How To Know When To Change Your Chain, Cassette And Chainrings, by Global Cycling Network on YouTube. 4 min 45 s.
- Video length
- 4 min 45 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Clean the chain with a rag so you can see the links and measure wear accurately.
Use a chain wear indicator tool: slot it into the chain and check whether the 0.75 or 1.0 percent side drops in.
No tool? Measure 12 inches of chain with a ruler. If the pin sits past the 12 inch mark by about 1/16 inch, the chain is worn.
Pull the chain away from the front of the chainring. If you can lift it enough to see a gap, it is stretched.
Inspect the chainrings for shark's teeth: hooked, pointed teeth that curve like a fin. Replace the ring if you see them.
Check the cassette teeth for the same hooked shape and for uneven wear between cogs.
Fit a new chain, then ride. If the gears skip or shift poorly just after the swap, the cassette is worn and needs replacing.
Replace the chain first, then the cassette, then the chainrings, since the chain wears fastest.
Tips and common mistakes
Replace the chain before it reaches 1 percent wear to save the cassette and chainrings.
A worn chain on a new cassette wears it out fast, so change both together if the cassette is already hooked.
Check chain wear every few hundred miles, and more often in wet or gritty conditions.
Keep the chain clean and lubricated to slow wear and get more miles from the drivetrain.
Questions
How often should I replace my bike chain?
It depends on mileage and conditions, but check it every few hundred miles. A chain that measures 0.75 to 1 percent wear is due for replacement.
Can I replace just the chain and keep the cassette?
Yes, if the cassette teeth look even and gears shift well after the new chain goes on. If shifting skips, the cassette is worn and should be replaced too.
What are shark's teeth on a chainring?
They are hooked, pointed teeth that look like a shark fin. They mean the chainring is worn and should be replaced.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
