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Chain wear to 0.75 too fast [Solved]
#1
Hi,
got a fresh new KMC chain back in August for urban commuter bike. Have lubed it twice during this time, and weekly I cover around 30 miles on the bicycle. Measured chain wear yesterday ... it's worn already until the 0,75 mark. Isn't this too early for a chain to be done??
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#2
(11-03-2019, 07:16 PM)pinot_noir Wrote:  Hi,
got a fresh new KMC chain back in August for urban commuter bike. Have lubed it twice during this time, and weekly I cover around 30 miles on the bicycle. Measured chain wear yesterday ... it's worn already until the 0,75 mark. Isn't this too early for a chain to be done??

What lube do you use and in what conditions have you biked? Rain, gravel, mud perhaps?
Focus Mares AL 105
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#3
(11-06-2019, 11:11 AM)Henry_G Wrote:  
(11-03-2019, 07:16 PM)pinot_noir Wrote:  Hi,
got a fresh new KMC chain back in August for urban commuter bike. Have lubed it twice during this time, and weekly I cover around 30 miles on the bicycle. Measured chain wear yesterday ... it's worn already until the 0,75 mark. Isn't this too early for a chain to be done??

What lube do you use and in what conditions have you biked? Rain, gravel, mud perhaps?

The good old Park tools lube. Nothing crazy, few days of rain and about 400 yard gravel shortcut section. It felt a little loose, then I watched the chain wear video from the repair guides, and whola 0.75
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#4
(11-07-2019, 10:45 AM)pinot_noir Wrote:  
(11-06-2019, 11:11 AM)Henry_G Wrote:  
(11-03-2019, 07:16 PM)pinot_noir Wrote:  Hi,
got a fresh new KMC chain back in August for urban commuter bike. Have lubed it twice during this time, and weekly I cover around 30 miles on the bicycle. Measured chain wear yesterday ... it's worn already until the 0,75 mark. Isn't this too early for a chain to be done??

What lube do you use and in what conditions have you biked? Rain, gravel, mud perhaps?

The good old Park tools lube. Nothing crazy, few days of rain and about 400 yard gravel shortcut section. It felt a little loose, then I watched the chain wear video from the repair guides, and whola 0.75

I have... mixed results with KMC chains. The cheap stuff is really cheap and wears prematurely. At least that was the case when I last used one.
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#5
(11-07-2019, 03:54 PM)Joe_W Wrote:  
(11-07-2019, 10:45 AM)pinot_noir Wrote:  
(11-06-2019, 11:11 AM)Henry_G Wrote:  
(11-03-2019, 07:16 PM)pinot_noir Wrote:  Hi,
got a fresh new KMC chain back in August for urban commuter bike. Have lubed it twice during this time, and weekly I cover around 30 miles on the bicycle. Measured chain wear yesterday ... it's worn already until the 0,75 mark. Isn't this too early for a chain to be done??

What lube do you use and in what conditions have you biked? Rain, gravel, mud perhaps?

The good old Park tools lube. Nothing crazy, few days of rain and about 400 yard gravel shortcut section. It felt a little loose, then I watched the chain wear video from the repair guides, and whola 0.75

I have... mixed results with KMC chains. The cheap stuff is really cheap and wears prematurely. At least that was the case when I last used one.

Not sure where to draw the line between cheap KMC chains | better ones ... once I allowed myself to spend more than usual on SRAM's single-speed chain fro the city bike and it indeed made a noticeable difference. Long lasting and tight.
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#6
(11-03-2019, 07:16 PM)pinot_noir Wrote:  Hi,
got a fresh new KMC chain back in August for urban commuter bike. Have lubed it twice during this time, and weekly I cover around 30 miles on the bicycle. Measured chain wear yesterday ... it's worn already until the 0,75 mark. Isn't this too early for a chain to be done??
From August to November? No way should that be worn out, already, unless you lubed it with grinding paste.

I bought a new cruiser from a bike shop. At 1,000 miles I was having trouble with the 7-speed gears. I noticed the derailleur was leaning outboard at the bottom. Not knowing, at the time, anything about chains and gears, I took it back to the shop. The mechanic put a measuring tool on it and said the chain is shot. I asked him if a 1,000 miles was a chain's limit. He said they're only good for 800 miles, and that I was lucky to get 1,000 out of it. Turns out he didn't know what he was talking about. And because of several other problems with his work and his bad attitude, I learned to do my own repairs.

I put a new KMC chain on my hybrid, 3,500 miles ago, and it's showing .05 with the Park measuring tool. I also put a new Shimano chain on my 20-speed fat bike, and it's still showing almost new after 2,500 miles. I lube the chains with Rock n' Roll lube every 100 miles. The fat bike originally had a KMC chain on it, and it lasted for around 5,000 miles. I ride, every day, but only on pavement, and not in wet weather.

I'd guess you got a defective chain. I would avoid Walmart chains, but I wouldn't suggest you go with high dollar chains. I paid $19.69 for my Shimano chain.
If I knew how to ride a bike properly, I'd do it every time.
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#7
Well, there are KMC chains in the price range of 7€ to... I guess unlimited, pretty much. The cheap stuff wears like crazy, you are lucky to get 1000km out of it, and 1000 land miles is really a lot. I would not consider a 20€ chain to be low end, this is about what I spend on my chains. However, it really depends on the conditions you ride in. After a Norwegian winter you need a new chain. Salt, grime, sand, mud all take their toll.
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