How long bike chain

Murdick backs this. In fact, the differences in initial lateral flexibility on a new chain vary greatly between chain manufacturers and that does have an effect on shift quality and durability. Exactly how much wear your chain has will dictate your available options. On terribly worn drivetrains, the teeth of the cogs will begin to look hooked from the chain wearing high on them. Some riders will choose to just let everything wear out until their bike starts skipping gears, but your risk of a snapped chain increases with this.

Others will replace chain and cassette, and hope the chainrings are in a re-usable condition. Never allow a new chain to wear into a worn cassette. Chain wear is very much like tyre choice or chamois cream — and everyone has an opinion. Heck, even temperate plays a role — a chain left in the sun matched with a cold checker will read wrongly. Perhaps the bigger question is what brand to choose.

But we can leave that one for another time. Chain wear is often spoken about, but what is it and when is the right time to replace yours? This type of chain tool from Shimano is commonly thought to be the most accurate as it isolates pin wear. There are cheaper and simpler tools available, such as the Park Tool CC Here, the Park Tool shows the chain as. And then there are linear tools, such as the KMC digital chain checker.

The Park Tool shows it as 0. It can occur that, when we pull the lower section snug, an outer plate meets an outer plate. This cannot be the reference rivet because the chain cannot be joined here. Add one rivet. This becomes the reference rivet and from here we add two additional rivets, cut the chain with a chain tool, and the chain is sized.

The dedicated 1X systems use a single front ring in combination with a wide range of rear sprockets. Derailleur manufacturers use large rear 42 tooth and larger sprockets. These require a longer chain compared to the bikes using less of a wide range.

Without passing through the rear derailleur, route the chain over the front ring and the largest rear spocket. Determine the shortest length where a chain would connect inner and outer plates.

From this point, count 4 rivets as the point to shorten the chain. This is an addition is 2 rivets 1-inch more than non-dedicated 1X system. If the bike uses a chain guide, make sure it is routed through the system before determining chain length. Add the same two rivets before to establish the cutting point. Trade Resources. Chain Tool : CT Slight bend at each pulley Next, shift to the smallest chainring and sprocket. Correct derailleur position and chain tension Next, remove the rear wheel.

Master link chains use two removable outer chain links to connect the chain, whereas connection rivet chains use a special rivet to make the connection. The tools needed will vary depending on which type of chain you have. If your old chain was sized correctly, it can be used to determine the length of your new chain. To check if it was the correct size, shift the bike to the smallest sprockets and check the chain for any slack.

There should be no slack in the chain, but the derailleur should not pull back far enough for the chain to make contact with itself. Next, shift to the the largest front and rear sprockets.

The chain should easily make this shift, and have two slight bends at each pulley. You can either lay out the new chain next to the old one ensuring that it is lined up link by link to eliminate any disparity due to chain wear or simply count the links on the old chain, and cut the new chain to match the number.

That will allow you to easily tighten the chain after mounting. You should, however, not tighten the chain over and over again, because that will make it slowly wear down, as the interplay with the sprocket will not remain sufficient over time. It is advisable to clean and oil the chain regularly, because it is always out in the open and will have to deal with all kinds of weather, dirt, dust, mud and even road salt.

A really dirty chain will benefit from some mildly soapy water or chain cleaner to get rid of the most stubborn dirt. Be careful with aggressive grease removers! It could eat away at the base lubricant of the chain. Make sure to thoroughly rinse the chain in cold water to remove any residual cleaner, pull the chain through a dry cloth and leave it to dry completely. Only then will the lubricant adhere to the chain properly. Next, you need to apply the chain oil.

There are all-rounder versions as well as specialised lubricants for wet and dry conditions. The best thing is to hold a cloth underneath so nothing drips onto the floor or the wheels and of course: watch out for the brake discs. Once the chain is well lubricated, leave the chain to rest for around half an hour. Pointing a garden hose at the chain is not recommended, as some parts like the derailleur could be displaced under the pressure of the water.