Conflicting opinions.....

[Milligan]

I'm no bike mechanic, its stretching my limits adjusting the chain and doing an oil and filter change, but am I the only one getting conflicting advice when it comes to mechanical problems? A mate of mine who really does know his stuff and saved me shedloads of lolly by putting a new rear shock in for me recently offered to have a look when I said I thought I had a problem with my chain. I had already adjusted it but was still hearing 'chain related noise' when I was riding, he had a gander and said he thought that the chain was starting to show signs of wear as it was a little bit tight, then slack when it was up on the centre stand, so....thoughts of new chain and sprockets came to mind.

I nipped down to a local garage today and the bike doctor there said there was nothing wrong with the chain or the back sprocket but the front sprocket was fairly worn and it would be problem solved just replacing that, when the cover was off I could see that the sprocket teeth were well past their sell by date. He reckoned that just replacing that would extend the chains life by a few thousand miles. I guess my point here is that if I had listened to my well intentioned mate I would have been a fair few quid lighter for a job that didn't need doing rather than the cheap replacement that was actually needed, I haven't been ripped off or anything, s'pose I could get a manual?

[eastanglianbiker]

i would never replace just a sprocket on its own because if they were all fitted at the same time then the chain has excessive wear in it,and if it has got tight spots then i would replace the full set of both sprockets and chain otherwise in a few months time you will be changing them all anyway

[mealexme]

and a haynes manual is always a good idea

[Stu]

Who did you take the bike too?

If your replacing the front I would do the full lot in one go

Get a decent chain and sprocks and you will get 20k out of them if looked after

If you buy just the front you will only need to replace it with the rest in a few thousand miles as they wear together

[GazW]

The front sprocket won't have any bearing on tight spots in the chain, thats the chain itself...

As above, I wouldn't replace anything other than all three at once. If one's on its way out then the rest won't be too far behind.. Tell your mate what the garage said and see what he says.

Doubt anyone on here will advise you just changing the front sprocket. Pretty weird that a mechanic would recommend that.only thing I can think is he does this so you think hes a reasonable guy, then he would hope you take your bike to him in future

[mealexme]

As above, I wouldn't replace anything other than all three at once. If one's on its way out then the rest won't be too far behind.. Tell your mate what the garage said and see what he says.

Although your mate doesnt sound like he is a mechanic (chain being looser when its on the side stand has nothing to do with the chain being worn out)

[Milligan]

I understand the reasoning about changing everything together but the rear sprocket does look ok and the front one is shagged, it's only going to cost about £8 anyway so if it will extend the life of the chain as has been suggested it seems like a saver to me?

[Stu]

personally i wouldnt trust it

i wouldnt trust a chain with tight spots anyway the last thing you want is it snapping and taking your leg off

the chain will make the new sprocket wear quicker and the new sprocket will also wear the chain quicker too

the choice is yours though

ps who was the machanic? any one i know round here?

[whitedevil]

Its a well know fact that you change the sprockets and chain together, just get it all done and dont worry about it for another 20-30k miles.

Even do it yourself and save enough money to buy another set or even a chain oiler that will extend the life of your chain even longer.

[Milligan]

personally i wouldnt trust it

i wouldnt trust a chain with tight spots anyway the last thing you want is it snapping and taking your leg off

the chain will make the new sprocket wear quicker and the new sprocket will also wear the chain quicker too

the choice is yours though

ps who was the machanic? any one i know round here?

 

Guy called Dave Bancroft on Knedlington Road near Howden, he reckons the chain is sound though.

[Ingah]

personally i wouldnt trust it

i wouldnt trust a chain with tight spots anyway the last thing you want is it snapping and taking your leg off

the chain will make the new sprocket wear quicker and the new sprocket will also wear the chain quicker too

the choice is yours though

ps who was the machanic? any one i know round here?

 

Guy called Dave Bancroft on Knedlington Road near Howden, he reckons the chain is sound though.

The point is that by changing the front sprocket the chain will wear rapidly as it no longer 'fits' so well with the used chain.

If i was in a bind (e.g. couldn't afford a chain and sprocket kit yet) then i would change the front sprocket and then change the lot for a whole new chain and sprocket kit later (and pay bloody close attention to the chain and sprockets in the meantime). But that's because i can do it myself. If i was paying for labour too then i wouldn't want to waste the money as it wouldn't be worth it for the small miles i will get out of it (i.e. £ per mile it would be cheaper to get the lot replaced). TBH though if i can afford it then i'd buy a set and fit the set myself, it's not worth doing a job if it needs doing again really soon (even though my labour is "free" it's still time i could be doing something else, like my job!)