How long to wear out a bike chain?

geri1965_2 · 8 July 2010 at 5:16PM

Just took my bike in for a service and they replaced the bottom
bracket and the chain. No arguments about the bracket, it has been clunking away for a year now.

My bike is only 2 years old and I use it 8 months a year, cycling 5 miles per day average. It seems a pretty short time for things to start wearing out.

I don't think I have ever had to replace the chain on any other bike I've owned!

withabix · 8 July 2010 at 5:17PM

Depends on adjustment, lubrication, amount of use, weather, cleaning, storage....

steveo3002 · 8 July 2010 at 5:18PM

depends..did you ever clean or oil the chain in that time?

geri1965_2 · 8 July 2010 at 5:19PM

steveo3002 wrote: »

depends..did you ever clean or oil the chain in that time?

I may have oiled it once or twice.

sebdangerfield · 8 July 2010 at 6:07PM

Use like you describe op is about the worst you can give to a bike. You end up collecting all the muck from the roads which turns the lube on the chain to a grinding paste.

Was this service at a decent shop? After that use I'd not expect a new chain to work with the old cassette? I'd expect both the chain and cassette to be replaced at the same time. As the chain rings are larger, I'd expect them to be okay.

sheslookinhot · 8 July 2010 at 6:07PM

THats a fair amount of regular usage. The chain gets dirty, grit between chain and gears wheels on crankset is harder than the steel so soon abrades the chain, also the chain stretches causing abnormal wear of crankset. Replacing chain avoides changing crankset and rear gear wheels

verybigchris · 8 July 2010 at 6:08PM

It's far better to change a chain too soon than too late. If you ride with a well-worn chain, you'll also end up wearing the teeth on your cassette and chainrings to match it, and then you'd have to replace them as well.

geri1965_2 · 8 July 2010 at 6:10PM

OK. They charged me £60 for the lot, is that about right?

sebdangerfield · 8 July 2010 at 6:12PM

Bottom brackets can range from £15-£150+ so depends on the spec used. Seems about right though for a commuter?

joolsybools · 8 July 2010 at 6:18PM

Lots of local authorities in London provide heavily subsidised basic maintentance courses (i.e. you pay between £0 and a tenner). Might be worth checking out in Bristol. You'll save loads of cash if you can do some jobs yourself. I'm doing my course on Sunday!

geri1965_2 · 8 July 2010 at 6:44PM

I've thought about it before, the trouble is I have very poor grip strength/manual dexterity in my hands and I think I would find a lot of it quite tricky (for example, I can't even open a tin).