I’m not sure when I last replaced my chain, might be up to 5,000 miles ago. I thought I’d changed it sooner. Anyway I checked with a park cc22 and I’m at .8
I’ve got an Ultegra 11s chain, and Ive got a Dura Ace chain ordered but won’t arrive for a few days. Do I keep riding on the current chain or wait?
Couple days won’t matter at this point. An 11s chain should be replaced between 0.5 and 0.75! Better find a virgin to sacrifice in the lava pits of Mt. Sufferlandria so that you don’t have to replace the cassette! They are REALLY scarce out there.
Dang, I’m fresh out of virgins! I do, however, have a spare cassette on my wheel that has fewer miles on it.
Ride on the current chain. Any damage that will be done already has. Just remember to replace it sooner next time! A clean chain is a HAPPY chain too.
Are you riding outside at all? Are you doing any efforts which put a lot of immediate power through the chain?
April 2021 I had the thought that my chain had taken a few miles and did the same park tool measurement. The chain on my Ultegra 11speed measured > 0.5% but not quite 0.75%. 2 days later (somewhat coincidence, but perhaps not…) it snapped whilst going for a Strava segment.
1 Hospital visit, 5 broken ribs, a bruised lung and don’t get out of bed for several weeks.
Look after your chain.
Not lately, indoors only until March
Phew. You’ll only go over the handlebar on to the tv then. That’s fine.
Bookcases beware!!
He’s no Dame Karen! Bookcases should be safe!
With 0.8 wear the chain will have worn the chainrings and cassette to the point a new chain will shift worse. The only thing to do now is run the whole drivetrain into the ground, you’ll probably get another 5000 miles, until you have to replace the lot.
Well, I also have my Ultegra 50x34 crankset (170mm). I had swapped that for a 105 52x39 (160mm). I was thinking of using the compact chainrings on the shorter cranks anyway.
I guess I’ll know pretty quick if the rings/cassette need replacing.
Ouch! I must say I’ve never snapped a chain. You had to be putting out some serious watts.
I don’t have the hair for it!
Some would say she might rip most of our legs off just trying to keep up. She’s a beast. And she’s snapped a chain or two as well. Bookcases lean back in fear!
Status update: DuraAce 11s chain ordered, next biz day. Just picked up a 105 cassette at my LBS, I figure the weight difference doesn’t matter on my Kickr! And I have spare chainrings if needed. Looks like I’m building a Franken-Kickr!!!
Must be that time of season. Broke my drive train on 4DP test this morning during the first 5s interval; at least it was a new PR. Something went in the chain, with an annoying “chunk” sound & thump the remainder of the test. Chain measured 1.3% elongation in one of the sections using calipers. That’s a bit more than the 0.5 to 0.8 recommendation … so new chain and cassette have been ordered. It is getting harder to find in stock 10 speed chains.
Try KMC. I find them easier to source and I’ve found them really good value for money, slightly pricier and significantly more durable.
I found Ultegra 11s chains at an REI store in the Chicago suburbs. Not where I’d normally look for chains, but they do service bikes there and don’t have a high volume of cyclists coming through there. I bought my DuraAce chain at Competitive Cyclist online.
Good suggestions. I’ll keep KMC in mind for the future, they were sold out of all 10s versions. Dame Lisa @DameLisa , are you using KMC’s DLC version or X versions?
I think the X demarcates the hollow lighter chain links; I run the KMC X11SL gold on my Canyon. My original DLC chain didn’t have hollow links but my current one does.
Some reviews say KMC is only marginally better than Shimano chains but costs a lot more. Perhaps it depends on your riding conditions, so worth bearing that in mind. I get more than double the mileage out the gold 11s chain on the Canyon than I used to from a decent Ultegra chain by Shimano, and it’s not double the price here. However, I’m also a lot more pedantic about keeping my drive chain clean than I used to be. And admittedly also adore a gold chain on an otherwise 100% matt black stealth bike 