How long does your chain last?

maloner

I got my bike (felt Z4 road bike with Ultegra) serviced and they recommended replacing the chain as it was close to .75% elongated (I think thats what they said anyway), and any more wouldn't be great.

I went along with it but was a bit surprised as the bike was new in September or so and I've probably done about 2500-3000km (about 100hours) on it and thought I'd get longer out of it. I don't clean my chain that often (monthly maybe) and from doing some googling it appears it might not be a great suprise that it needs to be replaced. I'll clean this one more often thanks to my €6 aldi chain cleaning tool.

What care or lack of do you give your chain and how long does it last?

Idleater

I changed my last sram pc1070 chain after 6 months commuting and winter training. Don't know the exact distance (probably 4-5000k) but decided to replace the "cheapest " element more often as opposed having to replace the block and possibly chain rings as well.
I replaced the 1070 on the race bike after 1 year's racing and sportifs (again not sure on total distance, probably similar to the above) for the same reason.

I read a comparison article in a link in some thread here that compared life of various chains. Sram came out quite low in terms of distance, but as I said I'd go for changing the cheapest component more often for the sake of a month or whatever. IIRC, shimano ultegra or 105 were of the best value for €/k

Seweryn

maloner wrote: »

What care or lack of do you give your chain and how long does it last?

I replaced my chain in January (Sram PG 1051). The chain covered 7,000km and the wear was between 0.5 and 0.75%. The chain was used in various weather conditions (summer and winter rides, dry and wet).

However, I clean and maintain the drivetrain on my bike every second day (during the week when commuting) or every day, if I go for a longer spin.
I wouldn't leve the chain without service for more than 2-3 days.

el Bastardo

maloner wrote: »

I got my bike (felt Z4 road bike with Ultegra) serviced and they recommended replacing the chain as it was close to .75% elongated (I think thats what they said anyway), and any more wouldn't be great.

I went along with it but was a bit surprised as the bike was new in September or so and I've probably done about 2500-3000km (about 100hours) on it and thought I'd get longer out of it. I don't clean my chain that often (monthly maybe) and from doing some googling it appears it might not be a great suprise that it needs to be replaced. I'll clean this one more often thanks to my €6 aldi chain cleaning tool.

What care or lack of do you give your chain and how long does it last?

Well, I've gone through three SRAMs, i think, in as many years and not really high mileage either - Winter shags them up big time. Probably not much more than 1000km a chain. I don't look after chains really well, but I do clean and oil them several times a year. I order a replacement chain as soon as the park tool chain gauge starts to fit where it shouldn't. I don't mind forking out 10 or 20 euro for a chain - I don't run cheap drive train.

tomasrojo

I just changed my Shimano HG chain. Think it was on for a year. Good few thousand km anyway.

I find that since I put a long mudflap on the front mudguard, the chain lasts a very long time; no schmutz thrown up from below, just rain from above. I use the 12" ruler method, and the twelve links had only gone a suspicion past 12".

doozerie

Idleater wrote: »

I read a comparison article in a link in some thread here that compared life of various chains.

One of these maybe?:

* Chain test by Wippermann - dates from 2010 and for 10speed chains only, plus Wippermann chains come out top in Wippermann tests, but interesting comparison though.
* More Wippermann testing info

Idleater

doozerie wrote: »

Idleater wrote: »

I read a comparison article in a link in some thread here that compared life of various chains.

One of these maybe?:

* Chain test by Wippermann - dates from 2010 and for 10speed chains only, plus Wippermann chains come out top in Wippermann tests, but interesting comparison though.
* More Wippermann testing info

No, this one:

Lumen wrote: »

Reports on exalith are mixed. AFAIK the only Carbones with Exalith are the SLR which are a lot more than 1050 yoyos.

If you're not bothered by German products winning everything, check out this e-edition of Tour magazine, which has several reports on wheels.

http://www.tour-qtr.com/epaper_4_2011

If you loved your bike you'd buy it Lightweights. :pac:

Mycroft H

doozerie wrote: »

One of these maybe?:

* Chain test by Wippermann - dates from 2010 and for 10speed chains only, plus Wippermann chains come out top in Wippermann tests, but interesting comparison though.
* More Wippermann testing info

Anyone else getting redirected to the FBI on those links?

Idleater

BX 19 wrote: »

Anyone else getting redirected to the FBI on those links?

They work fine for me.

henboy

Not impressed with shimano chains of late . So I replaced mine with KMC .

doozerie

BX 19 wrote: »

Anyone else getting redirected to the FBI on those links?

They're on to you. RUN!!!

...no, sorry, CYCLE!!!

Sean02

When talking to LBS about transmission stuff it sometime is necessary to realise that in fact sometimes their pulling your chain.

Zen0

Got 2,500km on a Tiagra 9 speed chain before it reached the 0.75% wear mark. Intermittent cleaning - probably less than once per month, but never let it get too bad. Using Finish Line dry lube regularly.

wersal gummage

got about 7k kms out of a shimano hg-73 chain (had to look that up) with minimal care or cleaning - possibly cleaned once every 2 months - this for a commuter bike. because it is a commuter, once everything is working, i'm happy. if i was racing, i'd replace it a hell of a lot earlier.