Chain life?

[Ratmick]

Guys 'n Gals,

How long do you get out of a new chain?

Do you always need to change the sprockets over at the same time?

thks

Mick

[Yankee]

depends on wheelies..... and other things, but i reckon 20,000Kms should be fine.
and you're suppossed to change everything, but I never have and have always been fine
meh

[ty]

I've always changed everything - ranged from 15000kms up to 25000kms
ty

[Nick]

The correct way would be to change everything at the same time,worn sprocket teeth will wear a new chain quicker.And if you want to get maximum life out of a chain and sprockets then try a Scottoiler,i don't see many people using them here but most dispatch bikes in London wear them.

[Mojo67]

most dispatch bikes in London wear them.

Whats a dispatch bike?

[Ratmick]

most dispatch bikes in London wear them.

Whats a dispatch bike?

A shitty bike a courier rides.

[Neka79]

i think i changed my chain at 34,000km..but i dunno how long the original had been on it..i got the bike with 8,000km on it..so i got abt 26k km....
and yea i change all 3 items at once..i kno Jamie does too...

[Ratmick]

It looks like I need new chain & sprockets, the chain has really stretched.

Does anyone know of anywhere cheaper than Motorcycle Accessory Warehouse?

DID Chain 530 X'Ring ZJ

MAW Member Price $159.84

(includes free delivery)

RRP $168.25

Anyone got a mate who's got a mate who knows someone with a bike shop who can do me a deal? Colette, I seem to recall you had the inside track on Renthals, but you were the only recipient...

[Jonno]

Change sprokets and chain at the same time, you should get 25-30k out of them unless ya being hard or have the wrong size. Oilers are a waste of time and dollars on a bike, with o'ring chains it is not important, all the oil will do is save ya sprokets a tiny bit and thats debatable. Oil will attract grit and wear stuff out. Want to challenge my opinion, go ahead, I have spent the best years of my life as a fitter in harsh conditions such as blast furnaces, mines and boiler houses. Never use penatrene (wd) on a o'ring chain! If ya want to oil a chain don't get an o'ring chain, if ya really feel ya havta do some greasing spray some wax chain lube but I wiould doubt if it does anything great or extend the life of bad chain.
But in real terms if ya chain has streched you really should replace it, measure point to point and repeat again as you turn over the the chain. But I could go on and on and on about chains etc but I will spare you all the lesson because it just ain't worth it.

[I-K]

Change sprokets and chain at the same time, you should get 25-30k out of them unless ya being hard or have the wrong size. Oilers are a waste of time and dollars on a bike, with o'ring chains it is not important, all the oil will do is save ya sprokets a tiny bit and thats debatable.

I now have 48,000km on my OE chain and it's nowhere near worn. The only thing I do different compared to people whose chains are rooted by the 25,000km mark is overclean and overlube it; every 400-450km, or after riding in the wet or on dirt, whichever comes first... what's more, people who've fitted Scottoilers and their ilk really_do_get stupid amounts of km's from their chains and sprockets.)

Want to challenge my opinion, go ahead, I have spent the best years of my life as a fitter in harsh conditions such as blast furnaces, mines and boiler houses. Never use penatrene (wd) on a o'ring chain!

Fair enough, but how many of those industrial chains have to operate under the sorts of cadences bike chains experience?

[Ratmick]

I now have 48,000km on my OE chain and it's nowhere near worn. The only thing I do different compared to people whose chains are rooted by the 25,000km mark is overclean and overlube it; every 400-450km, or after riding in the wet or on dirt, whichever comes first... what's more, people who've fitted Scottoilers and their ilk really_do_get stupid amounts of km's from their chains and sprockets.)

I ride on dirt every day, and in winter it's always wet dirt. Some people would call it a driveway, except mine's 300m long...

I have a sneaking suspicion I didn't oil the mutha enough last winter and I killed it.

[Neka79]

I now have 48,000km on my OE chain and it's nowhere near worn. The only thing I do different compared to people whose chains are rooted by the 25,000km mark is overclean and overlube it; every 400-450km, or after riding in the wet or on dirt, whichever comes first... what's more, people who've fitted Scottoilers and their ilk really_do_get stupid amounts of km's from their chains and sprockets.)

I ride on dirt every day, and in winter it's always wet dirt. Some people would call it a driveway, except mine's 300m long...

I have a sneaking suspicion I didn't oil the mutha enough last winter and I killed it.

whos mother?? bretts??...yea oil her up good!! she likes it that way...

[Ratmick]

I have a sneaking suspicion I didn't oil the mutha enough last winter and I killed it.

whos mother?? bretts??...yea oil her up good!! she likes it that way...

Jezz, it ALWAYS comes(!) back to Brett's mum. Apart from Brett she's got a lot answer for...

[Ratmick]

How long do you get out of a new chain?
Do you always need to change the sprockets over at the same time?

BTW, I went back to the archives to get this info as I'm sure I asked this last time I bought a chain. Alas the archives only go back to July 2004, so I'm thinking the chain has done 15 months and probably 20-25,000km.

[Nanna10r]

Cant be "Me Mum" she dont self lubricate like the Scotts units any more .
I get about 35k outta a chain, normally replace front sprocket as well. Every 2nd Chain, I do the complete set.
I use a Wax now though & "tiggrs" chain is looking pretty good after 25k. Worst thing you can do to a chain is overtighten it (stretches hot spots into it) & too much lube is worse then not enough.
HTH.
Cheers Brett