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Chain life

On road, off road, Mamils, Club rides or just share your routes and tips
servodude
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Re: Chain life

#398779

Postby servodude » March 25th, 2021, 1:19 am

Redmires wrote:
servodude wrote:found this link that covers chain wear and associated guff
https://www.bikeradar.com/features/how-to-know-when-its-time-to-replace-your-bicycle-chain


Thanks, that's very thorough. This image is similar to what my chain was like. I now realise I have to check it more often as the last bike I had was a Raleigh 5 speed (1980's vintage), when chains did last forever.


My last commuter before this one was a Raleigh "all terrain bike" from about 1990
- absolute workhorse of a thing
- stolen in 2006 while it's cables were cut, and I'd nipped to the pub for lunch
I was taking the parts off the frame as I got the new one; i'd intended to turn the frame in to something else (everything else was worn) - I hope it cost him his teeth


-sd

moorfield
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Re: Chain life

#398795

Postby moorfield » March 25th, 2021, 7:42 am

servodude wrote:
Cornytiv34 wrote:With all the gears modern bikes have I find it funny that I see so many cyclists struggling up hills in too high a gear.


Don't see many round these parts
- they've all gone electric :o
- and all that instant acceleration to 26mph is wearing out stuff much faster than their legs would have

I think a lot of bikes are sold based on what people "think" they want
- and if you're only using it on the occasional weekend that's great
If it's going to be your main way of getting about (and you know that when you buy it) you probably should consider running costs and understand how to keep it running




Over the winter lockdown I've taken the front mech (always found these a PITA to use and service) and cables off my station/town/pub bike, leaving the chain on big ring and put freewheel with bailout cog on the back. I've had to use a longer chain and the chainline doesn't look great in the low gear so put a chain guide on the front to stop dropping. However, it is shifting fine and I'm finding 1x6 like this is perfectly adequate for my local needs.

daveh
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Re: Chain life

#398807

Postby daveh » March 25th, 2021, 8:48 am

servodude wrote:found this link that covers chain wear and associated guff
https://www.bikeradar.com/features/how-to-know-when-its-time-to-replace-your-bicycle-chain

Cornytiv34 wrote:With all the gears modern bikes have I find it funny that I see so many cyclists struggling up hills in too high a gear.


Don't see many round these parts
- they've all gone electric :o
- and all that instant acceleration to 26mph is wearing out stuff much faster than their legs would have

I think a lot of bikes are sold based on what people "think" they want
- and if you're only using it on the occasional weekend that's great
If it's going to be your main way of getting about (and you know that when you buy it) you probably should consider running costs and understand how to keep it running

...and they don't make them like they used to! (except for the bits that haven't changed ;) )

- sd


If an electric bike is accelerating to 26mph then its a moped*. Uk regulations are that assist has to cut out at 15.5mph for it to be classed as an e-bike.

* and it needs to be taxed, insured, type approved and MOT'd, plus you have to wear a motorcycle helmet when riding and you have to ride only on the road (not on cycle paths or shared use paths).

I agree about modern bike parts not being as sturdy as they used to be, but with a 12 speed cassette the chain has to be thinner to accommodate and that means there is less tolerance when the chain and cassette wear and less metal to absorb that wear. It is looking like my top end e-mountain bike is going to be expensive to maintain as the parts are not cheap.

Looking back at the mileage I did on my old road bike (which was a 3x9 gearing) I did 6000 commute miles and changed chain and rear cassette just once before I passed the bike on. So perhaps 3500 miles isn't bad for 1x12 geared e-bike.

daveh
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Re: Chain life

#398813

Postby daveh » March 25th, 2021, 9:07 am

EssDeeAitch wrote:
I ride between 5000 and 7000 miles a year and usually buy two, perhaps three chains so I do speak from experience. My rides are between 20 and 80 miles four times a week and cleaning the bike, whilst a chore is important not just from chain/cassette/brake block and wheel rim longevity but safety as well. When cleaning the bike, you spot all sorts of defects which if left could be very dangerous.



I'm pretty good at spotting most problems, and I've got a better idea what to look for now with cassette wear and I think I'll add a chain gauge to my bike tool kit. What was surprising considering how stretched the chain is and how worn the most used gears of the rear cassette were was that I was having no problems with shifting, and the problems with chain stretch on the largest gear/smallest rear cog appeared very suddenly. I should have spotted it though a couple of weeks ago when I gave the bike a full clean as I ran it through all the gears and, though it shifted fine, it felt a little rough in the very lowest gears - I now know that was because they were unworn and no longer matched the chain.

The narrower rear cassette I'm going to have to get (because that is all that is available, replacing 10-51T with 10-45T) may be an advantage as it may spread the load over more gears, I was only using 7 or 8 out of the 12 on the 10-51 cassette. I'll also try to be more gentle in my riding style, though I think keeping the assist in the lowest level has helped reduce the torque on the drive.

servodude
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Re: Chain life

#398833

Postby servodude » March 25th, 2021, 10:00 am

daveh wrote:If an electric bike is accelerating to 26mph then its a moped*. Uk regulations are that assist has to cut out at 15.5mph for it to be classed as an e-bike.


Ah yes indeed.
But I'm possibly the only guy who commutes on a Edinburgh CoOp bike in a St Mirren top along the Yarra River in Melbourne (wave me down if you see me!)
Where the cycling accessory of the year appears to be a 250W sticker for your 750W after market Bafang motor
- available pre-built in to a bike shaped object from many of the local stores
- its actually a pretty good motor - normally in a crappy bike

-sd

88V8
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Re: Chain life

#398844

Postby 88V8 » March 25th, 2021, 10:22 am

Redmires wrote: This image is similar to what my chain was like.

Blimey!
Was it made of liquorice? :shock:

V8

daveh
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Re: Chain life

#398847

Postby daveh » March 25th, 2021, 10:34 am

servodude wrote:
daveh wrote:If an electric bike is accelerating to 26mph then its a moped*. Uk regulations are that assist has to cut out at 15.5mph for it to be classed as an e-bike.


Ah yes indeed.
But I'm possibly the only guy who commutes on a Edinburgh CoOp bike in a St Mirren top along the Yarra River in Melbourne (wave me down if you see me!)
Where the cycling accessory of the year appears to be a 250W sticker for your 750W after market Bafang motor
- available pre-built in to a bike shaped object from many of the local stores
- its actually a pretty good motor - normally in a crappy bike

-sd


Its unlikely I'll see you, I'm in Aberdeen, but I do have friends in Melbourne. Does Australia have the same e-bike rules as the UK? In Aberdeen I've only come across one possibly souped up e-bike (or the guy was really fit) as he accelerated away from an uphill junction at a roundabout much much faster than I was expecting.

Cube are advertising their EU speed pedelecs in a UK cycling magazine - which come under a different EU regulation not in force in the UK and in the UK would/should be treated as an electric moped, they are capable of 26mph before the assist cuts off (though I think still 250W motor). Not sure how they are overcoming/meeting the regulations for the UK.

servodude
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Re: Chain life

#399075

Postby servodude » March 26th, 2021, 12:55 am

daveh wrote:
servodude wrote:
daveh wrote:If an electric bike is accelerating to 26mph then its a moped*. Uk regulations are that assist has to cut out at 15.5mph for it to be classed as an e-bike.


Ah yes indeed.
But I'm possibly the only guy who commutes on a Edinburgh CoOp bike in a St Mirren top along the Yarra River in Melbourne (wave me down if you see me!)
Where the cycling accessory of the year appears to be a 250W sticker for your 750W after market Bafang motor
- available pre-built in to a bike shaped object from many of the local stores
- its actually a pretty good motor - normally in a crappy bike

-sd


Its unlikely I'll see you, I'm in Aberdeen, but I do have friends in Melbourne. Does Australia have the same e-bike rules as the UK? In Aberdeen I've only come across one possibly souped up e-bike (or the guy was really fit) as he accelerated away from an uphill junction at a roundabout much much faster than I was expecting.

Cube are advertising their EU speed pedelecs in a UK cycling magazine - which come under a different EU regulation not in force in the UK and in the UK would/should be treated as an electric moped, they are capable of 26mph before the assist cuts off (though I think still 250W motor). Not sure how they are overcoming/meeting the regulations for the UK.


The regulations here are pretty much the same as the UK; assistance is designed to cut out at 26kph and the power is limited to 250W https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/safety-and-road-rules/cyclist-safety/power-assisted-bicycles

....and the first thing everyone does is defeat this
- either by putting something inline with the Tacho feedback to decimate the count
- or finding the switch (possibly firmware) that kits it out for the USA market (where the regulations are quite a bit more forgiving)
- or by having a bigger motor with a dodgy label

Anyone I know who has bought a new bike in the past year has bought an electric
- varying from what look like the dodgy https://vyronelectricbikes.com.au/product/merida-crossway-hybrid-bike/
- to the sublime https://ivanhoecycles.com.au/products/giant-talon-e-1-29-2021

I'm getting tempted..
- sd

88V8
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Re: Chain life

#399172

Postby 88V8 » March 26th, 2021, 11:24 am

servodude wrote:The regulations here are pretty much the same as the UK; assistance is designed to cut out at 26kph and the power is limited to 250W .... and the first thing everyone does is defeat this

I wonder how long before ebike riders have to carry Third Party Insurance.

V8

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Re: Chain life

#402966

Postby bungeejumper » April 9th, 2021, 6:02 pm

I'm late to this party, but from the title of this thread I'd been vaguely expecting something like street life, or pond life, or perhaps primitive life? Something good has come of it, though. I've found the missing link. :D

BJ


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