How long do shimano twelve speed chains last on ebikes

[mastakilla]

I have an XT chain on my Bosch bike that I ride exclusively in Turbo mode and have nearly two thousand miles on the chain. For some reason the chain still does not show any measurable wear with the chain tool is less than 0.5. What am I doing wrong haha? I have heard that Drive trains don't last nearly as long on ebikes although my experience Is quite the opposite.

 

[steve_sordy]

I know this question is about Shimano chains, but it is strongly rumoured that KMC make all Shimano chains, so here goes.

I started off with a Shimano XT chain but damaged half a dozen links when I destroyed the Shimano XT mech at 375 miles (pine tree sapling sucked up). Replaced with the only 12-speed chain the trail centre bike shop had, a KMC X12 gold coloured one, very expensive! The new SLX Mech was good too.
At 1775 bike miles, after another mech smash, I replaced the gold KMC with a new KMC 12-speed chain but a cheaper grey one, not another gold one! It wouldn't run with the cassette, so I took it off and put it back in its box for later. I made up a new chain from the remnants of the first Shimano XT chain and the KMC X12 gold one. At 2096 bike miles it is still running sweetly and shifting smoothly. That KMC X12 gold/Shimano XT chain hybrid has done 1721 miles (2754 km) and still going strong. I have a new XT cassette waiting for when it all wears out.

 

[steve_sordy]

@mastakilla What sort of surface were those nearly 2000 miles? If you do a lot of commuting or on flattish clean trails than you will do really good mileages. I expect that if you are quite light then that too would contribute to less stress on the chain. Either way, you obviously have mechanical sympathy and also a good chain clean & lube regime.
I weigh about 98kg with all my kit, do not commute and most of my miles are on sandy trails. I wipe down and lube the chain before every ride. I use FinishLine Wet all year round.

 

[maynard]

I have an XT chain on my Bosch bike that I ride exclusively in Turbo mode and have nearly two thousand miles on the chain. For some reason the chain still does not show any measurable wear with the chain tool is less than 0.5. What am I doing wrong haha? I have heard that Drive trains don't last nearly as long on ebikes although my experience Is quite the opposite.

Interesting indeed . Tell us ur secrets.

 

[mastakilla]

All mileage is mtb trails on super enduro scott ransom eride always turbo mode. I keep thinking I need to get a new chain but the tool shows no wear and bike shifts great. I just use white lightning clean ride every other ride and ride in the desert, its dry but dusty.

How much mileage do other people see out of these shimano 12 speed chains?

 

[Howie145]

On Focus Thron 2 12 speed SLX and SLX chain, bike paths and trails we first had around 400-500km per chain using mucoff dry and wet lubes. Also the 2 smallest gears excessively worn on my partner's bike.

New gears cogs, new chains all round and switched to Molten Speed wax. 1000 plus kms on each chain minimal wear. I also appreciate the clean and dry chains and cassettes. No more dirty oily chains.

 

[B1rdie]

1.200 km on my cube.

 

[JP-NZ]

Shimano XT 12 speed chain here. It’s 6 months old and done 1210km.. I just measured mine at 0.26. I weigh 105kg ride mostly in Tour+ so it should be good for another 1000km

 

[Rubinstein]

Just replaced my xt chain after 3500km. The stock KMC lasted 1500, so ive stuck with XT.
Just dropped over the 0.5. Im 77kg, bike is 25, riding trail AM, mostly eco and tour all weathers.
I use peatys all weather lube

 

[Sander23]

Bike is 8 months old , 3300 km, slx cassette with 1 xt and 1 slx in rotation. Chains are both around 0.3% wear

 

[vomel]

Rise M10, SLX chain, 78kg+19kg, mostly Eco, chain went to 0.5 after 500km, just replaced with XTR chain, hope this one will last longer

 

[Frankie_r]

Rise M10, 75% Eco 25% trail, 68kg biker: at 1.400 km the chain wear is still <0.75
I use Squirt wax for e-bikes.

 

[bazxa]

Thron 2 . about 1700klm have worn out 2 M7100 but the xt is still serviceable. Gritty conditions , 100kg rider + 24kg bike does not help chain life, EMTB most of the time. I use 3 chains in rotation to reduce chainring & cassette wear, it seems to work. Used to get about 7 times that distance out of a chain on the road bike, same hot wax lube.

 

[weezyphoenix]

On a Focus Sam2 6.9, 27kg, im 72kg and ride mostly emtb on blue/black MTB trails with a few double blacks. Original chain (slx I think) is reading .50 at 1020km. I stopped using Muc Off and have gone back to Rock n Roll Gold. Tossing up between KMC X12 or e12. Not sure if it will be worth the extra money for ebike specific

 

[TimC7]

1000km seems normal from reading this and other forums, but some seem to do much better, some worse, so makes me wonder just how accurate are the mass produced and cheap chain wear measuring tools . .

 

[MikeB123]

I just replaced my XT chain with a KMC chain. I did get around 1500 miles out of the XT chain on some very technical rides with a lot of blue and black diamond trails that have lots of variety and elevation changes. Also I used a good Ebike specific lube and cleaned my chain and cassette on a regular basis.

 

[Arminius]

1.200 km on my cube.

EDIT: Sorry. Missed that this is for Shimano! My Cube SH TM came with SRAM.

 

[JP-NZ]

Shimano XT 12 speed chain here. It’s 6 months old and done 1210km.. I just measured mine at 0.26. I weigh 105kg ride mostly in Tour+ so it should be good for another 1000km

Replaced the XT chain at 2500km, has a SLX 12 spd chain on now. Still shifting brilliantly well

 

[steve_sordy]

1000km seems normal from reading this and other forums, but some seem to do much better, some worse, so makes me wonder just how accurate are the mass produced and cheap chain wear measuring tools . .

I don't use a chain gauge.

The most consistently accurate method is to remove the chain, lay it on a flat surface, stretch it out and measure 100 links with a metal tape measure. It is dead easy to do and more than accurate enough. 100 links of new chain will measure 50 inches exactly. 50 and 3/8" = .75% length extension, the typical figure at which a chain is officially knackered. Most metal rollup tape measures are marked in 1/16", which is equivalent to 0.125% You should easily be able to achieve that accuracy of measurement, especially if you get someone else to hold the idiot end and line up one of the inch markers exactly on the centre of a chain pin.

I have also used a vernier caliper gauge. I assure you that I know how to use it properly and to get consistent results, but when I measure different parts of the chain, I get different results. I couldn't believe it at first and remeasured the different sections only to get the identical result. Due to the methods of mass production and assembly, any variation in the components will be averaged out across the chain. So, it must be variation in wear along the chain. Which is why measuring a longer length is more accurate.

 

[Winford]

I wear through shimano cassettes and chain on average, every 800 miles. But I ride very aggressive and climb a lot of elevation. 2,938 miles for the year so far, and 287,145' climbed. I average 30 miles a ride, and usually im in 2 gears most of the time. Never had a chain show bad wear. Most of the time the cassette starts letting the chain slip in the gears most used. New chain slips as bad as the old chain. So both are relaced. Skill level determines how quick you go through these parts. I have friends with exact same bike over 1100 miles and theres is not slipping. But they do not rode as hard as often as I do. One serious KOM and trophies for top ten in strava in the endurance capitol of the world. Cassettes and chains and rotors and pads are constantly being replaced.

 

[steve_sordy]

@Winford If you only ride in two gears, then the cassette wear will be accelerated quite dramatically.

Why only two cassette gears? Are you using the motor modes instead of the gears? On the very first emtb I rode at a demo day, I found myself doing that and thought to myself "why do ebikes need so many gears?" That was before I saw the light. I do hills and descents and I use all 12 gears on my ebike. I also use all three modes, but mostly the middle one Trail on a Shimano set up.

If the two gears you are using are the two smallest ones, then I suggest that you buy a larger front ring. You may still be using only two cassette gears, but at least they will be two different ones and your cassette will last longer. Likewise, if the only two cassette gears that you use are at the larger end of the range, then buy a smaller front ring. Same result.