Fixed wheel chain wear

[hubner]

The 3/32 chain on my fixed is quite worn, the hub has moved back in the dropout by about 4mm compared with when the chain was new, which is many years ago.

Should I replace the chain or continue to use it? Obviously it doesn't skip but the worn chain will accelerate ring and sprocket wear.

What happens if I continue to use the chain?

If I do fit a new chain I think I will fit a new sprocket and reverse the chainring.

[Pickled Onion]

The sprocket looks pretty well fucked in that picture. I'd wager that if you put a new chain on it, even reverse, it will sound like a can full of spanners.

>> Should I replace the chain or continue to use it? Obviously it doesn't skip but the worn chain will accelerate ring and sprocket wear.

It's up to you. You could change the chain and sprocket now and the chainring should be fine for many years more. Or you could "run it into the ground" and change the whole lot in a few years' time.

>> What happens if I continue to use the chain?

Not much. As you say it won't skip or unship. The chance of the chain breaking obviously gets greater the older it is, but that's a rare occurrence.

[rogerzilla]

That's not an EAI sprocket, is it?

With cheap sprockets, I'd run chain and sprocket into the ground.  With a nice spricket, I'd change the chain at 1/16" per foot/0.5% elongation.

[aidan.f]

Not much. As you say it won't skip or unship.

Is that a bushed chain ?
Not a pleasant experience unshipping a chain, BTDT

[Pickled Onion]

That's not an EAI sprocket, is it?

With cheap sprockets, I'd run chain and sprocket into the ground.  With a nice spricket, I'd change the chain at 1/16" per foot/0.5% elongation.

At £75 a sprocket, I would too! But why would anyone pay that? Are they really that much better? I thought I was being profligate buying Condor sprockets which last for almost forever changing the chain at 0.75%

[Pickled Onion]

Not much. As you say it won't skip or unship.

Is that a bushed chain ?
Not a pleasant experience unshipping a chain, BTDT

GPWM it might be worth the OP losing the lockring if running into the ground is their choice.

[hubner]

That's not an EAI sprocket, is it?

With cheap sprockets, I'd run chain and sprocket into the ground.  With a nice spricket, I'd change the chain at 1/16" per foot/0.5% elongation.

At £75 a sprocket, I would too! But why would anyone pay that? Are they really that much better? I thought I was being profligate buying Condor sprockets which last for almost forever changing the chain at 0.75%

Yes EAI but the basic steel one which was the only version available then, I think it was  something like £17. It's around £25 now.

[Jonah]

The cog and the chain ring both look quite worn so I'd just ride them and the chain to the ground until you decide to replace the whole.  Swapping-out one of the trio now probably wont work and will just waste your money.  I did this on PBP and had no trouble at all.  The chain was stretched like rhino and the cog and chainring looked like those golden suns with a dark blue background found on late 80's/early 90's greetings cards that you might find in an ethnic incense and jewelry shop.

I always rode Phil Wood cogs until I discovered that Condor cheapo s/s ones last pretty much as long!  c.17-snots?  I added an EAI cog to a Phil hub once and trashed the thread - an issue with these apparently?  I did however, sell the EAI on eBay for as much as I bought it for the very next day!

The hardest chain ring I've ever run is an Aarn and well worth investing in.  I think there might be a harder tempered one which is not so easy to get?

1/8 is far preferable for fixed riding in my book.  The whole rig will last longer and gives you more confidence when applying power and wrestling up hills.

I use KMC Kool BMX chains which are stronger than the traditional 'single speed chains' and dead cheap.  Winstanley's BMX shop seem to be one of the cheapest and the P&P is cheap, even when you buy in bulk.

Get a Park Tools chain checker (in case you haven't got on already) and swap out the chain as soon as it starts to stretch - you're c/r and cog will both last much longer and you can then afford to spend out more on a decent c/r!

Adam OTP is selling a 1/8 STRONGLIGHT 49T on the ACH whatts app site!?  Damn fine ring!

[αdαmsκι]

Adam OTP is selling a 1/8 STRONGLIGHT 49T on the ACH whatts app site!?  Damn fine ring!

Tho to add it's 135 BCD. I ordered the wrong size, hence now getting rid of it.

[Jonah]

Soz Adamski
Assumed it was 144

[Pingu]

Not much. As you say it won't skip or unship.

Is that a bushed chain ?
Not a pleasant experience unshipping a chain, BTDT

+1  Especially down a steep hill

[αdαmsκι]

Assumed it was 144

I assumed it was 144. Until I tried to fit it😂

[giropaul]

It’s quite common to run 1/8 chain and sprocket with a 3/32 chainring.
The key advantage of 1/8 in my view is that they are designed to run straight, whereas 3/32 are made to derail in order to change gear.

[Ian H]

I run everything ⅛th now, along with decent sprockets.  Seems more reliable and robust.

Some years ago I did allow the drive-train to wear to the point where, even tightly adjusted, the chain could unship.  I discovered this when travelling downhill at about 35mph (said my companion just behind).  The resultant slide gave me an impressive patch of road-rash which took a week or two to heal.  I'm more careful with maintenance now.

[rt]

as Jonah said
use 1/8 chain and use a chain checker.

replace chain as soon as its looking worn. Always 1/8 chain (unless you ride a penny farthing, they don't have chains)