A Pandemic Drivetrain: The 4,000-mile Audit

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

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[@wertywerty999]

I rode my pandemic drivetrain about 7500km but my Chain Checker was still not dropping into the link - I was very surprised. Eventually I discovered that the checker didn't drop in because it had stretched so much that IT WAS TOUCHING THE WRONG SIDE OF THE GAP. Check early, check often folks :P

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

HA-HA, impressive!

[@joesheehan5540]

pro tip: you can check the chain by measuring out 12 links. all chain links are 1 inch long when new. so if 12 links measures to anything over 12-1/16” it usually equates to .5 or more on a wear indicator tool.

[@davehoover8853]

Love to see more videos like this on your channel. Excellent to see basic things to look for, how to use certain tools and what you can get away with. Well done!

[@reeceholmes8546]

thanks Neil, 4000miles is a long way for one chain, great stuff

[@dphipps77]

Great video. Thanks for the pointers on checking wear without having the wear tools. That is really helpful for us that can't or are to cheap to buy the specialty tools. As for my pandemic drivetrain. I am still feeling lucky that I found my pandemic bike let alone a good drivetrain build. I am pretty sure I was able to score the last Salsa Fargo XL in the country when I picked it up last year. It's the Tiagra 2x10, so I think that actually helped me out on parts. I was able to build a wide range 2x10 drivetrain when all of the 1x parts were out of stock. Though it still wasn't easy to source the parts I was looking for either. I was a to find an 38t chain ring replace the stock 36t to build a 38/26 Deore crank and was able to find 11-42 deore cassette to replace the 11/36 stock cassette. I was also able to find a GRX 400 RD and a 10 speed goat link which handles the 11-42 beautifully with still plenty of b screw left. Couldn't be happier.

[@sagehiker]

I am just here to admire your logos (grins). I picked up a $25 ‘99 GT MTB last month that had better 3x7 drive train and went through the same. I had to do the the same walk thru as you did. Repack the BB, replaced the 3x chain rings from another salvage bike, and swapped front derailleur for better. New jockey wheels as 7-8 speed ones are out there. New cables all around. New cables and brake pads. And I had the LBS check our derailleur hanger and wheels. It so sweet! When I started I wanted to pitch the whole drive train, but this is so much better.

[@SiopaoSauc3]

Wow. This is some #yourbikehatesyou material, but on purpose, and for science. Thanks for taking one for the team Neil!

[@coreyreeder3549]

Seriously though it was really helpful to see how you go over your drivetrain

[@bosanderspublictheology]

That was incredibly helpful. Thank you. I had to replace an entire drivetrain on my 2011 Trek Sawyer and converted it to a 1x10 with a great climbing gear. This video let's me know what to keep an eye on as that new chain begins to wear.

[@climbslc2281]

Ha ha Ha! That is an AWESOME amount of wear. STRONG WORK BRO! I just joined the Bike Collective based on this video. Thanks for all you hard (wearing) work!

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Music to our ears, thank you so much for the support!

[@paulkruglov7280]

More videos like this!! Keep on pedaling.

[@John_D2]

Very informative , thank you for your time.

[@jancoetzer9941]

Pandemic Part Hunt - new REAL new sport in 2021! I only got 3000 miles out of my last chain & cassette (SunRace 11-42). I really struggled to find replacement parts around October this year. Eventually I found a Shimano SLX cassette with a SRAM chain - this will be the nicest (and most expensive) cassette I’ve ever had on the Pugsley. I will take careful note to see if I get more miles from the dearer SLX cassette than the usual SunRace one.

[@SnootchieBootchies27]

I'm actually a bit blown away that cassette worked well with a brand new chain. It's not 0.75% worn. It's 75% worn. At 100% a drivetrain is usually completely used up and unsalvageable. Most brand new chains will measure at 15 to 20 percent. 25% to 30% is the optimal time to preemptively swap a chain to avoid wear on the rest of the drivetrain, and for optimal compatibility of a new chain with old cassette and rings. With this system, I've gone up to four chains on the same rings and cogs, then eventually let them all wear out together.

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

I also was blown away, not sure how I got so lucky here. Wait, thats confusing, as Park Tool using .5% and .75% in their language when describing their tools. I guess either way it's the principle.

[@SnootchieBootchies27]

@RollinRat okay, that 0.75mm thing makes sense.

[@sebastiengagnon3275]

Great video Neil. Do you offer house call!. I truly enjoy the video that are coming out. Keep it up. Are you planning to make a video review of the Cutthroat. Cheers

[@supergrom2963]

i built a gravel bike with a DT from aliexpress, works better than expected, and for the price i could not complain (but i did replace the chain after about 200km)

[@Highnoonshred]

I clean my bike and drivetrain with Dr. Bronner's soap and it does the job!

[@tuftschristopher]

And the 2021 award for most unique montage music goes to...

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

VIBING! I would love to make a video of me just working on my bikes, it includes a lot of dancing and signing but I'm not sure too many would be interested in that.

[@davidbabcock3261]

keeping your drivetrain clean and regularly measuring chain wear is the best thing you can do for your bike. I assume this guy let it go for the dramatic effect, but if he had kept an eye on chain wear and changed chain earlier, the cassette and chainrings would have more life left in them--sure it shifted ok, but this chain took more life out of the cassette and chainrings than was necessary . And ya, clean and lube your bike often, well the drivetrain anyway.

[@_itzmax_3394]

Great video Neil. I noticed that you were rocking those 510 Kestrels on the close-up shot of you clipping in, will you make a video about those shoes in the future?

[@leqin]

I took a long hard look during the pandemic, in the way that the cost of every single part on my bikes drivetrain went through the roof and with one simple question - am I prepared to pay more or less double what it originally cost me and suppose I woke up tomorrow and Covid had turned out to be like a scene from a 1970's BBC program. The answer was no. The program was Survivors and as a child it taught me make stuff last forever, so I upgraded my sram gx kit to shimano compatible 8 speed. I have a stockpile of chainrings chains jockey wheels and cassettes that will pretty much last me forever and all purchased as new for was seems like a pittance....... and the only thing I miss about the GX my bike originally came with is that little spring loaded catch that holds the derailleur open.

[@daseishorn1863]

I managed to squeeze a 10-42t cassette in my GRX rear mech together with a 24-42 Setup in the front. 15gear inches in the smallest gear and 735% Gear range.

[@SpaceDjoxy]

How do you shift in the front? What is the derailleur-crankset combo?

[@daseishorn1863]

Fd-Rx812 with white industries

[@SpaceDjoxy]

@@daseishorn1863 It's able to make a 18t shift just fine? Can a derailleur go any lower to work with a smaller big chainring? Or it would hit the chainstay?

[@bingoberra18]

Top tip is to rotate between two chains regularly, that way the components don't get "personal", so will not be instantly wearing your new parts in after a swap. Will prolong the life of the cassette and chainring

[@VeloObscura]

This is what I'm experimenting with at the moment. I rotate between two chains every 1000km. If it works like intended then I'll be using that method on my next long-term trip.

[@bingoberra18]

@@VeloObscura Great! My local bike shop said to rotate every third ride. I suppose a happy medium would be best.

[@VeloObscura]

@@bingoberra18 Wow yeah, that's more often than I expected. I suppose it makes sense though! I'm usually looking at this sort of thing in the context of a long term tour - we just finished a 6 month stint - and I don't know if I could deal with that amount of work... I'm a pretty lazy cyclist at times and it often seems like usual rules don't apply in bike travel world 😅

[@bingoberra18]

@@VeloObscura Hehe well the correct way would probably be some kind of intervals based on hours ridden. I think if you wait too long between intervals, its already starting to get personal and youll wear down the other item slightly in the process. Riding for 6 months maybe every 2-4 weeks would be reasonable to start with? At the same time, thoroughly cleaning and lubing up the chain that comes off.

[@VeloObscura]

@@bingoberra18 Yeah, I'd be more inclined to go based on distance as that MIGHT be a slightly more accurate representation of the amount of cycles the drivetrain has done? We might take a couple of days off somewhere and that would obviously mean less chain wear for example... I think it's hard to find a perfect answer for that one, but I guess as long as you do it fairly often like you say. We take REALLY good care of our chains. I've experimented with various lubricants over our tours and I keep coming back to the likes of "Squirt" and "Smoove" just for how clean they keep everything - but I'm currently experimenting with the Wolf Tooth lube and so far it has been incredible. It might be my new favorite, but it's a bit pricier and harder to find.

[@barrybogart5436]

Interesting. I guess a one-by forces you to use more of the cogs, evening wear? Don't forget to reverse the chairing to even wear there.

[@markthorrowgood3266]

There's a rule of thumb that says 3-4 chains per cassette and 3-4 cassettes per set of chainrings. Throw a chain checking tool on each chain at 2,500 kms and change them out at .75 or more, because hey, a chain's cheaper than a cassette and a cassette's cheaper than a set of chainrings, or an entire new crankset (which can be cheaper than new chainrings on their own). You'll always hit that guy who will angrily insist that he's still running a chain and cassette from 1975 and gets agressive at the idea that components are consumables, but by changing chains you have much nicer shifting and a longer slifespan. One thing to note is Sunrace cassettes. Sometimes they skip like mad on their third chain, and you have to wait a few hundred kms for the last chain to settle in, so it's better, from a longevity standpoint, if not a weight weinie viewpoint, to use their heavier steel cassettes. You get a weight penalty, but if you're riding party pace on a steel bikepacking bike it's not the end of the world and they tend to be cheaper than the ones with alloy spiders etc.

[@literallyanythingelseother]

moral of the story, replace your chain often and save your drivetrain!

[@joshuabourdrez2543]

Hi. How did you arrive at the 4K number? I just got the 3 components you mentioned replaced after 6k miles and my bike is running great. It sounds like a regularly replaced chain is the best maintenance scheme. Thx

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

The goal was to see how far the drivetrain would run without replacing anything, I washed it down and lubed it but that is it, it stopped working (started skipping) at just over 4000 miles.

[@123moof]

One bummer about becoming a bike collector is it is much harder to track miles put onto bikes and drivetrains. If I didn’t know myself better I’d write things down or something. One bike lost its “dumb” bike computer being dragged over downed trees on its last big trip this spring, so I’ve forever lost track of its total miles.

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

I track everything, kinda part of the job, but I hear ya!

[@nrhudec]

Too bad they don't make steel 2x rings with that Easton/race face cinch mounting pattern.

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Yep, that would be ideal!

[@rsrnsrwds]

Thanks so much for the update! I've been looking forward to it. Made the same switch to an 11-40 cassette on my GRX 810 about 2 months ago. Used a Goatlink and it works great. Also started with a new Shimano Ultegra chain. Don't have a lot of mileage on that bike just it yet. Was wondering how your drivetrain was wearing and what lube you used on it. Looks like you haven't held anything back from it - lots of dirt and mud!! Did you use Dumontech lube on it? What frequency did you re-apply/clean? I have to admit that I'm a bit obsessive about chain cleaning. Have been running Rock n Roll Gold on all my bikes. Frequently re-lube, check wear, and also giving them a solvent bath every 500 miles or so to clean the embedded crud out of them. But, I just decided to go all in with waxing (Silca Hot Melt and SS Drip wax) - hope it will allow my components to last longer!

[@Crtulu]

Did you have to take out any links switching to the 126 XT chain?

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Likely, yes. But it really depends on a variety of factors including bike geometry.

[@johnkittinger988]

So the rear cassette on the video is the XT 11-42?

[@coreyreeder3549]

This is base training season. That means you don’t even need that big ring, right?

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

You can clearly tell how little I use the small ring. 😂

[@billmaidment5623]

What did (didn’t) you do to those poor chainrings?!

[@CycloTourist]

Every 10000km / 6200ml I change the shift cable. Even after that, shifting feels much better again.

[@thomasmuller986]

The PC1110 Sram 11speed Chain lasts only 1350 Km until 0.5 worn with chain checker. Had about 6 since summer 2020. Maybe because of sand and the fact that my pandemic weight is 235 lbs.

[@adamwilson6423]

Ill be interested to see how mine last as I just bought a couple (they were cheap) to try on my commuter bike (11 speed GRX mixture of 600/810). Previously had KMC & I did around 3000 km on it until 0.5 worn (I weight around 85 - 88kg) The cassette was still fine, so didn't need to replace. Ive never found any difference between KMC or Shimano so ive always bought whichever is the cheapest. Im commuting on road but I would expect the wear rate to be a lot more if off road. On my mtb bikes, the chain wear is so much quicker due to riding in very sandy soils (Sydney, Australia) + the extra the torque that im putting through on the drive chain.

[@krishnakalpathy56]

Question: Did I miss the bikepacking journal issue 7?

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

To sign up? Yes, the deadline was in October. Journal 7 is are currently shipping now.

[@mycoolcar]

I wonder if you’d get more mileage if you replaced the chain more regularly, as manufacturers suggest. I’ve tried replacing and not replacing chains on various group sets over the years, but the variation in riding conditions always makes it hard to know what the best method is.

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Oh, absolutely. I just wanted to see what would happen if I didn’t. Good rule is just to keep checking your chain.

[@sickunit2096]

When I raced enduro (motorcycles) we called chainrings like that “meth-sprockets”.

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

LOL

[@john-mikaeljarvenkyla]

my pandemic drivetrain is single speed...

[@kyriakostheocharous3442]

Clean ur bike !!🙃

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

will do from here on out! ;)

[@snorristurluson9679]

i'm pretty surprised to see an such f##ckd up drivedrain from an professional rider with some knowledge in the toolshop..;) or did you just wan't to show us how worse it could get if you do not service your bike regular for a long time... i check my chains every month or so and i run my cassetes and chainrings for jears and jears with very little wearing..okay maybe it's because i'm riding just 4000 km a Year and weigh only 60 kg ?

[@BIKEPACKINGcom]

Yeah, I did this on purpose. Fun little experiment.