Measuring your chain for wear and tear

Your chain is under constant pressure as you pedal. A new chain arrives exactly the right size to mesh with the other components of your drivetrain. Gradually, though, as time goes by and the miles rack up, the chain stretches. The gaps between each link grow and the chain inevitably elongates. Eventually, if you keep riding, the chain starts skipping over them instead of meshing with the teeth on the sprocket.

Joining the chain gang If you are disciplined about measuring your chain carefully and regularly with a chain-measuring device, you can replace just the chain before it has a chance to wear the other components of your drivetrain. This tool will tell you when you have reached this point. If you are attentive, you’ll find it the cheapest option in the long term If you allow the chain to wear beyond this point, you will have to replace both the chain and the cassette at the same time. The old chain will have damaged the teeth on the cassette, so the new chain will be unable to mesh with it neatly. The consequence of changing the chain without changing the sprockets is that the new chain will slip over the…

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Bike Maintenance Tips, Tricks & Techniques (Digital) - 1 Issue, Bike Maintenance Tips, Tricks & Techniques 3rd Edition

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