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ripped off on repairs?

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 Flinticus 27 May 2015
Supposedly got a new chain and cassette fitted to bike two months ago. Average of 40 miles a week road cycling.

Cassette already looking well worn in places. Questions are: did they replace the cassette at all? Did they replace with a used one?

I can't see how my use has worn it as much as it is. Otherwise I'd be used to getting it replaced every two months and that is not the case.

How long should a cassette last?
 felt 27 May 2015
In reply to Flinticus:

Depends what it is. Here we have a fellow saying that his has already lasted him 30,000 miles: http://www.competitivecyclist.com/shimano-ultegra-cs-6700-cassette

Odd that you now notice that it's worn but didn't notice whether it had been replaced after repair.
OP Flinticus 27 May 2015
In reply to felt:

Advised it would be jumpy to start with as new system bedding in then to come back and have gears re aligned. So wasnt surprised it still jumped. Well that took longer than planned as I use my bike to get to work (3 mile commute each way). Handed it in for realignment and its still junping.

Looked at it today for first time. Naive in not checking earlier? I trusted them to replace it. But on seeing it, I was 'WTF'
 tjin 27 May 2015
In reply to Flinticus:

Really depends on the cassette and how you use it.

If you don't trust somebody to change it, change it your self. It's quicker than replacing tires.
 TobyA 27 May 2015
In reply to Flinticus:

On my old commuter, I never changed it although it needed changing when I sold it - so about 8,000 kms I would guess. On my mountain bike I went through one at probably only after 1000 to 2000 kms but it was mainly used for just offroad so was really getting a grinding from mud, grit, sand etc.
 TobyA 27 May 2015
In reply to tjin:

> If you don't trust somebody to change it, change it your self. It's quicker than replacing tires.

Yes, agreed. If you're replacing like for like its job that takes minutes. Although you do need the right tools which will add maybe a tenner onto the cost of the first time you do it, but then I like to take the cassette off when giving my bikes a good clean anyway, so have the tools is handy.
 AndyC 27 May 2015
In reply to felt:

> Depends what it is. Here we have a fellow saying that his has already lasted him 30,000 miles: http://www.competitivecyclist.com/shimano-ultegra-cs-6700-cassette

I use these! But his claim must include mileage on the roof rack! I probably change mine a little earlier than necessary, I guess about every 3-4000 km. Now, after 20,000 km I've found I need a new derailleur, think I wrecked it with too much winter cycling and falling off on the ice.
 felt 27 May 2015
In reply to AndyC:

I'm guessing he lives in the desert and tends to the fastidious.
In reply to Flinticus:

If the chain has also been replaced and the chainrings aren't completely trashed then no cassette should wear significantly after a few hundred miles of spring and summer commuting.

When you say it's looking worn in places are you sure you are not looking a the ramps on the sprockets? The teeth have different profiles to enable smooth changing.

It's highly unlikely that any bike shop would fit a used cassette and chain. It's not going to make them rich but could wreak their business.
 tjin 27 May 2015
In reply to AndyC:

Cassettes are not uniformly shaped allowing them to changs gears more easily, no indeed no always wear.

The cassette wear from a few things; dirt, lack of lube, stretched chains and switching gear under load (teeths breaking off).

You can extend the life of you cassette keeping everything clean, lubed and by using 3 chains and replacing swapping them out every 100km with a replaceble chain link. The chain link tool is a tenner and it's done pretty quickly. (personally im to lazy to do this, i just swap between my 4 bikes).

 humptydumpty 27 May 2015
In reply to tjin:

> You can extend the life of you cassette keeping everything clean, lubed and by using 3 chains and replacing swapping them out every 100km with a replaceble chain link. The chain link tool is a tenner and it's done pretty quickly. (personally im to lazy to do this, i just swap between my 4 bikes).

How does swapping the chain help? Could you just take the chain off, and put it back on again? How would the bike know the difference?
 liquid 27 May 2015
In reply to humptydumpty:

A chain stretches overtime, which causes wear on the cassette - having three chains on the go seems like ball ache rather than changing a chain as is needed but essentially you are just reducing the amount of wear on anyone chain so it would extend the life of the cassette ultimately.

Not sure about the bedding in process the bike shop was talking about though? If the chain was jumping from the start either it's a new chain old block or they can't align gears properly.
 gethin_allen 27 May 2015
In reply to Flinticus:

It sounds to me like they only changed the chain on the initial service, perhaps they wrongly thought that the cassette was serviceable (i do 2 chains to each cassette change on my commuting bike).

There's pretty much no chance that a cassette would be worn out in the short distance you've ridden, even if the bike was abused. In which case, if you were charged for a new cassette I'd go back and challenge them about it.
 AndyC 28 May 2015
In reply to tjin:

> You can extend the life of you cassette keeping everything clean, lubed and by using 3 chains and replacing swapping them out every 100km with a replaceble chain link. The chain link tool is a tenner and it's done pretty quickly. (personally im to lazy to do this, i just swap between my 4 bikes).

Yep - My Sunday afternoon ritual - Johnny Walker's Sounds of the 70s on the PC and bike up on the stand. I normally change the chain when it starts to show signs of wear. I use a teflon based lubricant spray because grit doesn't stick, unlike thicker grease, but it probably needs applying more often than I do it, especially if it's been raining. My cassettes are never that worn when I change them, I just like a snappy gear change.
 Chris the Tall 28 May 2015
In reply to liquid:

> A chain stretches overtime, which causes wear on the cassette - having three chains on the go seems like ball ache rather than changing a chain as is needed but essentially you are just reducing the amount of wear on anyone chain so it would extend the life of the cassette ultimately.

I'm a complete numpty when it comes to bike maintainence, but swapping chains is so easy that even I can do it. I do mine every 200 miles, and simply have 3 sandwich bags marked 1, 2 and 3.

Clean the chain - and you probably need to do that more often than 200 miles - then find the power link and unclip. You can get a tool for this - odd looking pliers - and it's worth it, and was pretty cheap anyway (possibly from planetX). Off comes the chain, into the bag, next one goes on.
In reply to Flinticus:
I tend to replace the chain on each of my bikes ( Carbon good bike and and winter hack) every 3-4000 miles and the cassettes every 6 - 7000 miles. Keeps things running sweetly even though my transmission is only Campag's entry level Veloce grouppo.
Post edited at 10:44
Removed User 28 May 2015
In reply to Flinticus:

Talk to an expert - excellent service, Lakes-based.
http://www.bramblebikes.co.uk/
 DaveHK 28 May 2015
In reply to Flinticus:

> Advised it would be jumpy to start with as new system bedding in then to come back and have gears re aligned.

If it was jumpy then they most likely only replaced the chain.
 DaveHK 28 May 2015
In reply to liquid:

> A chain stretches overtime,

Sorry to be a pedant but chains don't stretch. The pins and rollers wear which then causes uneven wear on the cassette.
 tjin 28 May 2015
In reply to DaveHK:

The wear on the rollers and pins causes the total lenght of the chain to go up. So in that sense 'stretch'. I think stretching chains is a widely accepted terminology.
1
 steveriley 28 May 2015
In reply to DaveHK:

Well they certainly stretch in the sense of getting longer
 Dark-Cloud 28 May 2015
In reply to DaveHK:

Just one of the definitions of stretch:

- to draw out, extend, or enlarge unduly:

So the chain has stretched.

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