Comments on: Should you check your chain? http://www.commutebybike.com/2009/02/12/should-you-check-your-chain/ Tips, Hints, Reviews and Safety for Bike Commuters Fri, 24 May 2013 01:42:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: electric http://www.commutebybike.com/2009/02/12/should-you-check-your-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-104507 electric Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:47:42 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/?p=3101#comment-104507 Not an engineer, but, stainless steel is typically softer than your normal carbon steel which will cause it to yield(bend and thus break your chain) at a lower force. As for rust eating away your chain... I'm not so sure if it's an issue as your chain will most likely get destroyed by fine grit used to combat icy roads before you need to consider rust? In fact usually chains are plated with zinc but i'm pretty sure it adds nothing much except some extra "bling" I was going stainless steel, but nothing was readily available and so far so good. As far as wide chains.. it's not true that bigger is always better. I've heard of those fat chains have poorer build quality compared your sram/shimano chains. Although beefy chains seem burly and tough not all the pieces will be have assembled together nicely. After all, a chain is only as good as it's weakest link :) Big chains are great for one thing, combating dirt/grit/ice induced chain-suck! Not an engineer, but, stainless steel is typically softer than your normal carbon steel which will cause it to yield(bend and thus break your chain) at a lower force. As for rust eating away your chain… I’m not so sure if it’s an issue as your chain will most likely get destroyed by fine grit used to combat icy roads before you need to consider rust? In fact usually chains are plated with zinc but i’m pretty sure it adds nothing much except some extra “bling”

I was going stainless steel, but nothing was readily available and so far so good.

As far as wide chains.. it’s not true that bigger is always better. I’ve heard of those fat chains have poorer build quality compared your sram/shimano chains. Although beefy chains seem burly and tough not all the pieces will be have assembled together nicely. After all, a chain is only as good as it’s weakest link :)

Big chains are great for one thing, combating dirt/grit/ice induced chain-suck!

]]> By: Wolfy http://www.commutebybike.com/2009/02/12/should-you-check-your-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-104489 Wolfy Thu, 19 Feb 2009 15:47:28 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/?p=3101#comment-104489 I had an SS chain break the other day, but I was able to ride it for a WHILE with one side of one link snapped. It is a Pintle or Half Link Chain. People tell me all the time to get a lighter road chain and it'll be strong enough. But to hell with that. Big chain means you can probably get home even if it breaks! -M I had an SS chain break the other day, but I was able to ride it for a WHILE with one side of one link snapped. It is a Pintle or Half Link Chain. People tell me all the time to get a lighter road chain and it’ll be strong enough. But to hell with that. Big chain means you can probably get home even if it breaks!

-M

]]> By: Psycho http://www.commutebybike.com/2009/02/12/should-you-check-your-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-104215 Psycho Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:31:35 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/?p=3101#comment-104215 I'd be concerned if you're replacing your chain at every 0.75% of wear... it's still got 99.25% left! ;) To be fair though, I over-wear my chain, to the point where I can reef the chain through the cogs on an initial power stroke. So I have to change chain and cogs at the same time. By changing the chain more often, I could save myself wear and tear (and money) on the rear cogs. I’d be concerned if you’re replacing your chain at every 0.75% of wear… it’s still got 99.25% left! ;)

To be fair though, I over-wear my chain, to the point where I can reef the chain through the cogs on an initial power stroke. So I have to change chain and cogs at the same time. By changing the chain more often, I could save myself wear and tear (and money) on the rear cogs.

]]> By: Ralphy http://www.commutebybike.com/2009/02/12/should-you-check-your-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-104104 Ralphy Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:03:25 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/?p=3101#comment-104104 So how much longer can I leave my chain on my singlespeed (KMC Kool chain)? I was replacing at 0.75% wear but is that too often? So how much longer can I leave my chain on my singlespeed (KMC Kool chain)? I was replacing at 0.75% wear but is that too often?

]]> By: electric http://www.commutebybike.com/2009/02/12/should-you-check-your-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-104069 electric Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:11:31 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/?p=3101#comment-104069 Yes, please measure and replace... Yes, please measure and replace…

]]> By: Paul in Minneapolis http://www.commutebybike.com/2009/02/12/should-you-check-your-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-104048 Paul in Minneapolis Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:41:27 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/?p=3101#comment-104048 I like to have 2 to 3 chains for each bike. When a chain gets dirty, and there is not time to clean, I just swap chians and clean later. By keeping my chains clean, they last much longer. If you user SRAM chains with the quick link, carry and extra link with you. I have had them come off while riding. I like to have 2 to 3 chains for each bike. When a chain gets dirty, and there is not time to clean, I just swap chians and clean later. By keeping my chains clean, they last much longer.
If you user SRAM chains with the quick link, carry and extra link with you. I have had them come off while riding.

]]> By: Karl McCracken (twitter: @KarlOnSea) http://www.commutebybike.com/2009/02/12/should-you-check-your-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-104033 Karl McCracken (twitter: @KarlOnSea) Thu, 12 Feb 2009 07:07:33 +0000 http://commutebybike.com/?p=3101#comment-104033 Worn chain - I know that pain! I thought I was measuring my chain wear well on my Sturdy Commuting Bike, but it turns out that either it 'suddenly' just wore away, or I wasn't measuring it right. The result was that on a fairly inexpensive bike, the cost of parts that needed replacing was more than the cost of replacing the bike. Not that I'm going like-for-like on the replacement! You can also get <a HREF="http://karlmccracken.sweat365.com/2008/12/09/for-the-want-of-a-nail/" rel="nofollow">really handy tools for checking chain wear</a>. These are basically go / no-go gauges that you fit between several links. If the tool goes in one way, the chain's OK, but if you can flip it over & fit it in the other way, it's time to replace it. Worn chain – I know that pain! I thought I was measuring my chain wear well on my Sturdy Commuting Bike, but it turns out that either it ‘suddenly’ just wore away, or I wasn’t measuring it right. The result was that on a fairly inexpensive bike, the cost of parts that needed replacing was more than the cost of replacing the bike. Not that I’m going like-for-like on the replacement!

You can also get really handy tools for checking chain wear. These are basically go / no-go gauges that you fit between several links. If the tool goes in one way, the chain’s OK, but if you can flip it over & fit it in the other way, it’s time to replace it.

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