How to determine the wear level of a chainring?

How to determine the wear level of a chainring?

This question comes up quite often, and we will attempt to answer it, but unfortunately there is no magic answer. Indeed, chainrings have no wear indicator, and the different tooth designs used by each brand make it difficult to develop a tool to measure wear.

A few methods to assess chainring wear


For chain and cassette wear, we invite you to consult the guides on those subjects.

  • The first is as simple as it is obvious: gears are unstable when components are too worn. If you have just replaced your chain and cassette and your front derailleur is in good condition but the chainrings are not shifting cleanly — there is no doubt about it, the chainrings need replacing.
  • The second method requires a new chain. Place it on the chainring, pull on the chain, and at its highest point you should not be able to lift it more than halfway up the chainring tooth.
  • Finally, the manufacturers' recommendation: replace the cassette every 2 chains. And replace the chainrings every 2 cassettes. This does not apply to a single-chainring drivetrain.

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