How Many Miles Should A Bike Chain Last?

The chain is one of the most crucial components of a bicycle, although it is sometimes overlooked. You don't even notice it's there when it's working correctly, but when it's not, it reminds you of all the problems you have in life. So to skip that bumpy ride, what is the average mileage of a bike chain?

Most experts agree that you should change your chain every 2,000 to 3,000 miles, depending on your riding style, and recommend cleaning a chain regularly to keep it in good shape. The pins should be spaced 12" apart center to center, and when it hits 12 1/16", which is 0.5% elongation, replace it.

One of the most contentious areas of bicycle mechanics is chain maintenance. Riding style, gear selection, whether the bicycle is ridden in rain or snow, type of soil in the local terrain, lubricant type, lubrication practices, and many more factors impact the chain durability. That said, in terms of bike chain durability, what should you know?

Can't Have A Bike Without A Chain

It is not unusual for Tour de France riders to lose two or even three chains on their primary bike over the three-week race. In addition, bicycle design has undergone many changes over recent years. Some of them, such as the evolution of mountain bikes, disc wheels, and novel handlebar designs, have been highly apparent.

Clipless pedals, cycle computers, and indexed shifting are examples of less noticeable but equally vital technologies. For various sprockets, bicycle chains exist in a wider variety of widths.

There has also been an unseen and underappreciated revolution in chain building. Bicycle chains go unnoticed by most people. After all, they all have a similar appearance. Although derailers are more intriguing to look at and discuss, the chain is still responsible for moving.

Chains are a wearable component of the drivetrain of a bicycle. Your bike's chain will wear out as you rack up the miles. The chain's interior components, such as the rollers and rivets, begin to wear out, giving the appearance of stretching.

As a result of this wear, the chain meshes poorly with the gears and chainrings, resulting in sluggish shifting, early cog wear, and even skipping over cogs.

Because replacing gears is far more expensive than replacing a chain, understanding when to replace the chain might actually save you money. As a result, let's take a look at when you should consider replacing your bike's chain.

How To Tell When To Replace Your Bicycle’s Chain

Chain "stretch" is a term used by cyclists to describe how the side plates of an old chain have been stretched out of shape by the continuous strains of cycling. It isn't how chains truly lengthen. Wear actually is the most common cause of chain perceiving to "stretch."

You may measure chain wear in various ways, including simply taking the chain off the front of the chainrings or measuring the distance between two rivets on a chain.

However, using a gadget like the Pedro's Chain Checker Plus II or CC-3.2 Wear Indicator to assess the amount of life left in your chain is the easiest and most accurate method to do so. So, the procedures below are helpful tips you may use to determine whether or not your chain needs to be changed.

Testing your chain without the use of tools

1. Place your bike on a repair stand, or lean it against a stable wall.
2. Try and tug the chain away from the cog on the front chainring.
3. Shift the smallest cog in the rear and the large chainring in front and try and lift the chain.
4. If it lifts off the chainring to where you can clearly see where the cogs bend between the chain and the chainrings, you either need to replace your chain, or you're getting pretty close to doing so.

It's not as precise as using the correct tool, but it's a decent place to start if you haven't renewed your chain in a while.

Using A Ruler To Measure The Chain

Another approach for estimating chain wear is to use a ruler to measure it. Each rivet on new chains is always half an inch apart. So if you line up your ruler on a rivet starting on 0 inches, the 24th rivet would hit the 12-inch mark.

So, at the bottom of your chain on your bike, take your ruler and measure the chain starting at 0-inch on the first rivet. There should be 24 rivets between 0 and 12 inches. If you end up short on your 24th pin by more than 1/16th of an inch, you should consider replacing the chain.

That said, using a ruler may sometimes prove to be difficult and imprecise.

Using Pedro's Chain Checker Plus II

1. Insert Position 1 in between links link against the roller (if confused, the tool has a picture to help you out)
2. Insert Position 2 within a link and apply tension on the chain at position 2
3. While keeping tension, try to insert position 3 down into a bicycle chain link
4. If position 3 does not insert into the chain link, you are below 0.5% worn. Keep on riding!

If position 3 goes halfway into the chain link, you are between 0.5% and 0.75% and should look to replace your chain soon. And if position 3 goes all the way in, you are above 0.75% and definitely need to replace the chain.

Furthermore, if you are dealing with a 0.75% worn chain, you may want to look at your cogs, as they may have taken a beating and thus, also be worn. Anything at or beyond 0.75% should be considered to be changed immediately.

It would be best if you replaced chains designed for ten gears or fewer once they reach 0.75% wear. That said, if you are using an 11 or 12-speed chain, replace your chain once it has gained 0.5% wear.

Finally, replace your chain when it has reached 1% percent wear for two sprocket or single-speed bikes.

Using The CC-3.2 Wear Indicator

1. Note which side the tool has the 0.5 stamp
2. Starting with the opposite end of the 0.5 mark, install the hook end on a link with inner plates with that side faced down to ensure you measure against the roller, not the side plates.
3. Now, with one end connected to the chain, attempt to install the other end (with the 0.5 mark) into the chain.
4. Your chain is not yet 0.5% worn if it doesn't go in, and you are good to go.

However, if it does go in, then you would be aware that your chain is at least 0.5% worn and is now longer than it was when it was new. In addition, by turning the tool around to the 0.75 mark, you could check if it has a 0.75% elongation.

The same rules apply to the CC-3.2 Wear Indicator as it presents the same accurate readings for all bikes speeds. A chain-checker, which analyzes how much your present chain has stretched, is the simplest way to assess if you need a new chain.

Although a well-maintained chain may last almost 8,000 miles, it becomes much less effective as it wears and elongates, losing two watts for every one percent of elongation.

Furthermore, the gritty grunge that adheres to your chain lube functions as a grinding paste, wearing down the pins and rollers. It lengthens your chain's center-to-center distance, which causes your gears to wear out prematurely.

So, instead of spending roughly $50 on a new chain, you'll pay around $300 or more on a new chain, chainring, and cassette.

Tips On Bike Chains

Cleaning the chain on your bike is essential. Cleaning a chain frequently is necessary to keep it in top condition. Every professional and amateur mechanic has a favorite way.

It is highly recommended that you clean and lubricate your bike's drive chain at least once a month to ensure the best performance and protection. Chains and transmissions are the dirtiest parts of your bike, and dirt is bad for bike performance and durability.

Using the correct lubricant will ensure that the chain functions appropriately and can extend the chain's life. However, household spray lubricants are too thin and might cause bicycle chains to dry out.

Vegetable-based oils are a bad idea since they turn gummy, and motor oils are excessively thick and do not correctly permeate the chain. Instead, the ideal lubricant is a mineral-based lubricant exclusively for bicycle components, for example, Green Oil Cycle Chain Lube.

Summary

With all the above information, you officially know when it's time to replace your bike chain, no matter the weather, terrain, riding style, lubricant type, or lubricant application practice. However, maintaining your bike's chain by cleaning it and lubricating it will help it last beyond the 3000-mile mark.