My chain broke this past week. It failed at the link that I had opened it up to clean it a month or so ago. Darn. So much for my confidence with the chain tool. It probably had 1,000 or more miles on it, so it was time. I had wanted to get more of the rainy spring weather behind me before I changed to the next $60 chain.In any case, a bike drivetrain overhaul needs few tools, but requires some good company. Silas and Guthrie hung out with me. The sum total of tools needed was a chain tool (to add/remove links), a rag, a bit of lubricant, and a bottle of decent beer (Lake Louie Milk Stout, in this case).
Silas is pulling himself up on everything, including things that rotate. I put my trust in the bike, why shouldn't I encourage him to? :)
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Ah, I see. The two tools I never seriously use: chain tool and wheel truing dealie. I pretend to use them sometimes but not usually for their intended purpose. I might have to put off using the chain tool a little longer now. I have never changed a chain either. I guess I have several thousand miles on mine. Why does it need to be changed?
Yeah, I didn't do a good job describing why to change them. I'm not sure if your question is straighforward or rhetorical. I'll take a short shot at answering it both ways.
Basically, the rivets and the joints of the links wear, creating a gap that makes each joint a little longer, screwing up the interaction with the gearing, making them wear as well. I was changing out the chain in hopes of limiting the wear on the gears and extending their lives.
I don't know what kind of bike you have, but if you have gearing with fewer gears in back, like 7 or 8, the chain and gears are much more durable than the thinner 10-speed cassette. I'd guess at this point, you're best to wait for problems like seized links or skipping before you worry about changing it. I only changed my old mountain bike's chain once, after it had been left to rust outside one winter (yes, sad). It was a trooper.
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