How many miles from a chain?

[mikecassie]

I've just had to replace a chain after about 950 miles, this is a lot less than I normally get out of a chain. It's not been used a lot in the winter, although it is on the winter bike, I used Zwift more this year with a different bike. I did use a shimano chain instead of a KMC chain which I normally used, but other than that thats the only change. Cassette and chain rings were both changed at the time of the chain being fitted as they'd done a few years and I thought they looked a bit worn so not like I'd put a new chain on a worn cassette.

What do other PH'ers get from a chain on a road bike?

PS I'm not a well built company director with the watts of Sagan ;-)

[Matt_N]

I run Shimano chains on my winter bike and just recently had to replace one after 3600 miles.

I run Campag on my other bikes, I'm currently at 2000 miles on one and it's nowhere near the wear markers on the tool.

I do clean my chain and oil it regularly, probably once a week.

Have you been cross chaining a lot? i.e. big ring front, big gear on the cassette?

[langy]

My current chain has done 3000km + and is still in good condition and not worn (summer bike / winter turbo).

It does get a thorough degrease and lube very few weeks.

[E65Ross]

Funny this thread should just pop up now, as I checked my chain on Sunday to find that it had stretched more than 0.75mm....so it was duly changed. I reckon it had done around 3000 miles, give or take. That was a Shimano Ultegra chain, 10 speed.

[mikecassie]

Matt, no I don't cross chain a lot, if I do it's because I've miscounted the gear changes. I'd then 99.9% of the time change gears to sort the chain line out unless I'm right at the brow of a hill and just away to change up.

I'd guess I normally get 2000 miles from a chain as a minimum, my other bike would get a whole year on a KMC chain which is about 3000 miles some of which is indoor on the kickr.

I feel I'm pretty careful with chains and I usually have a spare at home to throw on should I get a surprise when checking them. Plus I'd sooner chuck a chain at 0.75% stretch than compress my nuts into the top tube should a chain break...

[ALawson]

I normally use 2 chains a year doing just less than 7k km per year. They always get changed between 50% wear and 75% (never go over 75%).

I prefer KMC as I always get the pin wrong on Shimano and (even if using a quicklink) find the KMC last longer.

They are only about £17 for a 11sp chain.

Do people regimentally change their cassette every 3rd chain, or is there some form of wear markers?

[essayer]

A chain is actually 1/80th of a mile.

[BMWBen]

essayer said:

A chain is actually 1/80th of a mile.

A cable is a 10th of a mile too

[yellowjack]

I keep my components updated on Strava, so the numbers are accurate. Here goes...

last two road bike chains?

'KMC X11EL Silver' - 2,524 miles - Sep 10 2015 to Jul 7 2016
Shimano 105 CN-HG601 11 speed chain - 1,491.2 miles - Jul 7, 2016 and still on the bike. Will need changing soon though according to the wear indicator tool.

last two MTB chains ?

Shimano CN - HG95 HG-X Sil-Tec 10 speed chain - 606.4 miles - Nov 11 2016 to Jan 20 2017
Shimano CN - HG95 HG-X Sil-Tec 10 speed chain - 620.5miles - Jan 20 2017 and still on the bike. Although technically it's knackered (according to the Park Tools chain checker), I'm leaving it on because it'll need a new cassette and chainrings at the next chain swap anyway, and my racing is over for this year.


From memory the worst one was a winter MTB chain. At 350 miles or so I needed a new chain, new cassette, and additionally (although they'd done a lot more than 350 miles) at the same time I needed a new Bottom Bracket and Freehub Body. None of which I was planning on. Serves me right though, for riding through sloppy, sandy, muddy trenches made by Motocrossers on local army training areas.