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TIMING CHAIN WEAR EXPLAINED

Timing chains get less wear for many reasons:

1.  Timing chain rings have larger flatter teeth because they don't have
profiling to facilitate good shifting.  This larger surface area spreads the
load over a larger area of the roller and the roller runs flatter too.

2.  Timing chains run straight. This provides max surface area for pins,
rollers, etc.  When a derailleur chain is run at an angle the pins and rollers
are running along their edges causing greater wear.

3.  Derailleur chains flex a lot more because they have to bend backwards and
very tightly too around the rear derailleur idlers and also smaller cogs.

4.  Timing chains have to deal with a lot less torque.  Not only because they
are only dealing with the captains power, but also because they are on a one to
one gear and don't have to deal with the high torque caused by gearing.

5.  Timing chains wear evenly with the timing rings.  If just one of the gears
is worn more than the others on a derailleur setup, it will cause very rapid
chain wear.  In other words, if you run on the 19 in the rear a lot and it
starts to wear, the derailleur chain will wear rapidly when it is on that cog.

6.  Timing chains tend to run cleaner.  This is generally because the derailleur
chains are low and close to the contact patch for the rear wheel, which causes
lots of stuff to get deposited on them.

7.  Timing chains are lots longer.  On our tandem the timing chain is 25 %
longer.  This alone if all else were equal would result in 25% greater chain
life.

8.  This one is probable but not easily provable: timing chains are on the side
of the bike away from the ditch/gutter and that would also allow them to run
cleaner.

Bill Franklin
Newburgh, IN

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