Did you just ShartQ?

It is absolutely stretch. Hang the new one and the old one from a coat hanger and it will get really obvious.

isn’t stretch actually wear? the plates aren’t getting longer, but the interfaces between links are all wearing and causing the overall chain to be longer

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I don’t know what you mean.

the pins wear down and the chain gets longer

it’s not actually stretching causing longer length, it’s wear on the pins *and bushings

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How does the pins wear down make the chain longer? I’m gonna fight you all.

https://bike.bikegremlin.com/733/change-chain-bicycle/

nothing is actually stretching. the chain becomes elongated due to mechanical wear

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How much lube is even getting in there? Also that’s a bad drawing

So the pins wear down from the inside where you can’t see it

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Sheldon told us all we need to know:

Cyclists often speak of chain ā€œstretchā€, as if the side plates of an old chain were pulled out of shape by the repeated stresses of pedaling. This is not actually how chains elongate. The major cause of chain ā€œstretchā€ is wearing away of the metal where the link pin rotates inside of the bushing (or the ā€œbushingā€ part of the inside plate) as the chain goes onto and off of the sprockets. If you take apart an old, worn-out chain, you can easily see the little notches worn into the sides of the link pins by the inside edges of the bushings, or the formed side plates of a bushingless chain.

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Can we get a saint Sheldon reacc?

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Overall chain measured 12 1/4"

Switching from Squirt to Ceramic Speed UFO All Conditions has increased my chain life by around ~30%. From Finish Line Dry +60%.

It pains me how correct the ZFC guy is, and everyone else who was correct about the quality of higher-level chains and lubes. I thought it was bullshit but not so, sil-tec and chromizing treatment make a huge difference. My 11s linkglide and 105 chains last significantly longer than the untreated 9s/11s SRAM chains or the lower quality treated KMC 10s/11s chains.

A four hour gravel race in the wet easily takes a brand new 11s SRAM chain to 12 1/8’ or longer, similar conditions 105 and no wear is discernible.

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A waxed AXS chain will last a long time, to the point where lateral wear is a bigger concern than elongation

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The chain testing article (https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/chaintesting/) was what got me started on using the Ultegra chains over the 105 for $/mi.

Now you have me piqued about the CeramicSpeed.

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Can someone just tell me the best chain best wax/lube

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Sir, this is tarck.

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If you believe ZFS, it’s theirs after stripping the factory grease with a Silca Strip Chip.

I think it was @Orc that recommended against wax for rainy rides, due to the squeaking. I definitely experience that with the drip wax lubes.

and here’s an article on chain checkers and chain wear

http://pardo.net/bike/pic/fail-004/000.html

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Fun fact: I sold my Land Shark proto-gravel-bike to Pardo.

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But 105 isn’t on there! What if it is just the same?

I barely ever ride my SS’d landshark CX with some kind of Atlanta themed paint (blue & yellow) but I can’t bear the idea of selling it. I even have a matching jersey but doubt I could still fit into it. One day I’ll find the right nerd to take it from me.

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