aftermarket master link type.

 

[69GTX]

You'll know when the chain and/or drive sprockets are getting "too" worn when they start slipping a single link
from time to time. And it will get worse and more frequent. When the more heavily used pedal drive sprockets
start to get a shark tooth look (ie sharp, straight, and pointy) wear is getting extensive. If you're not getting any slippage
probably not quite ready. Compare your more heavily used sprockets to the lightly used one. If you really can't see much
difference, still good to go imo.

My last bike went about 8,000-10,000 miles (approx 6-8 yrs) when it started jumping links. I cleaned and oiled the chain
every couple of months

 

[CKN]

Many times if the chain is worn you need to look closely at the gear teeth as well. The bike shops around here call them "cassettes".

 

[AZjeff]

So it’s about 0.5% of wear? And 0.75-1.0% is condemnation? This is a 1x9 setup, iirc.

How do I know if/when the cassette is also too worn?

Dirt wears chains out more than anything else. On 3X mountain bikes the little 22 tooth ring also helped wear chains out with less chain wrap and more pressure on fewer pins. When the chain stretches it doesn't fit between the sprocket teeth and hooks the teeth over, the shark tooth look.

I clean/lube my chains after every ride here with Rock & Roll Gold lube and change chains when they just get to .5 and chainrings and cassettes last for years. I'm on the 2nd chain now after 3 years of trail riding on hard trails and abrasive dirt. With the chains costing $50 and cassettes $100 a few minutes cleaning and lubing are worth $$. This lube doesn't gunk up like the photo of the chain pictured, I wipe the chain with an old washcloth a few revolutions then clean between the links with a Park sprocket brush then re-lube one link at at time. Too much lube is unnecessary.

You'll know if the cassette is worn out when you put a new chain on and it skips teeth, same for the chainring on the front. It's worth it to get a master link for your chain so you can take it off and clean it in a container and really clean the sprockets. Bikes ridden mainly on the street should get thousands of miles of use if the chain is kept clean and lubed, mountain bike chains should be cleaned when they get dirty, if it looks dirty after 1 ride clean it. Lubing a dirty chain just make a bigger mess.

Many times if the chain is worn you need to look closely at the gear teeth as well. The bike shops around here call them "cassettes"

There are 2 kinds of rear gear clusters, the old freewheels that thread onto the hub, and cassettes that have splines on the inner bore and slide onto the freehub and are held on with a threaded lockring. The ratchet mechanism is inside the freewheel vs being inside the freehub on the modern system.

Ebikes with a mid-motor kill chains and sprockets, I've heard of guys getting less than 1000 miles that ride offroad aggressively.

 

[rijndael]

My MTB is clean now and again but it would gunk up so quick.

Parafin Wax ... they stay clean for a long time. Just rewax it every 250 miles, or just a drip on wax for maintenance.

I use Molten Speed Wax in a $9 (Captain America) Amazon crock pot.

 

[AZjeff]

Parafin Wax ... they stay clean for a long time. Just rewax it every 250 miles, or just a drip on wax for maintenance.

You ride road or dirt?

 

[CR94]

...I strongly prefer using a tape measure and going from pin to pin over 12". If it's 1/16" past 12", it's time to replace.

A 1-foot ruler works well.
1/16" per foot is only 0.52%.

 

[Nessism1]

If you catch the chain wear before it gets too bad, you can reuse the cassette cluster for more than one chain. Wait too long, and you will need both a chain and cluster, increasing cost.

https://atbicycle.blogspot.com/2014/06/measuring-chain-wear-using-12-inch-ruler.html

 

[SC Maintenance]

Parafin Wax ... they stay clean for a long time. Just rewax it every 250 miles, or just a drip on wax for maintenance.

I use Molten Speed Wax in a $9 (Captain America) Amazon crock pot.

I have been using white lightning chain wax for years. Riding on sand and the beach, best thing I have found. The bike shop on HHI recommended it. Never thought to melt board wax. Great idea.

 

[Nessism1]

I have been using white lightning chain wax for years. Riding on sand and the beach, best thing I have found. The bike shop on HHI recommended it. Never thought to melt board wax. Great idea.

Board wax is for heathens. You must use Italian chain wax, infused with special friction modifiers, emulsifiers, and toughening agents. Dip your $87 Camp record 13 chain in the stuff, and pedal on to heaven.

 

[AZjeff]

Roadies

 

[rijndael]

You ride road or dirt?

Both.