Pro tip: check your chain wear before you buy a new cassette

I kept getting rough shifts and thought my 11-speed cassette was shot after about 2,000 miles. I was about to order a $60 replacement when a buddy asked if I'd checked my chain. My chain checker tool showed it was totally worn out. A new $25 chain fixed the shifting completely. Has anyone else saved a part by checking the simpler thing first?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_julia1mo agoMost Upvoted

Wait, is it actually the chain stretching or the pins and bushings wearing down? I see @benm73 mentioned a stretched chain, and that's the common way to say it, but my mechanic friend always points out the chain isn't really stretching like a rubber band. The parts inside just wear out, which makes the links longer. It's a small detail, but it helps me picture what the wear actually is. That wear is what then chews up the cassette teeth to match the longer chain links.

benm731mo ago

Totally been there. I almost replaced a whole drivetrain once because the indexing was all over the place. Threw a new chain on as a last ditch effort and it was smooth as butter. That chain checker tool is the best ten bucks I ever spent for the bike stand. It's crazy how a stretched chain can make everything else feel broken.