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Pro tip: I had to pick between a new chain and a full drivetrain replacement on a 3-year-old commuter bike
I went with just the chain, and after 2 weeks the old cassette started skipping under load. Anyone have a good rule of thumb for when to replace the whole set?
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aaron_gonzalez7mo ago
Man that's the worst feeling, when you try to save a few bucks and it just bites you later. How many miles do you think you put on that original chain and cassette before it started acting up? I've heard that rule about replacing the chain every so often to save the rest, but I'm never sure when the other parts are too far gone.
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skylerowens7mo ago
Watched a buddy make that exact call on his mountain bike last season. He threw a new chain on a worn cassette and it slipped so bad on the first climb he nearly ate it. The old rule is if your chain is stretched past a certain point, the cassette teeth are already hooked and won't play nice with a fresh chain. You need a chain checker tool, the cheap kind works. If it drops all the way in, you're usually too late and the whole drivetrain is shot.
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morgan9156mo ago
Yeah, that's the classic mistake. I learned it the hard way on an old road bike. Put a new chain on and it just skipped over the worn teeth under any real power. Ended up having to replace the cassette and chainrings anyway, which cost way more than a few chains would have. A chain checker is maybe ten bucks and saves you a huge headache. How often do you check yours?
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