Nederlands | English | Deutsch | Türkçe

Project Sports

Questions and answers about sports

Rule of thumb: how far before changing my chain to prevent cassette wear

5 min read

Asked by: Bryan Xiong

The 2,000-Mile Rule To avoid this accelerated wear of your cassette and chainrings, a general rule of thumb is to replace your bike’s chain every 2,000 miles. Mind you, this is just a starting point. No two chains will wear at exactly the same rate because no two riders treat their chains the same.

Should you change your cassette when you change your chain?

You certainly don’t need to change the cassette and chainrings every time you swap the chain, though, it’s just that you should check out the health and performance of these other drivetrain components as soon as you’ve installed a new one.

How often should you change your chain and cassette?

My rule of thumb is to replace it at 75 per cent wear (as measured with a chain-wear indicator). If you stick with this guideline, your cassette and chainrings will last a lot longer. A cassette, in most cases, can last for approximately two to three chain replacements if they are done at the right time.

How many chains will a cassette last?

Usually, an MTB cassette lasts between 3 to 5 chain changes if it’s properly maintained and the chain is changed in time but if you change the chain long after the recommended percentage you may need to change the cassette after the second time you change the chain.

When should I change my ebike chain?


Quote from video: You should change your chain immediately. If you're using a chain design for 10 or fewer gears replace your chain as it reaches 0.75.

How do I know if my cassette is worn?

Quote from video: Become greater and the roller is no longer sit down at the bottom of the groove but tend to roll up onto the top of the teeth wearing the teeth and deforming the tee.

How many miles should a cassette last?

Cassette lifespan can range between 4000 to 10000 miles, and this is affected by the cassette itself and maintenance frequency.

How long should a chain last?

2,000 to 3,000 miles

Replacing your chain regularly can prolong the life of your drivetrain. Most mechanics agree that you should replace your chain about every 2,000 to 3,000 miles, depending on your riding style. Many Tour De France riders wear out two or even three chains on their primary bike over the course of the three-week race.

How often should I change my chain?

The 2,000-Mile Rule. To avoid this accelerated wear of your cassette and chainrings, a general rule of thumb is to replace your bike’s chain every 2,000 miles. Mind you, this is just a starting point. No two chains will wear at exactly the same rate because no two riders treat their chains the same.

How do I know if my chain is worn without the tool?

Quote from video: If you find yourself without the proper tool do. This the teeth holds the chain in place. And this gap exposes chain where the bigger gap means more chain wear and a smaller gap is less pain wear.

When should I replace my chain ring?

Quote from video: Start to become hooked. Like little shark's teeth. And that is a surefire sign that you need to replace the chain rings.

Do cassettes wear out?

In perfect circumstances, cassette tapes will only last about 30 years if properly stored away from heat, humidity, and UV rays. Whereas a CD stored in the same conditions can last over 100 years. Two common factors for cassette tape deterioration are heat and tape recorder malfunctions.

Do I need to change chain when changing chainring size?

No. Reducing the chainring size by two teeth means the chain needs to be one tooth shorter, so half a full link. You can only shorten a chain by a whole link, which is two teeth’s worth of chain, so if the chain was optimal before you could make it too short.

What does a worn out bike cassette look like?

Quote from video: Um you know it's almost like the tooth is actually gone so this obviously is a climbing cog this is an 1146 cassette. And here you can see the same thing on these teeth. They're just they're worn very

How long does a music cassette last?

That’s right, the cassette tapes of your youth have been slowly degrading over the last several decades and there’s nothing you can do to stop it – only prolong it. Because whether you like it or not, 30 years is the average life of a cassette tape.

How long should an 11 speed chain last?

Quote from video: Похожие запросы

Can I use a new cassette with an old chain?

The chain and cassette wear together. If the chain was very worn, and you put a new chain onto an old cassette, at best it will wear the new chain faster than it should. At worst it will not engage properly and can skip or you may get poor shifting or even break the new chain.

Can I put a different cassette on my bike?

In some cases, it is possible to run a cassette from a different brand than the rest of your drivetrain. SRAM and Shimano cassettes, on either road or mountain bike, are interchangeable with each other as the spacing is the same between the sprockets.

Is an 11 34 cassette good for climbing?

All other things being equal, the 34T sprocket on the 11-34T cassette is going to give you the easiest gear. If your bike is currently fitted with an 11-28T cassette, switching to an 11-34T cassette will make climbing less of a struggle.

How long should a bicycle chain last?

The Lifespan of a Bicycle Chain



Generally speaking, with good maintenance, you should only need to replace your chain every 2000-3000 miles. But some riders may find that their riding style causes them to need to change to a new chain every 500 miles.

Which bike chains last the longest?

SRAM claim the world’s longest-lasting chain with their XX1, and they are not kidding,” Kerin said. “Both the X01 and XX1 chains were so far ahead of any other chain from a pure elongation wear measure that I had to re-run the tests. The results were basically identical. Their longevity is phenomenal.”

How often should I replace chain?

about every 2,000 to 3,000 miles

Replacing your chain regularly can prolong the life of your drivetrain. Most mechanics agree that you should replace your chain about every 2,000 to 3,000 miles, depending on your riding style.