Born free...how long does a chain last?

[birkhead]

Man is born free...but everywhere he is in chains.
How come JJR so accurately depicts my utility room ?
Over the last 3.5 years, since my detailed records started, I have had the following chain experience, using Campag Veloce 10sp:
A 4218km
B 5597km
C 3474km
D 5251km
E 3111km
F 4780km
G 3743km {Sram]
H 3550km
Average = 4216km = 2635mi

I have not looked exhaustively at the data, but the CampyVeloce comes out quite well from the Wippermann test:
http://www.cantitoeroad.com/assets/imag ... N-2010.pdf
or see http://www.cantitoeroad.com/

I am sure that some of my variance derives from a rudimentary approach to the 'transition', which occurs somewhere soon after the 0.75% moment,
but depends on what is happening to me and my bike and what opportunity I have to change the chain.

I use the MickF method, tho operations are carried out to fiddle or box music, and try to keep a clean chain with WLCleanride applied about every 150km, more frequently on the relatively rare occasions when I cycle in the wet, and WLEpic if I am foreseeably out in the wet. Chains are given a wipe every ride and a thorough clean every c.1500km

It still seems a long way from the 6k miles deemed feasible on a good chain.

[foxyrider]

my Record/KMC chains are changed @ 3000km on the tourer and closer to 5000km on the carbon beastie whether they need it or not - mostly they'd go at least half as much again. There again my cables get changed at similar or shorter intervals as well!

[[XAP]Bob]

Single speed or hub gears with a full chain case then pretty much indefinitely...

[Psamathe]

Shimano CN-4601 1300 miles (mucky country lanes over winter)
SRAM (two) still going with around 2000 miles and still OK (cleaner summer roads)

(All 10 speed)

Ian

[Mick F]

No records for any chain until I went to 10sp Campag.
I have five of them and A, B and C are in retirement. E has just come off, and D is now the incumbent.

Mileages so far:
A = 6,390 miles
B = 5,451 miles
C = 4,693 miles
D = 2,183 miles
E = 2,809 miles

None of these chains are stretched longer than 1/8th inch or so measured right the way along my 39 inch rule. Obviously D and E are way below that.

[mjr]

Single speed or hub gears with a full chain case then pretty much indefinitely...

Nah, the sprocket wears smooth eventually. I have heard tales of such things, but never seen it.

[pete75]

changed ...... whether they need it or not - mostly they'd go at least half as much again.

Why when as you say they're only two thirds of the way through their life?

[[XAP]Bob]

Single speed or hub gears with a full chain case then pretty much indefinitely...

Nah, the sprocket wears smooth eventually. I have heard tales of such things, but never seen it.

We have reports on this form of 70+ thousand miles. Eventually and pretty much indefinitely aren't completely incompatible.

[andrew_s]

Over the last 3.5 years, since my detailed records started, I have had the following chain experience, using Campag Veloce 10sp:
A 4218km
B 5597km
C 3474km
D 5251km
E 3111km
F 4780km
G 3743km {Sram]
H 3550km

From which I deduce that you did approx 10,000 km a year, and that chains A,C and E were used mainly in the winter, and chains B, D and F were summer chains. Did you subesquently get out of step with the seasons?

[rjb]

On our Tandem which is notoriously hard on transmission i used to get 5000 miles out of my chain. I have records going back for 110,000 miles. Maintenance regime was minimal. I would remove the chain after 2500 miles use the shake in a bottle method to clean and then i would replace the opposite way around. 2 chains would last as long as the freewheel (6 speed).
Chainset would get changed at 30,000 miles. The tandem was a 6 speed set up and i used cheap sedis pc48 chains or equivalent. out of interest i picked up a bso bike from a skip which had an old bushed chain and i used this on one occasion. It showed no discernible wear in comparison to bushless chains after 10,000 miles.
I am always surprised how quickly chains stretch the more gears you have. One reason why i have no interest in going beyond 8 speed.

[TrevA]

I've had chains on my summer bike last for 6000 miles ( 2 summers of riding), but I rarely get more than 3-4,000 out of chain on my winter bike. Riding in salty, wet conditions takes it's toll on the whole transmission, especially the chain

[brucelee]

Wow, you're all doing better than me - my last chain lasted 1500km before it reached the 0.5% stretch mark. I know this has been asked before but does a worn cassette wear a new chain ? My last one had just past the 0.75 point when I changed it, the the new one worked fine. The next chain though - as I said - only lasted 1500km. This is in mixed weather, not particularly wet (I try to keep this bike for the dry) and using Finsh line dry to lube after wiping with a dry cloth.
Cheers,
Bruce.

[reohn2]

I usually get 4 to 4.5k miles out solo chains and three chains until the cassette needs changing,8sp cassette,using 9sp Sram 971 chains.
Tandem drive chains I count myself lucky if we get 3k but it's usually around 2.5k miles again three chains to a cassette,same chains on 9sp cassettes,we can easily get 10k out timing chains

[jb]

In my experience the larger the chain rings being used the longer the chain lasts for set ups with similar gear ratios as obviously the larger ring puts less force on the links.
My Dawes Galaxy running a 36 chain ring through a hub gear will chomp through a chain in six months & less than 2000 miles. Where as dérailleur a bike utalising a 50 34 (for approx. the same ratios) will get up to 4000 miles before the chain gauge shows its over 1% worn.

Chain riding conditions and cleaning regimes are notoriously difficult to compare but this is some thing that does seem to make a big difference.