So some where along the line i seem to forgot how to check if a cassette is still worth keeping. (mostly down to bike counts keep going up in the last few years, so mileage/wear is spreaded very thin across the fleet). some of you may know that i recently bought a second hand bike, the cassette came with the bike is an Ultegra 6800 11-28. it clearly have that chain "imprint" on the cogs, but it does not jump/change gear with mind of its own. the teeth look mostly intact, i guess i can keep it for now.... So question to you guys, how do you decide if your cassette has reached its end of its service life? Cheers.
cassette life span
- Thread starter XE11
- Start date
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change when the cogs look pointy or hook shaped. Also, many bike shops have a tool to check
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- Joined
- 12 Jan 2018
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- 40
To consider only the cassette is the wrong way to think about it. Cassettes and chains wear together.
As the chain wears*, so the teeth of the cassette gears wear to match. So a really old chain and cassette will continue to work a lot better than a new chain on an old cassette, or an old chain on a new cassette.
It depends of course on how many mile the bike has been ridden. A chain and cassette that has been ridden 50miles in 2 years will be 'newer' than one that have been ridden 1000miles in 6 months.
There's a tool you can get that measures chain wear. Slip that into your chain and see how if fits. Depending which tong of the tool fits cleanly into the chain, that defines what needs replacing. I've found that less than 0.5 and your fine for a little while longer. 0.5-0.75 and you should replace the chain. If you've left it too long, and it's over 0.75 you should definately the chain and probably replace the cassette (depending on how flush you are). If it's over 1.0, then you should definately replace both.
Ultimately, first try replacing just the chain. If it works ok, the chain engages with the cassette well, you get no gears skipping, and changes don't hesitate (while riding); then you're good to go. If the teeth don't mesh, the chain skips over teeth, and you get chain slip (under load); then you'll need to change the cassette too.
I change chain every 6 months, cassette every year, and chainrings every 2 years. Has worked well enough for me.
* contrary to popular belief... chains don't actually stretch (more than a minute amount). They wear. The roller cylinders in the chain wear agains the teeth of the gears, increasing the distance between interfaceing surfaces.
As the chain wears*, so the teeth of the cassette gears wear to match. So a really old chain and cassette will continue to work a lot better than a new chain on an old cassette, or an old chain on a new cassette.
It depends of course on how many mile the bike has been ridden. A chain and cassette that has been ridden 50miles in 2 years will be 'newer' than one that have been ridden 1000miles in 6 months.
There's a tool you can get that measures chain wear. Slip that into your chain and see how if fits. Depending which tong of the tool fits cleanly into the chain, that defines what needs replacing. I've found that less than 0.5 and your fine for a little while longer. 0.5-0.75 and you should replace the chain. If you've left it too long, and it's over 0.75 you should definately the chain and probably replace the cassette (depending on how flush you are). If it's over 1.0, then you should definately replace both.
Ultimately, first try replacing just the chain. If it works ok, the chain engages with the cassette well, you get no gears skipping, and changes don't hesitate (while riding); then you're good to go. If the teeth don't mesh, the chain skips over teeth, and you get chain slip (under load); then you'll need to change the cassette too.
I change chain every 6 months, cassette every year, and chainrings every 2 years. Has worked well enough for me.
* contrary to popular belief... chains don't actually stretch (more than a minute amount). They wear. The roller cylinders in the chain wear agains the teeth of the gears, increasing the distance between interfaceing surfaces.
Soldato
- Joined
- 23 Nov 2004
- Posts
- 10,647
I think I'm on my 3rd chain on the same cassette.
Replace the chain at .75 and it won't wear anything else.
Replace the chain at .75 and it won't wear anything else.
