Wippermann Chain Wear Indicator

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Product: Wippermann Connex chain wear indicator. Configuration: Steel or some sort of alloy. Note that plastic versions show up on some online vendor sites, but not on Wippermann's site. These may be knock-offs. We recommend you stick with the metal version and buy from a reputable vendor or order through your local independent bicycle dealer. Reviewed by: Rich Ries. Price: $15-$25. Recommended? Yes.

Executive Summary: A foolproof tool that saves big bucks.

Ratings

(1 is lowest, 5 is highest)

Comments

Effectiveness

Quick and accurate chain wear checker

Ease of Use

Truly foolproof

Cost/Value

Way cheaper than `rings and a cassette

Excessive chain wear greatly accelerates the wear rate on chainrings and cassettes, and once the `rings and cassette take on a wear pattern to match a worn chain, merely replacing the chain won't solve the problem. Your chain will skip and jump, especially under power. The only solution at that point is to replace the entire drivetrain - chain, `rings, and cassette - which can easily set you back $200 or more.

A better approach is to replace the chain before its wear becomes excessive. The rule of thumb is to replace the chain when wear reaches 1 percent. This will save you up to 75 percent of the cost of replacing the drivetrain. If you're diligent about replacing (and lubing) your chain, you can likely run several chains before you need to buy new `rings and a cassette.

You can check chain wear by measuring the chain. Pick two pins 12 inches apart. If they're 12 1/8 inches (12.125”; 308 mm) apart, that's 1 percent wear. The traditional approach is to use a tape measure. Problem 1 is that parallax prevents you from seeing whether the end of the tape is exactly at the pin when you're eyeballing the hash marks a foot away. Problem 2 is that tape measures have moveable tips so they can by used for both inside and outside measurements; make sure the tip on your tape is positioned properly over the pin relative to whether it's extended or retracted. Problem 3 is that you often can't get a clear view of 12 inches of chain. Some part of it will likely be behind the big `ring or the front derailleur cage or a seatstay or something. Problem 4 is that you have to apply some tension to the chain to ensure the slack is out of it to get an accurate measurement.

In short, the traditional method doesn't work well.

Several manufacturers offer chain wear checkers. Of these, the Wippermann is my favorite. It's durable, compact, accurate, and easy to use. It automatically tensions the chain as it's measuring wear. It works on any chain with the standard ½ inch (0.5”; 12.7 mm) distance between pins, which is virtually all modern road and MTB chains. You can check the chain on or off the bike with the bike in a stand or on its wheels. The process takes about three seconds - literally. Spread the tool's legs and drop the hooks over rollers at both ends. Look at the middle of the tool. If there's daylight between the tool and the chain, the chain is still useable. If the tool lies flat against the chain, it's time for a new chain.

Few bike tools combine the ease-of-use and potential cost savings of a chain wear checker. Few chain wear checkers have all the features of the Wippermann. Unless you have excess money or time or both and need a way to burn through the surplus, buy the Wippermann and use it.

The Wippermann tool and its retail packaging.

Drop the hooks over two rollers.

If there's a gap, you're good to go.