Chains wear out - because they are made from steel.
Why can't a manufacturer make a chain & sprockets out of tungsten carbide and cobalt alloy which would be very difficult to wear out.
If it came pre-stretched and with sealed rings it would possibly last for the life of the bike.
I know that they would be shooting themselves in the foot maintenance wise but they could sell them for an additional mark up to reflect this.
Any metallurgists out there ?
- Is this feasable?
- Are the charcteristics of this alloy compatible with motorbike chains?