When to replace chain?

[gkilner]

When should a cycle chain be replaced, are there wear signs to look out for, or do most people wait until it actually fails?

Thanks,

Gavin.

 

[flecc]

Many different opinions on this, the wear can be checked by measuring the slack in fore and aft movement in the link joins, or by looking at the "hooking" that occurs on the rear sprocket teeth. If only the chain is to be changed it needs doing very frequently if the new one is to run reasonably on the existing sprockets.

Personally I prefer to run the chain out until the rear sprocket(s) are also well worn and replace them together to get the smoothest running at all times.

How long an exposed chain lasts depends on how well it's maintained. A chain that's regularly removed, washed, and regreased in a hot grease bath will last longest, six thousand miles upwards. Typically one oiled on the bike will last around 4000 miles, and one completely neglected and rusted could fail at half that.

However on e-bikes those can vary a lot depending on the pedalling usage. The Quando which needs hardly any pedalling should have an infinite chain life in a fairly flat area, while a low powered bike used in a hilly area by a strong rider could wear the chain much faster than average, so it's impossible to be precise.
.

 

[Ian]

My sprint has done about 6000 miles, still on the original unworn chain. The previous owner used the bike in the fens and probably didn't pedal much hence the long life.

 

[UrbanPuma]

Do you pedal much on your bike Ian?

 

[Ian]

I pedal all the while, hard much of the time, but my Torq is my main bike, the Sprint only being used occasionally. My Torq chain is not showing any significant wear after a couple of thousand miles, but it does get pampered with frequent baths in paraffin spiced with exotic lubricants.

 

[HarryB]

My chain does lead a rough life and I am on my second new chain although I am not sure of the mileage (5-6000?). I do change them when they "stretch" much more than 1/16 in 12 inches (12 links). I do this because the gearing is so high on a torq that the bottom gears get used a lot more than the top two. This leads to uneven wear and so rough running in the upper gears when the chain is any more worn than this. A new chain this week has made a lot of diffence to the smooth running of my torq.

How do people cope with the long chain line on most ebikes? I end up buying two chains and splicing some extra links in (with a removable link). Maybe 50 cycles could stock an extra long chain to avoid this?

 

[flecc]

I also splice in a bit extra Harry, but as I always buy the same chain type, one extra lasts for many added bits over time.
.

 

[pedelecs33]

I want to get the new electric bike but i have commonly seen that
the chain of this type of bike condom very soon so i want to know
what is the solution of this type of problem.

 

[alex]

I want to get the new electric bike but i have commonly seen that
the chain of this type of bike condom very soon so i want to know
what is the solution of this type of problem.

Hi Pedelecs 33
We all love pedelecs also, just not in that way.

 

[Miles]

Hi Pedelecs 33
We all love pedelecs also, just not in that way.

................

 

[flecc]

I want to get the new electric bike but i have commonly seen that the chain of this type of bike condom very soon so i want to know what is the solution of this type of problem.

Hello pedelec33, welcome to the pedelecs forum.

If you have the Cyclone bike you mentioned in another post, that may have the motor driving the chain. In that case it is best to oil at least every week and replace the chain every 2000 miles as well. This is because the motor sprocket is small and wears fast. Also oil the nylon plastic idler wheel.

I think you find it difficult to find the right English word sometimes.

Sometimes wrong word is ok , sometimes bad . Let me help.

Condom is wrong, it means Birth Control Sheath ( biyuntao ).

I think you mean Condemn, it means Finished, Trashed, Junk.

Instead of condemn for chain, we say worn out.

Wrong word ok, but we like to help.
.

 

[JohnInStockie]

Giant Twist Chain Maintenance

@Flecc

Flecc can you clarify please. I have now done about 2000 miles, and have not replaced any part. When I first got the bike I applied the Teflon grease that is rcommended (and have added more since).

Can you advise what you would recommend as the servicing and maintenance I should be doing and at what mileages please?

Thanks

John

 

[flecc]

Just carry on as you're doing John. With the chain greased from time to time the Twist series will do up to 6000 miles or more on the one chain. You can just go by appearance on the greasing, doing it when it looks dried out. The limiting factor on them is the small 14 tooth motor sprocket. When the motor drive starts jumping the chain over the teeth, it's time for new chain, motor sprocket and rear sprocket, but it's impossible to put an exact timing on that due to the many variables.

My drive through chain warning above to pedelecs33 specifically concerned the Cyclone chain drive motor which due to design compromises gives the chain a very rough time, especially when one of the 360 or 500 watt motors are used.
.

 

[JohnInStockie]

@Flecc

Thank you (once again)

John