Does that work?

Change the chain at .75 wear, or before? Rotate a number of different chains?

Ish.

If you run everything into the ground it’ll probably last a long time, but all get rattly and sloppy along the way. Plus, when the chain breaks it’s all for the bin.

Changing chains means that if a chain breaks you don’t necessarily have to replace the whole lot. Thereby meaning things potentially last longer and stay working nicely for longer.

IMO it’s not worth it unless you’ve got a very expensive cassette.

With an XT cassette you can end up spending £60 on chains to ‘save’ a £50 cassette.

IME no. Just ride the thing until it all dies and then replace chain, cassette and maybe inner chain ring.

IMO it’s not worth it unless you’ve got a very expensive cassette.

^ this

With SLX cassettes @£20, and chains @£10-£15 just run it into the ground as you’ll spend more on chains to make a cassette last a bit longer and increase faffage

Even with XT cassettes, barely worth it, they’re only £30 online…

XTR or SRAM 11sp stuff, it’s more worthwhile, but no first hand experience from me as all my drive trains are Shimano or SS

Used to. Came to the conclusion of those above and change it all when it’s trashed. Although I have an SS that tends to get used more, certainly in horrible conditions, my Giant is now needing it’s first set, think I’ve had it for 3 years.

I don’t record how many miles I get from my cassettes, but always change chains at .75 and cassette only if it looks like it needs it.

Or more likely if the new chain doesn’t get on with the existing cassette.

I’ve always thought the “change at .75” was a bit arbitrary and I’ve never seen any empirical evidence to suggest where this magic number came from.

I used to run everything for 1 year and get new chain and sprockets every spring once winter has had its fun spat it out. I used to run shimano exclusively.
My latest bike has SRAM 1×11, it was bought ‘off the shelf’ I normally avoid but thought ‘In for a penny’. The rear cassette is nearly £200!!! to replace.
I have bought a chain checker and will be trying to eek out as much life from the cogs as possible on this one.

Nope. I wait till it’s all worn out. I try and buy cassettes and chainrings when cheap, so minimises faff.
I do seem to be making 2×10 (XT level) last significantly longer than 3×9- anyone else find this?

Interesting to read replies, I was told just run it all till it’s worn out then replace. Have always done that. Logic was the chain and cassette wear evenly to match and if you change the chain the half worn cassette not longer matches the new chain

Run it into the ground until it starts to play up then bin it all with the middle ring and replace the granny and big rings every other change. CBA with faffing about changing chains to be honest.

I’d be firmly into the “run it all into the ground” camp, but the cassette is XX1, hence the question. A couple of 30 quid chains to make the cassette last longer is worth it, if it works.

Interesting to read replies, I was told just run it all till it’s worn out then replace. Have always done that. Logic was the chain and cassette wear evenly to match and if you change the chain the half worn cassette not longer matches the new chain

Beyond a point that is true, hence changing before that point.

My XX1 cassette is on its 3rd chain and still running really nicely. On my previous bike my XTR cassette was still on the original chain after 18 months (as I didn’t change it soon enough) and it was all very rattly and sloppy. Sounded crap more than anything. Plus broken chains are at best an inconvenice and at worst really quite painful.