How to check if your cycle chain needs replacing
http://www.cycling-inform.com/articles/390/1/How-to-check-if-your-cycle-chain-needs-replacing-/Page1.html
David Heatley
By David Heatley
Published on 26-Nov-09
In this article I discuss a quick tip on how to check if your bicycle chain need replacing.
In this article I discuss a quick tip on how to check if your bicycle chain need replacing.
A quick tip on how to check to see if your bicycle chain needs replacing.
Checking my polar CS600 cycle computer's odometer it was that time again. It had just clicked over 5000 km’s… a defining moment in the life of a 10-speed bicycle chain. Sure enough, it was time to replace it.
Getting close to 100% means a chain replacement is required. By purchasing a tool like this you can check chain wear in less than 30 seconds and know exactly how worn your chain is.
I picked up this great tool from the local bike shop. It takes the mystery out of when to replace your bicycle chain. There are lots of these types of devices on the market; all of them do the same job…. Measuring chain wear, and consequentially, the life of the chain. This tool is one of the most important in my repair kit.
Normally I can get three or four chains to a cassette. But… only if I replace the chain regularly. The trick is to replace the chain just before it starts to wear a worn out chain pattern into your cassette. The reason... Once this worn out pattern is worn into your cassette a new chain won’t mesh properly to the cassette. It will jump when you put pressure on the chain… Then you’ll have to throw out both your chain and your cassette and start again. By replacing your chain just before it starts wearing out you can extend the life of your cassette. Ultimately it will save you money.
Checking my polar CS600 cycle computer's odometer it was that time again. It had just clicked over 5000 km’s… a defining moment in the life of a 10-speed bicycle chain. Sure enough, it was time to replace it.
Getting close to 100% means a chain replacement is required. By purchasing a tool like this you can check chain wear in less than 30 seconds and know exactly how worn your chain is.
I picked up this great tool from the local bike shop. It takes the mystery out of when to replace your bicycle chain. There are lots of these types of devices on the market; all of them do the same job…. Measuring chain wear, and consequentially, the life of the chain. This tool is one of the most important in my repair kit.
Normally I can get three or four chains to a cassette. But… only if I replace the chain regularly. The trick is to replace the chain just before it starts to wear a worn out chain pattern into your cassette. The reason... Once this worn out pattern is worn into your cassette a new chain won’t mesh properly to the cassette. It will jump when you put pressure on the chain… Then you’ll have to throw out both your chain and your cassette and start again. By replacing your chain just before it starts wearing out you can extend the life of your cassette. Ultimately it will save you money.