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Cost of replacing a chain.

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  • 14-07-2014 1:36pm
    #1
    Usjes
    Registered Users Posts: 326 ✭✭


    Hi

    My chain started slipping in January, the bike is a Giant road bike and was 3 years old in Jan. When I brought it in to the bike shop they said the entire drive train needed to be replaced for €160. They explained that you have to replace the chain when it gets worn otherwise it will wear the cassette and chainrings and you end up with a €160 bill instead of the much less expensive chain replacement cost. So I bought a chain wear checker and today it is showing >0.75 wear. The cost for a chain replacement alone: €30.
    So, my problem is that contrary to what I was told it seems it is actually MORE expensive to replace just the chain when it is worn:

    Without replacing the chain:
    Need to replace entire drive train after 36 months for €160
    Or
    Replace a chain every 5 months at €30
    => total cost = 36/5*30 =€216

    So it seems that it is in fact significantly cheaper to wait until the entire drive train is nackered ?

    Can anyone explain this? I only cycle about 10miles a day so I figure I have covered no more than ~1300 miles to wear out the current chain. Does this mean that it was a crappy chain to begin with? Do they sell chains which are specifically designed to be more durable ?

    Thanks,

    Usjes


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    #2
    07Lapierre
    Registered Users Posts: 8,219 ✭✭✭07Lapierre


    How often do you clean your chain/cassette? A clean chain/cassette will last a lot longer than a dirty one.


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    #3
    ford2600
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,457 ✭✭✭ford2600


    I get about 5k km out of a chain which cost €15.

    Change cassette every 3rd chain.

    On 5th chain on current chainrings and they are as new.


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    #4
    07Lapierre
    Registered Users Posts: 8,219 ✭✭✭07Lapierre


    ford2600 wrote: »
    I get about 5k km out of a chain which cost €15.

    Change cassette every 3rd chain.

    On 5th chain on current chainrings and they are as new.


    +1 I've never had to change chainrings.


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    #5
    mirv
    Registered Users Posts: 848 ✭✭✭mirv


    Chains can be €12-15, cassettes can be from €12-16, and you can look on adverts for chainrings of the correct BCD size for about €30-40. You'll probably need a chain breaker though, so that would probably cost you €8.

    How long your drivetrain lasts depends entirely on cleanliness rather than total mileage, and I'd imagine if you used it as an all weather commuter it's seen some nasty dirt and grit (especially if you dont have full mudguards). I've got a cassette that's over two years and 13,000km old, and two chains with the wear split evenly between them and they're all showing near zero wear as I clean my bike thoroughly and regularly. I've even got a replacement cassette and chain sitting in the toolbox but I can't justify putting it on yet at all!


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    #6
    Alek
    Registered Users Posts: 4,520 ✭✭✭Alek


    chainrings of the correct BCD size for about €30-40.

    Stronglight chainrings online are €20 with shipping, and they do the job perfectly.


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    #7
    kneemos
    Registered Users Posts: 20,411 ✭✭✭✭kneemos


    Mileage sounds about right,the cost of the chain should be about half that I'd imagine.Only takes literally a minute to change,had it done the other day as I watched him so no cost there.


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    #8
    Alek
    Registered Users Posts: 4,520 ✭✭✭Alek


    How long your drivetrain lasts depends entirely on cleanliness rather than total mileage, and I'd imagine if you used it as an all weather commuter it's seen some nasty dirt and grit (especially if you dont have full mudguards). I've got a cassette that's over two years and 13,000km old, and two chains with the wear split evenly between them and they're all showing near zero wear as I clean my bike thoroughly and regularly. I've even got a replacement cassette and chain sitting in the toolbox but I can't justify putting it on yet at all!

    Damage to casettes and chainrings is done mostly by the chain pins getting further apart - in other words chain stretching. As far as I know this depends not only on the cleaniness of the drivetrain (small sand particles increase internal abrasion at pins surface), but also - if not mostly - on the weight of the rider, their riding style and chain steel quality.

    You're a pretty light one Mirv (last time I've seen you at least ;) ) and I guess this is the key to your 13k service period!

    My chains (I'm 95kg with the bike), no matter if I keep them clean or not, max out at 5-6k (0,75% stretch). Once I realized this I gave up cleaning ;)

    They're cheap enough, my time isn't recently.


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    #9
    smacl
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 15,722 Mod ✭✭✭✭smacl


    07Lapierre wrote: »
    +1 I've never had to change chainrings.

    Had to replace the big ring a couple of months ago, but that was on a 2nd hand bike that I've also done 3 years on. Reason for change was that the ramps were worn rather than the teeth, and upshifting was getting dodgy. Been through two cassettes and three chains over the same period.


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    #10
    triggermortis
    Registered Users Posts: 2,683 ✭✭✭triggermortis


    I've only changed rings and cassette on my MTB which had a lot of abuse thrown at it. Just changed my first road bike chain after approx 5K Km, rings and cassette look fine.
    OP, a chain is cheaper than 30 Euro and will last longer than 5 months (mine was 3.5 years old - daily commuting for the past 1.5 years).
    I'd change the chain and see how you get on


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    #11
    CatFromHue
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 18,145 Mod ✭✭✭✭CatFromHue


    I thought it was meant to be best practice to change the cassette once you change the chain?


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    #12
    smacl
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 15,722 Mod ✭✭✭✭smacl


    CatFromHue wrote: »
    I thought it was meant to be best practice to change the cassette once you change the chain?

    Best practise on this forum; if in any doubt, buy a new bike :)


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    #13
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users Posts: 24,960 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    07Lapierre wrote: »
    +1 I've never had to change chainrings.
    ??? I get through a few each year despite being very fussy about cleaning the drivetrain and changing chains when they reach the 1 mm indicator.


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    #14
    mirv
    Registered Users Posts: 848 ✭✭✭mirv


    Alek wrote: »
    You're a pretty light one Mirv (last time I've seen you at least ;) ) and I guess this is the key to your 13k service period!

    My chains (I'm 95kg with the bike), no matter if I keep them clean or not, max out at 5-6k (0,75% stretch). Once I realized this I gave up cleaning ;)

    They're cheap enough, my time isn't recently.

    I'm 75-77kg with the bike so I'm not that light. Besides, it's pretty much impossible to wear out a chain unless you introduce grit to the bearing surfaces. The 13k cassette and chain were cleaned very well and it was a mostly dry weather bike too!


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    #15
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,016 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    CatFromHue wrote: »
    I thought it was meant to be best practice to change the cassette once you change the chain?
    Only if the chain is quite worn. If you change the chain regularly enough you don't need to bother.


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    #16
    alaimacerc
    Registered Users Posts: 7,224 ✭✭✭alaimacerc


    Usjes wrote: »
    Without replacing the chain:
    Need to replace entire drive train after 36 months for €160
    Or
    Replace a chain every 5 months at €30
    => total cost = 36/5*30 =€216

    There's also a third strategy, which is to replace chain and cassette together, but leave the chain rings longer.

    If you're going to wait until the whole thing needs to be replaced, I suppose you can get a certain amount "for free" -- once you're past "needs replaced" there's no extra cost-to-fix incurred right up to "no longer works". (If we ignore the possible taxi home and trip to A&E.) Somewhat in that position myself right now...

    What I find odd about the above numbers is that if you're paying €30 for a chain, your whole drive train is only €216. It's quite possible to do either, but a basic chain is a lot cheaper than that, and if you're using a fancier chain, don't those normally go with more expansive sprockets? (One of the key variables being width, as I understand it.)


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    #17
    NeedMoreGears
    Registered Users Posts: 1,418 ✭✭✭NeedMoreGears


    I replace the chain around once a year. Say 7000 to 8000km of year round cycling. I clean the bike including drive train once a week. I use diesel or petrol to clean the chain. I probably put on too much lube as the chain is usually black each time I clean it. I would change chainrings/cassette every second or third chain.


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