The old school, quick-and-dirty method is to put it in small cog/large ring and pull the chain away from the chainring. If the chain stays close to the ring, it's probably good. The bigger the gap, the more wear.
Andy Scherer Manhattan & Woodstock NY On Saturday, March 7, 2026 at 3:48:14 PM UTC-5 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote: > I was just curious if it was possible to eyeball a worn chain. They used a > chain checker and the chain failed miserably. 🤣 > > The tornadoes hit 35 miles south of us. It’s terrible. And F3 and 3 dead, > last I heard. The Michiganders are hearty and generous and they’ll rebuild > because people will volunteer and donate as it is The Michigan Way. Such > good people here; I hate to see these things happen to them. > > On Mar 7, 2026, at 3:13 PM, 'John Hawrylak, Woodstown NJ' via RBW Owners > Bunch <[email protected]> wrote: > > Leah asked, " Also, could you tell by looking that the chain was worn? " > > > I can not. The wear distance is very small, 3/32" (2.4mm) over a 12" > length (0.0075 x 12, multiply by 32 to get 32nd of an inch) for 0.75% > stretch. > > I use a Go/No Go chain wear indicator tool, like this Park one at REI: > > Park Tool Chain Wear Indicator | REI Co-op > <https://www.rei.com/product/830220/park-tool-chain-wear-indicator?CAWELAID=120217890000970930&cm_mmc=PLA_Bing%7C21700000001700551_8302200001%7C1188865467003%7Cbrand_flag%7C12508863560&gclid=1843086403b41155925d61c87fd0c80f&gclsrc=3p.ds&msclkid=1843086403b41155925d61c87fd0c80f> > > It has 2 sides, 1 to measure 0.75% stretch for aluminum rings & 1.0% > stretch for steel rings. You can see the '0.75' and '1.0' stamped on the > right hand side of the picture. > > You put the left side against 2 links and let the right side drop into the > chain, about 4 links apart. If the tool falls down to the chain, it worn > to at least the value stamped on the side you are using. > > Your LBS probably has this tool for sale. If you get one, put on the > upper part of the chain & push down on the pedal to tension the upper > chain and the see how far the tool drops in the chain. > > BTW, a new chain typically is factory lubed for about 500 miles of normal > road riding, per private communication with KMC service rep. > > Hoping the tornadoes avoided you in Michigan > > John Hawrylak > Woodstown NJ > > > > > On Saturday, March 7, 2026 at 2:17:57 PM UTC-5 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! > wrote: > >> Hi John, they just cleaned the drivetrain. They had my blessing to fix >> anything they found lacking, but I guess the chain rings and cassette were >> ok? Also, could you tell by looking that the chain was worn? >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> On Mar 7, 2026, at 2:10 PM, 'John Hawrylak, Woodstown NJ' via RBW Owners >> Bunch <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Leah >> >> >> Maybe I missed it, but did you have to replace the cassette, chain rings >> or rear derailleur after the riding your son did??? >> >> I only saw a badly worn chain, a frame with road grime and chipped paint, >> & worn grips. A badly worn chain (greater than 0.75% stretch) typically >> increases the wear on the front aluminum alloy chain rings, & to a lesser >> extent the steel rear cogs. >> >> John Hawrylak >> Woodstown NJ >> >> On Saturday, August 5, 2023 at 10:54:39 PM UTC-4 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! >> wrote: >> >>> It nearly kills me to say it, but my older son will be heading to >>> college in a year. Freshman aren’t to bring cars to campus, so that leaves >>> buses, bikes, and your own two feet for transportation. My boys have grown >>> up riding Clem Hs; this son rides a 52 cm cast-off from my husband (who >>> doesn’t ride, sigh). >>> >>> My 6’3” Dad had a blue 59 cm Clem on order when he died suddenly in >>> 2020, and his blue Clem has sat, boxed, waiting for my boy to grow into it. >>> I lugged the gargantuan box up from the basement last week to see how if >>> the bike would fit. “Now that I’ve obtained optimal height,” my son is fond >>> of saying… >>> >>> Anyway, he’s 6’1” now (likely still growing) and I need him to decide if >>> he wants to stick with his old Clem H (that he was fond of) or settle into >>> this Clem L. Because whichever bike he chooses is getting new wheels, dyno >>> and fenders and going to college with him. At first he was opposed to the >>> idea of a new Clem; he liked his old Clem, thought it looked cool. But >>> after the - as he calls it - Big Bike was assembled, he really began to >>> like it. “It looks elegant,” he said. It really does, all long and lithe, >>> in blue and silver. He put his saddle and bags on the bike and we test rode >>> it tonight. He said, “I am really liking the Big Bike. I like that my knees >>> don’t have anything to hit (geez, were his knees hitting his bars?!) and it >>> looks elegant. It feels more at home now that I have my old saddle on it.” >>> >>> I have mixed feelings about sending him to college with this bike, >>> because it’s so nice. I also doubt he’ll be able to get it on a bus bike >>> rack - and I have no idea how often he will want to do that. His bike life >>> is totally unknown at this point. All I know is that I’m getting him dyno >>> because the kid has never remembered to charge a light in his LIFE and I >>> will not sleep at night without it.The 52 takes 650b wheels and the 59 >>> takes 700c, so I don’t want to buy the wheels until I know which bike he >>> really wants. But as of now, he wants his new bike. >>> >>> I know people will say we should just get a beater. I know why that >>> would be advisable, but I also hate to think of a Clem languishing when it >>> could be serving a noble purpose. I’d love for him and his Clem to journey >>> through undergrad together. >>> >>> I am wondering…has anyone gone to college or sent their kid to college >>> with a Clem? What do you have to say about it? Photos in the next post… >>> Leah >>> >> -- >> >> You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the >> Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To unsubscribe from this topic, visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/rlzGS4r3P9E/unsubscribe >> . >> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to >> [email protected]. >> >> To view this discussion visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/2d3bcc74-1602-460e-b407-50572d32cfbfn%40googlegroups.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/2d3bcc74-1602-460e-b407-50572d32cfbfn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> >> -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the > Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this topic, visit > https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/rlzGS4r3P9E/unsubscribe > . > To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to > [email protected]. > > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/2b816351-00b0-4d83-a495-ae68d4d3bf70n%40googlegroups.com > > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/2b816351-00b0-4d83-a495-ae68d4d3bf70n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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