Need to replace chain and gears; upgrades?

[withiniswithout]

Bike shop advised me the chain has stretched and it's time replace this, the rear gear cassette, and the single front gear. The price they quoted was about $140 (€120 euros). The bike has just shy of 2700 miles, with lots of steep hill climbing--often with up to 20 lbs weight in the basket.

The bike is a Gepida with Shimano 10-speed gears: LINK to specs. The motor is a Bosch Performance Line, 2017, with a software upgrade. The bike is still shifting well and there's no noise or obvious problems--amazingly.

* This seems like a good price for the repair, and expected maintenance with the miles and frequent hills. Comments?

* Any obvious upgrades or things I might consider with the replacement chain or the gear cassette? Or, given that the original set has performed quite well, stick with exact replacement of the original?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

As I have just learnt more about the drive-train wear, here is my latest experience, gathered from @TS25:

At best, use the digital caliper. With tightened chain, measure the distance between the centres of the pins for 10 consecutive links. As TS25 has just said: 127 mm means a brand new chain, 128 mm means the chain needs to be replaced, 129 mm means the cassette might be worn out.

I can tell you the chain on my Vado 5.0 reached the 129 mm state just after 1900 km ridden, so it is highly probable your chain and possibly the cassette are worn out after 2700 km. The chain-ring: not necessarily. If the mechanic says so (and he can replace the chainring), allow him doing the full service.

The price for replacing these three items including labour seems about right. After your e-bike has been serviced, try to occasionally measure the chain wear with the caliper. When it approaches the 128 mm mark, please make the chain replaced. The chain itself is far cheaper than the cassette (and the chainring).

I assume you degrease, clean and oil the chain often? If not, that is another factor degrading the drive-train although it has nothing to do with the chain stretching.

P.S. It is wise to replace the original parts with original parts.

 

[AHicks]

Bike shop advised me the chain has stretched and it's time replace this, the rear gear cassette, and the single front gear. The price they quoted was about $140 (€120 euros). The bike has just shy of 2700 miles, with lots of steep hill climbing--often with up to 20 lbs weight in the basket.

The bike is a Gepida with Shimano 10-speed gears: LINK to specs. The motor is a Bosch Performance Line, 2017, with a software upgrade. The bike is still shifting well and there's no noise or obvious problems--amazingly.

* This seems like a good price for the repair, and expected maintenance with the miles and frequent hills. Comments?

* Any obvious upgrades or things I might consider with the replacement chain or the gear cassette? Or, given that the original set has performed quite well, stick with exact replacement of the original?

My thought - as all of the components are up for replacement anyway, if it's still shifting OK and not annoying you, why not try to extend it's life a bit, until it gives you reason to say "it's time"?

 

[withiniswithout]

Update--got the bike from the shop. They couldn't find the original parts so they put on some kind of eBike chain, and a gear cassette that feels like low gears are lower. I like it. I'm pedaling in higher gears now and it's easier to maintain a good clip on flat ground. Trying to get the data sheet on the rear cassette. It has a red interior. They said it was "better" than the original Shimano.

 

[AHicks]

Long trips and or big climbs in your near future might have me doing a bit of preventative maintenance - like replacing a drive train that's showing it's age.

I was thinking along the lines of more typical use....

 

[kmccune]

When are belts and the ancillary parts going to become affordable on the belt for Pete's sake we do not need carbon and how about some strong 5 spd IGS hubs? Chastise if you like, chains will not hurt my feelings if they become extinct(do not see why an electric Genset drive would not work)

 

[fooferdoggie]

If you check your chain for wear and replace it before it gets bad you won’t need to change any of the rest of the drive train for a long time. I have 6000 miles on my bike and I am on my third chain and the rest is fine.