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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?
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the_julia7mo ago
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.
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benm737mo 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.
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