How long should a chain last on Thorne Sterling Rohloff bike ?

[swayzak]

Hi

My first chain lasted well over a year.

I had a replacement put on a few months ago, after it started falling off occasionally.

Within a few months I rotated the EBB to maximum stretch position.

This morning it came off when freewheeling down a hill - grrr.

How many miles (approx.) should a chain last (including EBB adjustments) ?

Do some chains last longer than others on these setups ?


thanks

[JWestland]

What chain is it?
How many miles do you do?
And how often do you grease/maintain the chain?

I had one 3 years and counting on a crappy 3 speed hub geared bike that's outside in the rain all the time. But it only has done 400 miles so far and is fully covered by a chain guard.

But you could be doing a lot of miles or there can be material on the roads eating away at the chain? Or, just unlucky

[Cambirder]

Depends on a lot of factors. I'm now on my second chain which was put on after 9 months / 4000km (2500miles). Could have ridden for longer but I do change when "stretch" reaches .75% rather than wait for problems to start.

[richie thornger]

My Raven Tour is running a 40 16 with a KMC Z51 chain.
It's coming up for 5000 miles and 3 years old.
Most of that mileage was done with 25kg plus of luggage on dirt tracks in the dry and on tarmac in all weathers.
The EBB has run out now. Next time the chain starts to flap I'll be taking out a link.
Hope that helps as a comparison.
Speaking to Josh at SJS on the phone yesterday he said that single speed chains have less need to stretch sideways and so last longer.
One is on the way to me with a complete new chainset for my Nomad. Hopefully I'll be updating how long that lasted from somewhere near Nepal.

[Cambirder]

If you are having to take a link out, the chain is extremely worn and won't be doing the cogs any favours. Better to change the chain, Basic 8 speed chains are cheap so why prematurely wear out your chain ring / cog for the sake of putting of fitting a new chain?

[richie thornger]

Because I want to see how long they last as a worse case scenario. Better to do it in the comfort of home surroundings than in the Himalayas.
Thanks for the warning though.

[swayzak]

Thanks

Difficult to estimate mileage as this is my "wet weather" bike (use a standard derailleur mountain bike when dry).

Total commuting weekly mileage between these bikes is 80 miles.

The replacement chain was not identical model to that fitted by Thorne originally (KMC Z610HX 1/2 Inch x 3/32 Inch I believe).

Maybe just unlucky.

Incidentally I laboured under the misunderstanding that one could just remove a link when overstretched & turn the EBB back to tightest "new chain" position, rather than fit new chain. But my LBS soon informed me this wasn't really a good thing to do .. ?

[geocycle]

Incidentally I laboured under the misunderstanding that one could just remove a link when overstretched & turn the EBB back to tightest "new chain" position, rather than fit new chain. But my LBS soon informed me this wasn't really a good thing to do .. ?

Thats what I do!  I have two chains which I rotate annually until each has done 5000 miles or destroyed itself.  Then all new sprocket chainring and chains after 10000 miles.  I did try reversing sprocket and CR at 10k but the new chain didnt run smoothly.  Currently heading toward end of second 10k.

[pdamm]

Swayzak, I let my chain, front ring and rear sprocket all ware together as the chain stretches  a long way past the normal recommendation for derailleur systems.  When I get to the limit of the EBB I take out a link and keep going.  I am yet to take out a second link.  So far I have been replacing the chain when the links start to bind together instead of rotating freely.  When it is like this the underside of the chain has little zigzags in it instead of the usual smooth curve.  The last one I measured when I replaced it had elongated by a 7/32 inch over 12 links.  When I replace the chain I rotate both the front chain ring and rear sprocket .  I replace both the front ring and rear sprocket  when the next chain wares out.  Depending on how much riding on dirt roads I do I will get 15,000 to 20,000 km out of a chain in this way on my Raven Tour.

Peter

[stutho]

In much the same fashion as peter above my last two chains lasted over 10,000 miles each.  I let the whole drive-train  wear down together and switch chains when the sprocket or chain ring looks about half worn out!  Note that is mainly on road cycling but in all weathers.

[Han]

Mine's done 6000 miles and I've just taken out a link because I'd run out of EBB rotation. 

[il padrone]

If you are having to take a link out, the chain is extremely worn and won't be doing the cogs any favours. Better to change the chain, Basic 8 speed chains are cheap so why prematurely wear out your chain ring / cog for the sake of putting of fitting a new chain?

This will depend on the EBB setting when the chain is first fitted new. For example my 42-16 drivetrain had the chain tight when first fitted. However later when I changed to a 17t sprocket the EBB was half-way round when a new chain was fitted. Now the EBB has run-out as the chain has worn (but not overly so, just 1/16") so I will soon be removing a link to get full life from the chain.