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Just noticed my road bike has a seriously stretched chain - well past the 1.0 mark on my checker and using ruler. I guess this means the casette is worn too, so my question is - is there any reason not to just keep running the old chain and casette until it starts skipping?
Right now there is no skipping but it does run rough on the small cogs which I rarely use - I guess they are not worn as much to conform to the chain stretch.
Will a stretched chain wreck my chainrings or jockey wheels?
Eventually, yeah. If the chain is already well past 1.0, and the drivetrain is all the same age/condition, you aren't going to do much *more* damage, as it's already been done.
In a similar situation, parts on order.
My concern is how long until chain snaps and I land heavily on top tube.
currently running an mtb, cx ss and a road transmission* set to death (after having swapped part worn chains for new a couple times) Waiting for the chain to start breaking (mtb one especially) but keeps on going for now. Yes once it's died the rings will need replacing dunno about jockey wheels.
*yes, I do like to get my moneys worth.
My usual MO
New transmission use until chain part worn
new chain use until that's fairly worn and cassette is looking dodgy
new chain and cassette use until chain part worn
new chain use until everything is looking pretty ropey
stick original cassette and chain back on use until dead.
Whole new drivechain
It'll be skipping crazily long before it is weak enough to snap.My concern is how long until chain snaps and I land heavily on top tube.
To the OP I suspect you have already worn the front rings a little. You might get away with just swapping the chain and cassette but personally I'd just run it into the ground and expect to replace the lot so be keeping an eye out for deals.
Put a new chain on, if it skips then it's too late, your cassette's worn so you may as well put the old chain back on and run everything into the ground then replace the lot when it's dead. If it's all running smoothly you should be able to get plenty of mileage out of it before something goes.
If the fresh chain doesn't cause skipping then great! you caught it in time and the cassette should be good for a while yet.
I'm pretty sure the cassette will skip with a new chain and even if it didn't it would knacker the new chain quickly. I'm tempted to do as you suggest and run the whole lot into the ground (even more into the ground). I'm running 1x9 and want a smaller chainring anyway!
also how are you measuring 1%? [i]I believe[/i] the usual chain checkers measure roller wear not chain wear, proper shimano checker or ruler is the accurate way.
Just run it into the ground at this point. It'll go a lot longer yet before it stops working. The chain won't break, the chain wear is play in the rollers, not stretching of the sideplates.
I double checked with a ruler.. 12 complete links had over 1/8th inch stretch
[i]My usual MO
New transmission [s]use until chain part worn
new chain use until that's fairly worn and cassette is looking dodgy
new chain and cassette use until chain part worn
new chain use until everything is looking pretty ropey
stick original cassette and chain back on[/s] use until dead.[/i][b] In fact past dead. A zombie-like drivetrain state of continuing to function when it really, really shouldn't still be able to[/b]
[i]Whole new drivechain [/i]
I just run the lot into the ground until it slips under load. Mines due to go at some point, but not ridden that particular bike most of the winter. Will keep it going until it starts playing up, doubt it'll be long.....
Just run the whole lot into the ground. If your cassette is worn fairly evenly across its range then it will go on for ages yet. I generally get to around 1% worn in 3 months or so, but don't change anything* and I generally get at least 3 years out of it. My record is a chain worn to around 5% (measured with a ruler), at that point is was getting noisy and shifting was pretty slow so I changed it.
Biggest problem was the cassette was so worn when I went to change it all the chain whip kept slipping!
*Only caveat is I replace the whole lot if I'm going on holiday with my bike for a week or two.
swapped a wheel recently and had this, hoping workshop at work has one of this chain mole grip type things for when I need to remove it again (no doubt for the final time).Biggest problem was the cassette was so worn when I went to change it all the chain whip kept slipping!
On my main road bike, I ran a 10spd Record/Chorus mix from May 2006, until May 2012.
Without any changes at all.
I probably rode well over 30,000 miles in that period, there was never a time when it didn't all just work just fine.
In May 2012 I put a new 11 speed Chorus groupset on that bike, and the old Record/Chorus shifters and derailleurs went onto my cx bike to replace the Centaur 10spd which had never worked properly.
Actually the chain/ chainset on the cx bike has done 2x 3 Peaks, a week's touring on the French alps, a weeks spring training in southern Spain, 3 seasons of cross, a weekly 90 km cx-style club ride (since October) and loads of things in the Surrey Hills and the north Pennines, and is still working fine.
I just wait until it's shagged then replace it, its so much simpler.