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Finally hit 500 miles on my budget gravel build and found the gear limit
I've been tracking every ride on my frankenbike gravel rig I pieced together from parts off Craigslist in Portland. Hit 500 miles this weekend and realized my chain was stretched way past 0.75% wear, probably been slipping for the last 50 miles without me noticing. Now I'm convinced that replacing the cassette and chain together at 300-400 miles would have saved me from premature wear on the whole drivetrain. Anyone else notice their cheap components wear faster than the fancy stuff or am I just unlucky?
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phoenix_lewis1mo agoTop Commenter
Didn't I see a mechanic on YouTube say cheap chains can wear out twice as fast as midrange ones because the metal's just softer? Sounds like your budget build might need a few more bucks thrown at the drivetrain to keep it rolling.
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gavin2281mo ago
Yeah, you're probably right. It stings to hear but I'd rather not be pushing my bike home next month.
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patricia2621mo ago
And a cheap chain can wreck your cassette and chainrings too, so that "savings" turns into a triple expense real fast. Sort of like buying the cheapest tires for your car and wondering why you're hydroplaning.
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