Assuming Spring Comes, What Do We Need to Change in Bikes and or Equipment
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@GuyContinental 47707 wrote:
The big caveat is that I’m OCD with chains- I have a power-link on every one so I can pull the chain monthly and make it sparkly in a sonic cleaner then I do a deep re-lube with Pro-link. I also lube/wipe down every other ride. No grit = long life.
I’d rather buy new chains than spend that much effort on them
@mstone 47711 wrote:
I’d rather buy new chains than spend that much effort on them
Look at Mr. 1 Percenter over here!
But yeah, I completely agree with you…
@Tim Kelley 47712 wrote:
Look at Mr. 1 Percenter over here!
But yeah, I completely agree with you…
1 percenter? Maybe I just use cheap chains.
The commuter is 8 speed, the chain is under $20, I’m perfectly willing to spend $20/year on a new chain vs 1/2 hr a month. (I value my time at over $4/hr.) Even the new dura-ace chains can be found around $50, which changes the cost curve a little bit, but they also last longer. Maybe if rode a couple thousand miles a month the calculus would change, but I can’t even imagine when I’d have an extra half hour in that case. 
I’d definitely rather buy a chain than a cassette & crank. I do throw on some prolink every hundred miles or so, but that only takes a minute or two.@mstone 47717 wrote:
… Even the new dura-ace chains can be found around $50, which changes the cost curve a little bit, but they also last longer …
Actually, I think all of the 10 speed chains have a shorter life than my 8 speed chains, they just cost twice or three times as much.
@consularrider 47719 wrote:
Actually, I think all of the 10 speed chains have a shorter life than my 8 speed chains, they just cost twice or three times as much.
They should- thinner metal no?
My SS 1/8″ chains are positively deathless. Also heavy as heck but I’ll ride on a single chain for years… of course as of late, the miles MTB on that chain are pretty low…
@consularrider 47719 wrote:
Actually, I think all of the 10 speed chains have a shorter life than my 8 speed chains, they just cost twice or three times as much.
I don’t go through enough chains to create data.
The tests I’ve read suggest that shimano’s high-end 10 speed chains are actually fairly durable, and they say that the new 11 is even better. Take it with a grain of salt obviously, because they’re unlikely to say that their new product sucks more, but there’s no specific reason to believe that they can’t come up with techniques for making better chains with all the money they spend on R&D. So yeah, the plates are thinner, but they’re also plated for hardness & low friction. The 9 speed stuff did seem to be a step backward, and the low end of the various lines tend to skip the plating & other features.There is some reason to believe that over cleaning will reduce chain life, because it’s a lot harder to get lube into the bushings than it is to get it out.
I admit I generally hate maintenance, cleaning, etc. so I’m not as diligent with my bikes as I should be. And although in theory I have bikes for bad weather, I end up riding any of them in almost any weather.
I think I’m in the would-rather-buy-a-new-chain camp. Or even, let-it-stretch-and-just-buy-a-new-cassette-every-six-months as well
The obvious solution is n+1. Gates Carbon drive, Alfine 11, something like that.
@GuyContinental 47722 wrote:
My SS 1/8″ chains are positively deathless. Also heavy as heck but I’ll ride on a single chain for years… of course as of late, the miles MTB on that chain are pretty low…
Plus, they don’t have to suffer the indignities of shifting: the greater the front-to-rear angle, the more stress is put on the moving parts of the chain, which causes faster wear.
But yeah, those are some heavy-duty chains.
Brendan
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