Chain wear

[MrTB]

Is there a rule of thumb for chain wear on the SS. I have a Surly CrossCheck and when I first got the bike about a year and a half ago I had some room for adjusment in the vert. dropouts.............the adjusment is maxed out now and there's a bit of slop in the chain............is it time to replace?

[useless_wrench]

sounds like it's time to replace if there's slop in the movement of the pins ..

[myron]

Chains is cheap, I use KMC 3/32 BMX and replace often.

[tryandgetme]

those of you that live in canada: I recently found KMC 1/8" chain, 20 or so feet of it, for $3 at princess auto. Including motorcycle style disconnect link. surplus section, in the..get this, it's crazy...the chain section.

[rockyrider]

Yep Princess Auto (http://www.princessauto.com/_osn.cfm?CTRY=CAN&output=OSN&Factor=2). My grandfather always got copies in the mail so I always had something to page through, forget the "Sear Wish Book" at Christmas time, the Princess Auto catalog always had cool stuff that got you thinking about some thing or other that would be cool to build. And the prices were always in the range where you thought you could save up your allowance to actually buy one of those sets of wheels or some weird linkage assembly for that gravity racer car by the time spring rolled around. And then you'd be distracted and spend the money on something else in the intervening time period. :D

[davkatreb]

is it time to replace?
I'd say the time has come and gone. Tick tock.

[plume_mtb]

You can pretty much plan on replacing your rear cog as well. You may luck out but any time I've replaced a chain on the SS I need to either flip the cog around so the wear marks are on the other side or file them down. Usually after I do all that I end up buying a new one anyway.

I'd only replace that chain if you simply can't get any more adjustability out of it. There's really no other reason to replace a chain on a SS.

[tryandgetme]

I'd only replace that chain if you simply can't get any more adjustability out of it. There's really no other reason to replace a chain on a SS.

I disagree, at $5 a chain is cheaper than my $35 freewheel or $25 chainring.

[MrTB]

I'd only replace that chain if you simply can't get any more adjustability out of it. There's really no other reason to replace a chain on a SS.


The only way i could adjust it would be to take a link out. This bike rarely sees any off road action, it's primarily ridden on the road or bike paths. It's definitely been stretched out........prolly seen better than a 1000 miles in the last year and a half. It's done it's fair share of hill climbing...which i would guess, takes it's toll on a chain.

[ss29mtb]

chains do not actually "stretch".

The plates on the side of the chain do not get longer.

The pins and rollers get worn.

the more they wear, the weaker the chain.

the chain described in the original question has worn to the point it is no longer safe. REPLACE IT.

[PutAwayWet]

I've had a SRAM quick link try to stretch. I snapped both plates in half. All the pins and holes were intact, both side plates broken. On a wheelie drop, no less. :eek: