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Cycling Weekly
Cycling Weekly
Sport
Luke Friend

How often should you replace your chain and cassette, and does cross chaining really matter?

Bicycle sprockets cassette.

An efficient drivechain makes cycling a far more pleasurable experience, whether you’re chasing wins, Strava PBs or just going out for a ride. Your energy isn’t being wasted, shifting is crisp and it's all done in relative silence. Conversely, a worn and dirty drivechain zaps your strength, delivers clunky gear changes and is annoyingly noisy to boot.

While a dirty chain and cassette is apparent to both the eyes and the ears, knowing when these two vital components need to be replaced isn’t always quite as simple to diagnose. Given the growing costs of both components, recognising the symptoms as well as administering a little preventive care, can save you money and a few watts, too.

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