Bike gurus: How often do you switch out your chain?

[landpoke]

I have a road bike that I've had for about nine months. I've probably put about 200-300 miles on it in the 3 months that I have actually been able to ride since last fall. About half of that has been on gravel roads with only short moderate to steep climbs. Is there any rule of thumb or is it simply on an as needed basis?

[SteelBlue]

When it breaks. I'm lazy.

[Coach McGuirk]

I have a road bike that I've had for about nine months. I've probably put about 200-300 miles on it in the 3 months that I have actually been able to ride since last fall. About half of that has been on gravel roads with only short moderate to steep climbs. Is there any rule of thumb or is it simply on an as needed basis?

you should get around several thousand miles out of your chain. That is if you are cleaning and lubing your chain and gear set properly. I would say you have no worries on replacing your chain for a while.

[mtnbiker]

Mostly as needed. The problem is that it eventually stretches. You can measure it yourself, or most bike shops will have a tool: a ruler. You can usually get 1000-2000 miles out of a chain before replacing it. If you let it stretch too much before replacing it, you can put abnormal wear on your chainrings & cassette, then you'll have to replace them, too. I put about 7000 miles on 1 chain on a road bike, and was starting to notice shifting issues, but sold the bike before replacing anything.

[landpoke]

Thanks all for the answers.

[creekster]

I see you are done. I will opine anyway, becasue sometimes people from wyoming need to be told thigns mroe than once, you know.

No way your chain will need to be replaced after that little amount of riding. THey can stretch out, btu i just replaced my chain on my touring frame and it lasted almost 5,000 mioles. A couple of times a year I measured the distance between links (ther is this cool tool you can use to make ti really easy; a bike shop will measure for free) to see if it had stretched. you will be fine for a long time still.

[landpoke]

I see you are done. I will opine anyway, becasue sometimes people from wyoming need to be told thigns mroe than once, you know.

No way your chain will need to be replaced after that little amount of riding. THey can stretch out, btu i just replaced my chain on my touring frame and it lasted almost 5,000 mioles. A couple of times a year I measured the distance between links (ther is this cool tool you can use to make ti really easy; a bike shop will measure for free) to see if it had stretched. you will be fine for a long time still.

Keep in mind you're talking to a guy who broke not one but two free wheels on a trip to Moab some time back. I'm hard on equipment.