Hello,
i have a nice Schwinn hybrid (400$) bike bought in 2015 but not used much. I Have about 400 miles on it. I just has a tune up done on it. Bike shop told me a new sprocket and chain would be needed soon....it might last the rest of this year. I bike about 30 miles a week - 9 to 11 mph. today, the bike slipped out of gear several times and then corrected within 20 seconds or so. Is that the sprocket and chain? I cant believe it only lasts 400 miles.
Depends on the chain... I found that cheap chains don't last, the 10€ cheap KMC ones for example. Spring for something middle range, though chains are really not that expensive. Cassettes can be pricey, so I tend to replace the chain early. Check for chain wear using an inch ruler, 12 links should be 12 inch. If it is more than 1/8 longer it is time to replace it and the cassette as well. At about 1/16 it's enough to replace the chain only (my opinion and experience).
Edit: yes, chain wear is one of the reasons for skipping under load. Wrongly set up derailleur is more common, or an out of alignment derailleur hanger.
Just to add to Joes good advice, The first thing to check is the derailluer hanger alignment with a gauge tool, and set the gears correctly. making sure there is no binding of the cable.
There are two kinds of people in the world, "Those who help themselves to people, and those who help people!"
... and look at the cable - when I have shifter problems it's sometimes the cable, frayed, broken strands.
(05-08-2020, 10:40 PM)Jerry lee Greer Wrote: Hello,
i have a nice Schwinn hybrid (400$) bike bought in 2015 but not used much. I Have about 400 miles on it. I just has a tune up done on it. Bike shop told me a new sprocket and chain would be needed soon....it might last the rest of this year. I bike about 30 miles a week - 9 to 11 mph. today, the bike slipped out of gear several times and then corrected within 20 seconds or so. Is that the sprocket and chain? I cant believe it only lasts 400 miles.
I bought a new cruiser from a bike shop. At 1,000 miles the gears were giving me a problem, and I didn't know enough at the time to fix it, myself. So I took it back to the bike shop where the mechanic checked the chain and said it's shot. He said a chain is only good for about 800 miles. He put a new chain and freewheel on the bike and straightened the derailleur which was hanging outboard (It came from the shop that way). That was a $400 bike, too. Apparently, makers put the cheapest of everything on a low end bike. Since then I found that chains last a lot longer if you buy decent ones such as KMC or other top brand. I don't know what Walmart sells but I heard they are the cheapest of the cheap. I put a new chain on my Specialized Fatboy at around 6,000 miles, but then I don't ride in mud and grit, and I clean and lube the chain every 100 miles.
Incidentally, I bought a Schwinn 3rd Avenue hybrid about three years ago, and out of the box it was a piece of junk, but I expected to be for only $199. I turned it into a decent bike with a number of mods such as a cartridge BB, better chain and freewheel, triple chain ring and cranks, fenders, handlebars and saddle. It even needed two new tires and tubes right out of the box; it wasn't rideable with the ones that came with the bike. I don't know if Schwinn makes decent bikes anymore.
If I knew how to ride a bike properly, I'd do it every time.
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