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Nervious about old chain

439 views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  AndrwSwitch 
#1 ·
I'm running a chain with a LOT of miles on it, and obviously it's stretching and the gears are wearing, and obviously if I throw a new chain on there without doing a new cluster (and possibly rings) at the same time it will be skipping all over the place.

However, I've got some fairly remote rides coming up this summer and I'm a little concerned that Murphy's law will dictate that the thing snaps out in the middle of nowhere, and I'll be coasting/hoofing after dark to get back out.

So my CRAAAAZY idea... what if I bought a new chain, sized it right, kept a quick link on it, then stuffed it in the bottom of my bag 'just in case'? Obviously it's not an elegant solution weight-weenie-wise, and the thing would still skip if I had to throw it on, but it beats the heck outta a 10 hour death march in my mind.
 
#2 ·
New chains can break too, so you need to be ready for that contingency regardless. If the chain (new or old) snaps out in the middle of nowhere, just patch it back together, either with a master link, or by simply shortening it by one pair of links in the conventional fashion, and you're back on the trail without carrying an entire extra chain.

If you choose to shorten the chain, check your big-to-big combo and lock out your biggest cog if the chain won't make it anymore.
 
#3 ·
Chain breakage is not directly related to chain wear. It's caused by by bent plates, or plates forced over the ends of the pins.

Granted, a chain with more mileage is more likely to have suffered this way, but if you're a decent rider, haven't had chain suck, and don't force-shift under load, there's a good chance that your chain isn't any moe likely to break than a new one.

Do a careful physical examination of your chain, looking for bent ot twisted plates, stiff links, and plates moved out on the pins, if it looks OK and is already stretched beyond 1%, you might as well ride it longer, since it's too late to save the cassette.

Bring a chaintool and 2 master links for emergency repairs on long rides, since shortening your old chain will be a better option than trying to ride with a skipping, mismatched chain and cassette.

If, you see some physical damage as described above, replace the chain and maybe the cassette before going beyond walking distance.

BTW- if you have a new chain with a master link, you might try it on the existing cassette. If it runs with skipping, this would be the best solution, If not go back to plan A and carry links.
 
#4 ·
I'd say get a new chain and cassette, now, install them, and cross your fingers. You may not need any new rings, and you're not likely to need to replace all three, at least in my experience. If you want to really be a cheapskate, you could keep the old cassette and cross your fingers - I actually killed my middle ring faster than my cassette recently, and a lot of people have a bit of an overkill replacement schedule with their cassettes. It should outlast a couple of chains, frequently even if you don't always replace them when you should.

We're talking about a $15 and a $20 part here, depending on how much money you like to throw at your bike. Even for someone poor like me, it's not a lot. Unless you need new rings...
 
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