How To Explain Very Rapid Chain Wear?

David White wrote:
I was asked to do a little wrenching on an acquaintance's Kestrel 200
Sci yesterday. The first thing I did was put my Park chain checker tool
http://parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=5&item=CC%2D2 on and I
found the chain is way in need of replacement (reading = 1.0).

The owner tells me that he never lubes the chain.

so if he's telling the truth, don't you think lack of lube would affect
chain life???

and if he's not, not exactly unknown in the world of customer service,
then what?



So that cannot help.
But he also told me that he had the chain replaced this spring and it
cannot have over 500 miles on it (he is recovering from a heart attack).
So even without lubing, I'd think this is too few miles to have wrecked
the chain.

The Kestrel is equipped with Ultegra 10-speed gear. The crank is a
triple. I have not id'ed the chain but from a look at the master link,
I'd guess it is a SRAM.

I ride only 9-speed stuff (and older) and have no experience with
10-speed stuff. My 9-speed chains last a long time. But I guess that
because the 10-speed chains are thinner, they could wear faster than
9-speed or less. But is this really true?

I wondered if the last chain was worn and had worn the cogset (or chain
rings) so that the new chain "stretched" into the worn cogs faster. But
if that were the case, I would have thought the new chain would not
shift/hold well when first installed. The owner says that was not a
problem.

So what do you think is going on here?

Also, if I get a new Ultegra (or D/A) 10-speed chain for this, do they
require a special chain tool? It does not seem like they come with
master links.

Thanks for all your help.

In article ,
David White wrote:

I have had my Park tool for a long time now and it seems to be
consistent - although I have never personally let a chain go as far as
this one has. So I doubt that the tool is a problem. I have just checked
a brand new Campy 9-speed chain and it read fine.

Double check with a scale (ruler) anyway.

--
Michael Press