Just had to change my SRAM PCX1 chain on my bike as it had stretched past 0.75 on the checker (and cos changing chains early is much cheaper than trashing the cassette prematurely!). Anyway… According to Strava the bike has done 350 miles so far! Ouch. Ok it’s lasted a couple of rides longer than the Reverb did (new one now fitted back from warranty) but I’m typically getting 1500 miles plus on a chain on my road bike. Grinding paste is kept to a minimum on the drivetrain, and I’m not riding it through particularly harsh conditions as such. Just seems a bit premature to me…

i got 14,000km off a KMC X10 DLC and a Ultegra cassette (bit less on the cassette as i switched from SRAM Red at some point) was still working perfect together when i took it off, id just upgraded to 11 speed hence the removal,

just run them till they die, its more cost effective

mine did about 1200km then checked and it was proper stretched, needed changed immediately, i was pretty surprised, expected more

and cos changing chains early is much cheaper than trashing the cassette prematurely!

I’d disagree with that unless you are using some fancy cassette (in which case you can afford a box of chains)

i’m using the same chain, not sure how worn the first one was by the time i bought a checker. the second one is getting close to 0.75 and i have done a total of 980 miles on strava.
i’m guessing the first one did a lot more than half of those miles though.

I’m about 500 miles/chain, 1500 miles/11 speed cassette (3 chains). This year, that about 6 months of life, doing much more this year (all off-road).

About the same as 10 speed.

just run them till they die, its more cost effective

I’d disagree with that unless you are using some fancy cassette (in which case you can afford a box of chains)

LOL

It certainly isn’t when you’ve got an 11spd SRAM cassette, hence my post… Besides, on my 10spd road bike I’ll get 3 chains at 1500 miles each to a single Ultegra cassette. If I let the chain wear to the point it prematurely wore the cassette, both would be useless inside 2000 miles and the chain would most likely snap (or at least shifting performance would be terrible, and the chainrings would start to suffer too). The “let it all wear out together” argument really is only applicable if you’re running super cheap solid steel cassettes ie. Deore/Tiagra or below.

i got 14,000km off a KMC X10 DLC and a Ultegra cassette

How much do you weigh?!?! My 9 1/2 stone GF kills a chain in under 1500 miles (but then she’s got an incredible power to weight ratio). I’m 13 stone and more of a spinner than a grinder, but they don’t last a fraction of that length of time. Of more concern though is the wear rate on my 11spd MTB setup. Hence my post.

i’m using the same chain, not sure how worn the first one was by the time i bought a checker. the second one is getting close to 0.75 and i have done a total of 980 miles on strava.
i’m guessing the first one did a lot more than half of those miles though.

Sounds very consistent with my milage and wear rate… Ho hum! Just put a new PCX1 on today, when that wears I may try a KMC X11 as I’ve had better luck with KMC 10spd chains on my road bikes for sure.

I got 1700km out of mine, and it still wasn’t jumping… only changed it as I had a race coming up and couldn’t risk it failing on that.

someone here was running 10sp chain successfully on 11sp setup…

someone here was running 10sp chain successfully on 11sp setup…

It works of a fashion, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

So, 500ish miles on one chain.
Thats only just over one ride.
Bugger, I’ve just gone down the 1x route on my new fatbike.
Better lay in a stock of chains.

Don’t know miles exactly but 1000-2000probably. 13 months of all the original bits, some of mates ride a lot more and all last a year on one chain cassette.

Don’t bother with the chain changing thing…

3 x £40 chains to make the cassette last maybe a bit longer just isn’t worth it in my experience. It is just guaranteed £120 rather than risking spending the £200 for the cassette a few months sooner.

Del – Member
someone here was running 10sp chain successfully on 11sp setup…

I am – and oddly enough I would recommend it; just as good as 10 speed setup. That’s on a Shimano cassette and SS N/W. Can’t remember when it was changed, but it wasn’t long ago. I think.

Edit – 29 June, 365 ish miles round Chopwell and Hamsterley mainly. Tend to change when it starts to drop from the N/W and then re-profile the T-rex (when 10 speed). For the sake of £12, I’ll probably do it in a week or 2.

I run everything to the point it slips and then replace chainrings, chain and cassette all at the same time.

On my Roadbike that’s around 4-5000miles (all year round use wet and dry conditions) I only have one roadbike.

Hardtail 1500miles (all year round off-road use and I like riding in shitty conditions)

rather contradicts most chain swappers findings.

83kg

I used xx1 to destruction – well everything was ok until I changed chains – it’s in an old xx1 thread somewhere

Chuck your chain checker in the bin and ride everything together as long as possible then bin and replace, what’s the most it can cost? A cassette/chain/chainring and set of jockeys

About halfway down

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/xx1-x01-cassette-wear/page/3

I run everything to the point it slips and then replace chainrings, chain and cassette all at the same time.

Yes, but I expect you’re running Deore & Tiagra, not XX1 and Super Record!

Chuck your chain checker in the bin and ride everything together as long as possible then bin and replace, what’s the most it can cost? A cassette/chain/chainring and set of jockeys

Chains are cheap, the 11spd SRAM cassettes aren’t. If you replace the chain often, not only will everything shift better, but the casette/chainring/jockey wheels will all last a lot longer. I fail to see the economy of not replacing a cheap consumable once every so often that makes the more expensive components last longer.

3 x £40 chains to make the cassette last maybe a bit longer just isn’t worth it in my experience. It is just guaranteed £120 rather than risking spending the £200 for the cassette a few months sooner.

Your maths is seriously flawed… 11spd chains can be had for £15 apiece, the PCX1 is only £27.99 even at full RRP. I’d rather replace a £15 chain every so often to know it’s making the cassette (that’s worth 10x as much) last longer. Just a little surprised at how soon the first one has worn past the 0.75 mark. I’d expect 3 chains to a cassette (when they’re replaced at 0.75) from experience, which means I’ll need a new cassette after only about 1000 miles. That said, I’d probably need a new cassette at 500 miles if I let everything wear out together as you seem to suggest! All because you don’t want to change a £15 chain… Not being funny, but your maths REALLY does not compute! 😕

Point is mboy I’m getting far more life from my cassettes using one chain than you are fannying about with 3.

Ultegra/105. Zee/Saint/X0 (not that it matters)
*Patiently awaits your next unfounded judgmental “expectation”*

Options are to try something different or carry on as you are (and laugh at those who suggest an alternative). Looks like you’ll be carrying on binning chains usable chains every few rides.

3000 miles out of an x01 casssette changing chains at £22.00. That’s six months for me.

3-4 chains – you can run your last chain of that bunch to destruction.

On my 1×10 setup (XT cassette with 40T extender) I changed the chain at 2000Km then the cassette, chain and chainring (but not the extender) at 3500Km, I was starting to get serious chain suck. This was over a period of 15 months in a variety of conditions in the Dales, Lakes and Peak. The chainring was a Raceface NW, now using a Hope. I’m 83Kg.

Not sure what my next strategy will be: I might buy chain and cassette, change the chain and see if it runs OK, if not then I’ve already got the cassette ready.

Some chain brands/models just seem to wear quicker than others, IME KMC last longer than SRAM but can’t remember how the specific chains compare across the ranges so might be comparing a decent KMC to a cheap SRAM.

My first 11 speed chain lasted 3 miles.

To answer the OP’s question I get 7-800 miles out of XX1 chains.

I personally agree with mboy on replacing chains to preserve £300 cassettes. Running it all into the ground is ok but everything feels a bit shit for ages before it’s actually ‘dead’. I did this on my last bike, nowt broke, but it felt crap, with a very rattly chain which eventually shod some rollers and increasingly sloppy shifting. Cheaper stuff… Run the lot into the ground.

Just changing my X1 chain at .75 wear after 600 miles

Which chain checker are you guys using to assess this stretch? I seem to remember some thread in which this was discussed and it turned out not all types will give anywhere close to an accurate reading.

I use the Superstar one, backed up with a ruler. I’d be triple checking after 300 miles.

I agree with mboy. Changing a chain with a quick link takes a few minutes each time. Keep rotating 3 chains round to make your gears last 3 times as long. You should be cleaning your chain and gears properly every month if you use it a lot anyway so it makes little difference.

Replacing chain rings, cassette, jockey wheels and chain takes much longer.

Yeah, I was going to get to the ruler being cheaper and more accurate.

I now have nowt more to add…

Changed my first X1 chain at .75 wear after 650 miles, cassette still OK after another 200 miles and jockey wheels look OK. I suspect it’ll wear more in winter when the clay based mud attaches itself to the drivetrain.

I now have nowt more to add…

Never stops me!

You should be cleaning your chain and gears properly every month if you use it a lot anyway so it makes little difference.

Should I? What I’ve not used the bike in that time? What if I’ve done 1000 miles on it? Pointless comment.