New Chain & Cassette

[flugelboneman]

For those of you with Explorer +2 who have been plagued with "cog skip" as I have been, just had new chain & rear cassette installed ($130.00 Cdn). (4000 kms) I was amazed at the transformation. I runs better than new. It is smoother, quieter and nary a skip. Bike tech remarked that they are finding that there is so much torque generated at rear wheel, especially in the smallest gear, that they are wearing out prematurely. His advice for longer life is do not use high or smallest gear when starting out and stay off it as much as you can unless you are on a long stretch of flat smooth road. Anyway, it has solved any issues I had with the bike and I hope I am good for another 4000 kms.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I only want to tell you that replacing the chain earlier (when the distance between ten consecutive chain pins reaches 128 mm -- use a digital calliper) will save you replacing the expensive cassette; and the chainring later. For instance, the current wear on my Giant Trance E+ chain is 127.7 mm, and it was far shorter distance ridden than 4000 km.

 

[McCorby]

His advice for longer life is do not use high or smallest gear when starting out and stay off it as much as you can unless you are on a long stretch of flat smooth road.

Starting out pedaling in the highest gears is always a no, no. Doesn’t matter if it’s an eBike or not.

 

[flugelboneman]

Whatever floats yer boat Stefan. I pretty well went by what the techs told me and when they checked my chain at 2000 kms they said to come back around 4, which I did. I will bear your point in mind for next time tho.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I have already learnt two costly lessons @flugelboneman by not replacing the chain at the 0.5% wear mark. It meant replacing the chain and smallest cassette cogs (to reduce the cost) on my Trance E+ and Vado, and replacing the chainring in the Vado. It is not about how far you ride with your bike but how you use your bike...

 

[flugelboneman]

You are obviously a better techie than I. I have relied on my bike mechs to guide me. I wish I were more adept at the mechanical side as you are.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I started learning some of the tech when I discovered maintaining of three e-bikes has become pretty expensive...

 

[flugelboneman]

Understandable. I also see you are a musician. Me too. Valve trombone.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Understandable. I also see you are a musician. Me too. Valve trombone.

No, I'm a process engineer

 

[flugelboneman]

Sorry, ur pic looks like you are bangin on a guitar

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Sorry, ur pic looks like you are bangin on a guitar

I can play guitar and electric bass but it doesn't make me a musician

 

[flugelboneman]

Well somehow it conveys to me that you know what to do on a stringed instrument, which puts you in the category of musician. You might be a very casual one, but nonetheless.........................

 

[patersont]

I am getting chain skip on my fastroad, does anybody know what size chain I need?

 

[flugelboneman]

I only want to tell you that replacing the chain earlier (when the distance between ten consecutive chain pins reaches 128 mm -- use a digital calliper) will save you replacing the expensive cassette; and the chainring later. For instance, the current wear on my Giant Trance E+ chain is 127.7 mm, and it was far shorter distance ridden than 4000 km.

Thx for your very good advice. I will bear that in mind for future. I can always stop in at the bike shop periodically to have them check the chain. At what distance would you recommend checking chain for wear.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I'd say 2000 km.

 

[flugelboneman]

thx will take in when i have 6000 KMs

 

[bob armani]

I can play guitar and electric bass but it doesn't make me a musician

My close brother is a professional jazz and classical musician on the electric and upright bass as well as most of the brass instruments. I understand your point Stephan and is spot on IMO! Sounds like you have the best of both worlds.

 

[bob armani]

For those of you with Explorer +2 who have been plagued with "cog skip" as I have been, just had new chain & rear cassette installed ($130.00 Cdn). (4000 kms) I was amazed at the transformation. I runs better than new. It is smoother, quieter and nary a skip. Bike tech remarked that they are finding that there is so much torque generated at rear wheel, especially in the smallest gear, that they are wearing out prematurely. His advice for longer life is do not use high or smallest gear when starting out and stay off it as much as you can unless you are on a long stretch of flat smooth road. Anyway, it has solved any issues I had with the bike and I hope I am good for another 4000 kms.

The outcome sounds encouraging after replacement. I am about to find out soon when I get this done due to the same skipping condition under load.

 

[flugelboneman]

Bob, we learn as we earn. If I had been aware to check chain wear earlier, I probably would have saved my self the cost of getting a new cassette. I will now have the chain examined after about 2000 kms.

 

[bob armani]

Bob, we learn as we earn. If I had been aware to check chain wear earlier, I probably would have saved my self the cost of getting a new cassette. I will now have the chain examined after about 2000 kms.

Good point well taken. Even my LBS mechanic was pointing out that not all chain measuring tools are very accurate. ie: two different tools with 2 different results. I imagine it can get a bit tricky if you have a questionable reading. Every 2000kms sounds like a winner.