Levo 2019 Chain Replacement

[mccltd]

Measured chain today and .75 gauge fits so its on its way for replacement.
What chain should I replace it for in UK?

 

[Mikerb]

if .75% fits it is way past needing replacing! It should be replaced at 0.5%!
Replacement chain is KMC e11 EPT or SRAM equivalent.

 

[HORSPWR]

if .75% fits it is way past needing replacing! It should be replaced at 0.5%!
Replacement chain is KMC e11 EPT or SRAM equivalent.

Can I ask why?
My parktool chain gauge has 0.5% and the other side has 0.75%, if it should be replaced at 0.5% whats the point of the 0.75% on the other side of the gauge, kinda seems like a waste manufacturing a tool that doesn't need half of it!

 

[DanDilla]

For older groups, 11x and 12x show less wear in the elongation, use a caliper to get more accurate measurements.

0.5 should be the absolute maximum and best is to rotate 2 or 3 chains To get the maximum out of the expensive cassettes. With the GX and no it’s not that bad but you can easily double the lifespan.

Try to fit a new chain but it will slip and snap at some point after my and the expierences of a few friends which also changed too late the first time.
Keep the old chain so you can eventually swap back and ride the cassette and chain till their death

 

[Mikerb]

Can I ask why?
My parktool chain gauge has 0.5% and the other side has 0.75%, if it should be replaced at 0.5% whats the point of the 0.75% on the other side of the gauge, kinda seems like a waste manufacturing a tool that doesn't need half of it!

O.5% is for 11x and 12x. 0.75 is for 10x and below. Single speed is 1%

 

[Rusty]

I recommend the KMC e11 EPT - they seem to last better IMHO.

 

[mccltd]

Seems like the KMC e11 EPT then as no other recommendations.
Will this be long enough with a 36t on the front?

 

[Rusty]

Don't know. They are 116 link and I think 114 is the number for the 2019 Levo.

My Levo is 32 with 42 as the low ring on the rear. Heard someone who went to a bigger front ring but also dropped to a 11-38 cassette so had no problems. Except that is the chain guide clearance - had to monkey it up to fit.

 

[Fire_2]

I’d use 0.75 to replace,

0.5 you’d be replacing it every 50miles ?

 

[Mikerb]

KMC e11 silver is a cheaper alternative...same as EPT without the protection layer. e11 chains are 122 links.

 

[HORSPWR]

Seems like the KMC e11 EPT then as no other recommendations.
Will this be long enough with a 36t on the front?

How about this one, seems cheap enough!

KMC X11E E-Bike Chain - 11 Speed | Merlin Cycles

 

[Rusty]

Looks the deal to me.

 

[Mikerb]

KMC changed the branding recently to e11X EPT .Same chain was previously called X11 EPT...a lot of shops still have the older stock.

 

[jarnof]

New KMC E11 EPT looks very different than KMC X11E

 

[Kave]

I tried a new sram pc1110 chain. One link too short, I also use a36t chainring so I really needed a longer one. Mounted it anyway but shifts where extremely poor. Two shifts on shifter shifted once etc. Will order a kmc chain instead.

 

[Paul Mac]

I’d use 0.75 to replace,

0.5 you’d be replacing it every 50miles ?

Oem chain from sram is pc-x1 I believe and are nice and cheap £20 delivered?

E11 aren’t to be around £35?
Think I’d rather have two srams one in the cleaner one on the bike and rotate them regularly.

Your bang on there, it was working out I needed to replace my chain every three rides if measured at 0.5.
I now dont change the chain at all and just run it all until it dont work properly anymore.
Got 9 months out of my last one! Thats riding an average of about 60 miles a week.

 

[Mikerb]

I tried a new sram pc1110 chain. One link too short, I also use a36t chainring so I really needed a longer one. Mounted it anyway but shifts where extremely poor. Two shifts on shifter shifted once etc. Will order a kmc chain instead.

My Levo Comp is all standard and the chain is 116 links. I think the older x11 chain are 118 and the newer e11 chains are 122 so the latter should be long enough. You will have to do the chain length test to find out how links you need though.

 

[brizi2003]

I got 400 and 460 miles from my 1st & 2nd KMC E11 EPT E-Bike 11-speed chains. I ran them until 0.75% but had to replace the cassette, chain ring and jockey wheels when I fitted the 3rd chain as the new chain slipped on the cassette in first gear, chain ring 'held' on to new chain. Bike is a Kenevo. The 3rd chain has only just reached the 0.5% wear limit after 165 miles. I can't see how replacing this with a new chain now will work out cheaper than letting it go to 0.75%. I have both the Park and KMC manual chain measuring tools. The Park Tool has both 0.5 & 0.75 where as the EMC tool only indicates 0.75 - which is when KMC recommend replacing the chain. I've always been told to change the chain before is reaches 0.75 but it is not necessary to change at 0.5.

 

[Indigo]

Change the chain at 0.5 and keep it to be used again after you have worn another 1 or 2 new chains to 0.5% Then reuse each in order wearing to 0.75%; repeat again wearing each to 1%, etc.

 

[55plusmxinsanity]

Dang, I’m new to mtb’ing and my levo, really 400 miles then replace? I have had my bike 6 weeks and have just over 500 miles on it. I guess I better buy one of those measuring tools.

 

[Mikerb]

Interesting how guys on here are using different methods to manage chain and sprocket wear. There is also different advice on measuring wear. Park Tools say 11 speed chains should be changed at 0.5 % and KMC say 1% on their web site. There is also a KMC tool a little like a chain whip for checking sprocket wear but never seen one for sale.
My original chain was working perfectly but was easilly 0.5% worn according to the 3.2 Park Tool.....although not yet 0.75.
I wanted a spare chain to take on adventure rides so needed to remove the old chain to size the new chain. Having done that I decided to fit the new chain and use the old one as my spare. I bought the kmc x11 sl which is hollow pin so will be interesting to see how long it lasts. Gear change is certainly silky smooth with it and the hollow plates pick up far less mud etc.

 

[Benson]

I fitted a new chain at 0.5 but the new one skipped needing a new cassette. I put the old one back on and will run it until it breaks, I have a new cassette and chain ready to go when it does.

 

[Mikerb]

Not sure it is necessarilly the cassette worn. A new chain may require some re tweaking of the gear indexing since you are in effect fitting a slightly shorter chain with less lateral movement as well.

 

[Benson]

Not sure it is necessarilly the cassette worn. A new chain may require some re tweaking of the gear indexing since you are in effect fitting a slightly shorter chain with less lateral movement as well.

It was slipping badly under load, pretty sure it wasn’t indexing.

 

[jaggysnake]

ridiculous chains lasting so little miles , seeing about 500 miles here at 0.75 , at 0.5 they would last one big ride , trying a pcx1 next , not buying into this ebike specific malarky

 

[Kiwi in Wales]

Guys and gals,

Do you actually measure your ‘new’ chain before and then straight after you fit it on your bike?

Every single chain I have fitted to my bike has never measured zero and that is using a Park Tool Chain Checker CC-2

I use 11 speed and have tried various chains and found all of them have measured just under 0.25 or slightly more that 0.25 so after taking this measurement I then know where my starting point is and when I believe is the final wear point should be.

Do any of you follow a similar process?

 

[congerball]

just checked mine, at 0.50% wear, just over 860 miles....everything feels great, LBS (Spesh concept) says no point changing at 0.50% wait till 0.75