Lectric Xpedition 2.0 chain issue

[King Friday]

I just bought one of these and received it March 2nd 2026.
I have 322 miles on it. After about 100 miles, I had some severe gear slippage almost as if someone else was shifting the bike.
I got home and adjusted the High/Low limit screws on the Altus Derailleur and it was fine after that until...
About 3 weeks after that, it happened again. I tuned up the Altus yet again, called Lectic and they told me they would pay for a tune-up for up to $50.
I suggested the chain might be too long. So I took it to the Bike guy at Dick's Sporting Goods and got this result from them:

Dick's says the chain is worn to 75%.
So Lectric is sending me a new chain. That's great.
But I went out and bought a Park Tool CC 3.2 chain checker. It's a good tool to have in the kit.
Well, I checked it for .5% & .75% wear and it passed both tests.
It's an 8 speed cassette/freewheel, (not sure which).
The tool says it's for 1/2" pitch chains on 5-12 speed chains as well.
1 of 2 things has to be true:
The bike shop measured wrong.
I have the wrong tool because I'm wrong about the type chain.
Lectric says it's a KMC 8.0 chain.

EDIT: I think this post is in the wrong forum but don't see a way for me to move it.

 

[glennb]

It's all 1/2" chain, no confusion there.

Measuring tool is good to have for a quick crude check. That's all though. For an accurate measurement you need to use an imperial ruler. In this case, where there's doubt, I'd want an accurate measurement.

 

[King Friday]

It's all 1/2" chain, no confusion there.

Measuring tool is good to have for a quick crude check. That's all though. For an accurate measurement you need to use an imperial ruler. In this case, where there's doubt, I'd want an accurate measurement.

And the connection pins need to be exactly .5" apart?
If that's the case, at the 1 foot mark, it's about 1/16" shy of the center of the next roller/pin.

 

[glennb]

Yes, exactly, it's like using a larger sample size in a scientific study. You can convert the elongation to % if you like, because that's the industry standard.

Typically you'd measure how much further past the 12" mark the twenty fourth pin is.

Edit: be sure the chain's tensioned. For example, put your foot on the pedal while measuring, assuming the chain is on the bike.

 

[King Friday]

Yes, exactly, it's like using a larger sample size in a scientific study. You can convert the elongation to % if you like, because that's the industry standard.

Typically you'd measure how much further past the 12" mark the twenty fourth pin is.

Edit: be sure the chain's tensioned. For example, put your foot on the pedal while measuring, assuming the chain is on the bike.

So divide 1/16" by 12"?
That comes to .005
I measured again and the first time I was mis-measured. That 24th pin is DEAD on the 12" mark.

 

[glennb]

I wasn't clear on your "shy of" description. What's the centre-to-centre measurement of 24 pins?

 

[King Friday]

I wasn't clear on your "shy of" description. What's the centre-to-centre measurement of 24 pins?

12" exactly.
And that's supported by what the Park Chain Checker showed.
What I meant the first time was the 24th pin was 1/16" beyond the 12" mark. I measured incorrectly the first time.
This makes me wonder how the bike shop came up with that 75% reading...

 

[glennb]

It's odd alright. They do sell chains and charge for installing them, but it's not like they would strategically file the chain gauge so that it generates false readings. User error I guess. Your ruler simply cannot be wrong, I would back it over any chain gauge on the planet.

 

[glennb]

Replacing at 1/16th makes sense to protect expensive cassettes and chainrings, not so much for 8sp stuff, which you can ride to oblivion and replace the whole drivetrain economically.

 

[King Friday]

It's odd alright. They do sell chains and charge for installing them, but it's not like they would strategically file the chain gauge so that it generates false readings. User error I guess. Your ruler simply cannot be wrong, I would back it over any chain gauge on the planet.

They said they didn't have one that long... 175 links

 

[King Friday]

But it's dead on the 12" mark.
I mis-measured the first time.
Thanks for the help. I appreciate it.
I'm learning more each time I dive into it.

 

[glennb]

What you'd expect with the miles on it. With a spare chain you should be good for thousands of miles.

There's a bit of craft to learn to keep bike gears functioning smoothly. Altus is as reliable as it gets, and should need little fiddling. Still susceptible to misaligned derailleur hangers though.

Bent hangers and kinked cables are the primary cause of gear alignment issues.

You ought to ensure the hanger is bolted tight to the frame. (They're often loose, despite being locktited, due to sloppy factory assembly). And ensure the hanger is straight. (They bend accidentally and easily, and on cheap bikes were never straight to begin with).

With a good eye, standing behind the bike, you can see whether the derailleur jockey wheels are aligned with the cogs. And with a 5mm Allan key and strong wrist you can make necessary adjustments. I'd practice and perfect this technique, because it'll save you trips to the bike shop and you won't like the price of the Park Tool hanger straightener.

 

[King Friday]

What you'd expect with the miles on it. With a spare chain you should be good for thousands of miles.

There's a bit of craft to learn to keep bike gears functioning smoothly. Altus is as reliable as it gets, and should need little fiddling. Still susceptible to misaligned derailleur hangers though.

Bent hangers and kinked cables are the primary cause of gear alignment issues.

You ought to ensure the hanger is bolted tight to the frame. (They're often loose, despite being locktited, due to sloppy factory assembly). And ensure the hanger is straight. (They bend accidentally and easily, and on cheap bikes were never straight to begin with).

With a good eye, standing behind the bike, you can see whether the derailleur jockey wheels are aligned with the cogs. And with a 5mm Allan key and strong wrist you can make necessary adjustments. I'd practice and perfect this technique, because it'll save you trips to the bike shop and you won't like the price of the Park Tool hanger straightener.

It looks pretty good. The jockey wheels are aligned to the gear it's in.
Thanks again. Useful info!!

 

[marty]

Oil chain. Motor oil is good.

 

[King Friday]

Oil chain. Motor oil is good.

I use Muck-off

 

[OlderGiantFan]

I just bought one of these and received it March 2nd 2026.

Google:
"XPedition2 chain issues"
Seems it's not uncommon