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Blew $60 on a cheap chain checker that read completely wrong
I picked up a cheap no-name chain checker off Amazon for $60 last month figuring it would save me money. Used it on three customer bikes and told them their chains were fine when they were actually stretched past the limit. The real LBS mechanic down the street caught it when he did a tune up on one of those bikes and now I look like a hack. Has anyone else dealt with a tool that gave false readings and how did you catch the mistake before it caused bigger problems?
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robinson.leo28d ago
Man that's a rough spot to be in. I had a similar thing happen with a digital caliper that was off by like half a millimeter and I didn't catch it until a customer's wheel started wobbling on a test ride. The worst part is the trust you lose with people. You might try testing that checker against a brand new chain you know is good, or just use a ruler the old school way until you can double check the tool. That LBS mechanic probably saved you from a bigger headache down the road, but it still stings right now.
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I mean yeah I had a similar issue with a freewheel tool that was supposed to be universal but just wouldn't seat right. Ended up using a ruler and an old chain I knew was good to double check everything before I touched another bike. It takes some extra time but honestly it saved me from making that same mistake twice.
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cameron_chen28d ago
Hold on, $60 isn't exactly cheap for a chain checker. Most Park Tool ones run about $40 and are dead simple to use. I'd be more careful about blaming the tool first. Your mileage may vary but a lot of times these cheaper tools are fine if you know what you're looking for, like checking if the pin actually sits flush with the chain. Maybe the issue is that you were checking at the wrong spot on the chain or the tool was assembled wrong out of the box, which happens more often than people admit. I'd test it against a known good chain or a ruler before tossing it, take that with a grain of salt though.
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