Question Replacing parts on cheap Groupsets

[DerFurz]

I have a Shimano Sora Groupset on my cross-bike, its my all-season commuter/hobby bike, so it has to endure all of the worst conditions for it to be in. My Question is, as it would be now time to replace especially the chain on a more expensive groupset, if that is financially worth it or if I should just let the drivetrain wear out completly and replace all the parts at once. I have so far done 5000km on this bike the Chain is substantially longer already and on my most used rear sprocket I can see wear, nothing on the chainrings so far. Its not that I didnt maintain it its just not possible to clean it completly everytime it gets wet or dirty.

Thank you in advance

 

[King Boonen]

You should treat it like any other groupset. Check the chain wear and change as required. I've found the cheaper cassettes and rings are more hard wearing than the more expensive groups, so you'll usually get more life out of them, especially if you don't run worn out chains for too long. If you have a worn sprocket on your cassette you may have run it too long and need to change that too, but it should be obvious when you change the chain.

 

[DerFurz]

Ok, thank you very much.

 

[macbindle]

The higher the number of gears the shorter the chain life. I rarely get more than 1500k out of an 11sp chain.

You should change your chain now, and invest €10 in a chain wear checker. A worn chain will wear a cassette quickly and then a chain ring. It's an absolute false economy to run chains for too long.

11sp chain = £9

New cassette and chaining (because you've run a worn chain) = £ 80+