Road Bike Chain Life

[maklabouhlel]

My Giant Defy road bike went in for a service. I have owned it from new for just over a year and it has only done a maximum of 200 miles, if that, mainly on a turbo trainer. Bike shop rang me saying my chain has 3/4 worn out and needs replacing. Is this possible?

 

[tom_e]

I'm sure it's possible if you take it off rub it in grit and never let it see a drop of oil, but in the real world that sounds like twoddle.

 

[touch]

If it's the first chain since new (ie entire drivetrain has only covered 200 miles) then it sounds very unlikely to me.
I guess it's possible if you've fitted a brand new chain to an older, worn drivetrain and used it for 200 miles.

 

[Amps]

Highly unlikely unless your a world class track cyclist.
In dry weather use i would expect 4kor 5k miles from the chain possibly more if its looked after.

 

[maklabouhlel]

The thing is he seems such a nice, honest guy and I had zero problems with the chain.

 

[Lethal`]

Unlikely but I guess if you got it real dirty and never really cleaned it's possible.. Or it wasn't a new chain from new.

I tend to get about 3500-4000 miles out of a chain.

Either way if you're concerned about the price you don't need a Shimano chain. Get a KMC/Sram to save a bit plus easier chain joining.

 

[Vonhelmet]

I'd expect a chain to last ten times that at least.

 

[mattyfez]

Does seem odd, i got over 1000 miles out of my last mountain bike chain, and whilst I do clean it and relube it, it gets covered in gritstone mud most weekends for the duration of the ride, typicalyl between 2 - 6 hours of grinding paste sat on the chain.

I'd imagine a road chain would last a fair bit longer being used in a reletivley cleaner environment.

 

[maklabouhlel]

Unlikely but I guess if you got it real dirty and never really cleaned it's possible.. Or it wasn't a new chain from new.

I tend to get about 3500-4000 miles out of a chain.

Either way if you're concerned about the price you don't need a Shimano chain. Get a KMC/Sram to save a bit plus easier chain joining.

It was a brand new bike which the bike shop assembled and I rode it home about fifteen miles. That's the only outdoor use it had, the rest was on a turbo trainer. I said to the bike shop that that's highly unlikely since I've only done about 200 indoor miles on it, he said he'd show me when I picked the bike up. I hope he doesn't deliberately damage the chain just to prove a point.

 

[justalex81]

im sure he sounds lovely when hes trying to mug you off and sell you stuff you dont need. You say you've never had a problem before. hes probably ripped you off several times without realising it. you're only just noticing it now because youve hardly used the bike

 

[BennyC]

Just say no thanks? You don't have to have all advisory work completed...

 

[hornetstinger]

No way after 200 miles. My guess is either

a) Ripping you off
b) Using a chain tool which is bent.

A chain should last at least 2000 miles, I'd say.

 

[maklabouhlel]

Just say no thanks? You don't have to have all advisory work completed...

I did refuse. I just wonder how he's going to show me tomorrow that my chain is 3/4 worn out?

 

[hornetstinger]

I did refuse. I just wonder how he's going to show me tomorrow that my chain is 3/4 worn out?

Take your own brand new chain tool.

 

[mattyfez]

Yeh, and also chain measurement tools are a bit snake oil if you ask me.

There's the theory that you can extend the life of the cassette by replacing the chain after 'x' amount of wear, but unless your cassette is expensive it's a false economy.

For example I use £15ish KMC 'x' series chains and a £30 XTR cassette, and I just run the lot into the ground and replace both at the same time for £45. Less effort and cheaper in the long run.

 

[hornetstinger]

Yeh, and also chain measurement tools are a bit snake oil if you ask me.

There's the theory that you can extend the life of the cassette by replacing the chain after 'x' amount of wear, but unless your cassette is expensive it's a false economy.

For example I use £15ish KMC chains and a £30 XTR cassette, and I just run the lot into the ground and replace both at the same time for £45. Less effort and cheaper in the long run.

I did that once, but with the chain totally borked, I had to replace middle chainring as well.

 

[mattyfez]

I did that once, but with the chain totally borked, I had to replace middle chainring as well.

Yeh I think my front middle is getting that way.. however front rings are generally made of sterner stuff than cassettes, in my experience, you should be able to get through at least two chains and cassettes per front ring.. But your milage may vary..

My front rings are low end SRAM, and whilst heavier than fancy one's, they just refuse to die.
High end light weight ofern also means it wears more quickly, but I digress.. if the OP is suggesting the chain is worn in 200miles that's pretty extraordinary. Especially if they are mostly turbo trainer miles.

Op, what make is the chain? The only plausible thing I can think of as to why it would wear that fast is if it's the cheapest crappy generic chain known to mankind.

 

[hornetstinger]

if the OP is suggesting the chain is worn in 200miles that's pretty extraordinary. Especially if they are mostly turbo trainer miles.

Only way is I think covered in sand, griding away like abrasive paste.

 

[maklabouhlel]

Just picked the bike up. He failed to demonstrate to me with his tool my chain was 3/4 worn out after 200 miles and started making excuses after he realised I'm not falling for his exploitation.

 

[maklabouhlel]

Op, what make is the chain? The only plausible thing I can think of as to why it would wear that fast is if it's the cheapest crappy generic chain known to mankind.

It's a KMC X11EL-1.