Comments on: Too short bicycle chain http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/ Bicycle Blog Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:38:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Doug http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-11965 Doug Tue, 05 May 2009 22:30:00 +0000 http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/#comment-11965 when my RB-1 cracked, I transferred all my parts to the '82 Bianchi road that I had as a spare frame. Thus, one night after work I learned that "the Mouse" has slightly longer chainstays than "Mama Bee" does when I jammed the drivetrain irrevocably. <br /><br />All I had to do was loosen the wheel, shift it further forward in the dropout, and manually move the chain to a smaller cog -- though the dumpstered Tiagra derailleur never worked the same since.<br /><br />One of my favorite things about working on bikes is learning all the little secrets. when my RB-1 cracked, I transferred all my parts to the '82 Bianchi road that I had as a spare frame. Thus, one night after work I learned that "the Mouse" has slightly longer chainstays than "Mama Bee" does when I jammed the drivetrain irrevocably.

All I had to do was loosen the wheel, shift it further forward in the dropout, and manually move the chain to a smaller cog — though the dumpstered Tiagra derailleur never worked the same since.

One of my favorite things about working on bikes is learning all the little secrets.

]]> By: Doug http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-26988 Doug Tue, 05 May 2009 22:30:00 +0000 http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/#comment-26988 when my RB-1 cracked, I transferred all my parts to the '82 Bianchi road that I had as a spare frame. Thus, one night after work I learned that "the Mouse" has slightly longer chainstays than "Mama Bee" does when I jammed the drivetrain irrevocably. All I had to do was loosen the wheel, shift it further forward in the dropout, and manually move the chain to a smaller cog -- though the dumpstered Tiagra derailleur never worked the same since.One of my favorite things about working on bikes is learning all the little secrets. when my RB-1 cracked, I transferred all my parts to the '82 Bianchi road that I had as a spare frame. Thus, one night after work I learned that "the Mouse" has slightly longer chainstays than "Mama Bee" does when I jammed the drivetrain irrevocably. All I had to do was loosen the wheel, shift it further forward in the dropout, and manually move the chain to a smaller cog — though the dumpstered Tiagra derailleur never worked the same since.One of my favorite things about working on bikes is learning all the little secrets.

]]> By: James T. http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-11963 James T. Tue, 05 May 2009 21:12:00 +0000 http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/#comment-11963 Like UltraRob, I like my chain a tad bit short. I don't cross chain from the big chainring to the big cog, so I do not feel the need to set my chain length to work in that gear combination. I think staying out of those combinations is second nature to me, but it can be bad news if you forget. Like UltraRob, I like my chain a tad bit short. I don't cross chain from the big chainring to the big cog, so I do not feel the need to set my chain length to work in that gear combination. I think staying out of those combinations is second nature to me, but it can be bad news if you forget.

]]> By: James T. http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-26987 James T. Tue, 05 May 2009 21:12:00 +0000 http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/#comment-26987 Like UltraRob, I like my chain a tad bit short. I don't cross chain from the big chainring to the big cog, so I do not feel the need to set my chain length to work in that gear combination. I think staying out of those combinations is second nature to me, but it can be bad news if you forget. Like UltraRob, I like my chain a tad bit short. I don't cross chain from the big chainring to the big cog, so I do not feel the need to set my chain length to work in that gear combination. I think staying out of those combinations is second nature to me, but it can be bad news if you forget.

]]> By: Yokota Fritz http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-11961 Yokota Fritz Tue, 05 May 2009 18:33:00 +0000 http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/#comment-11961 If it's too short, you will damage things.<br /><br />If it's too long, you might get poor shifting and chain slap. If it's too short, you will damage things.

If it's too long, you might get poor shifting and chain slap.

]]> By: Yokota Fritz http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-26986 Yokota Fritz Tue, 05 May 2009 18:33:00 +0000 http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/#comment-26986 If it's too short, you will damage things.If it's too long, you might get poor shifting and chain slap. If it's too short, you will damage things.If it's too long, you might get poor shifting and chain slap.

]]> By: Stephen http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-11959 Stephen Tue, 05 May 2009 17:14:00 +0000 http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/#comment-11959 Call me a dunce, but what do you get out of a properly adjusted chain? Call me a dunce, but what do you get out of a properly adjusted chain?

]]> By: Stephen http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-26985 Stephen Tue, 05 May 2009 17:14:00 +0000 http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/#comment-26985 Call me a dunce, but what do you get out of a properly adjusted chain? Call me a dunce, but what do you get out of a properly adjusted chain?

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-11957 Anonymous Tue, 05 May 2009 16:34:00 +0000 http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/#comment-11957 Chainlength = Big chainring + big Cog + 1 inch of chain, not through the derailleurs. How hard is this? All chain is 1/2" pitch, so 1" = 3 contiguous pins. Look it up, use m-w.com<br />If on a dual suspension bicycle, fully extend rear end, of the bike, to greatest distance from center of BB, big/big + 1" is the proper length of chain, in that position. You have to be able to shift Ned gear, no way to prevent it, and a certain companies derailleurs must have that tension to work properly. Guess whose! Chainlength = Big chainring + big Cog + 1 inch of chain, not through the derailleurs. How hard is this? All chain is 1/2" pitch, so 1" = 3 contiguous pins. Look it up, use m-w.com
If on a dual suspension bicycle, fully extend rear end, of the bike, to greatest distance from center of BB, big/big + 1" is the proper length of chain, in that position. You have to be able to shift Ned gear, no way to prevent it, and a certain companies derailleurs must have that tension to work properly. Guess whose!

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-26984 Anonymous Tue, 05 May 2009 16:34:00 +0000 http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/#comment-26984 Chainlength = Big chainring + big Cog + 1 inch of chain, not through the derailleurs. How hard is this? All chain is 1/2" pitch, so 1" = 3 contiguous pins. Look it up, use m-w.comIf on a dual suspension bicycle, fully extend rear end, of the bike, to greatest distance from center of BB, big/big + 1" is the proper length of chain, in that position. You have to be able to shift Ned gear, no way to prevent it, and a certain companies derailleurs must have that tension to work properly. Guess whose! Chainlength = Big chainring + big Cog + 1 inch of chain, not through the derailleurs. How hard is this? All chain is 1/2" pitch, so 1" = 3 contiguous pins. Look it up, use m-w.comIf on a dual suspension bicycle, fully extend rear end, of the bike, to greatest distance from center of BB, big/big + 1" is the proper length of chain, in that position. You have to be able to shift Ned gear, no way to prevent it, and a certain companies derailleurs must have that tension to work properly. Guess whose!

]]> By: UltraRob http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-11953 UltraRob Tue, 05 May 2009 16:01:00 +0000 http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/#comment-11953 I used to go a link short on my mountain bike to reduce chain slap. I just had to remember not to go cross chain. Every once and a while, I wouldn't pay enough attention and would. It seems the derailleur springs on stiffer now so there's not quite as much slap. I used to go a link short on my mountain bike to reduce chain slap. I just had to remember not to go cross chain. Every once and a while, I wouldn't pay enough attention and would. It seems the derailleur springs on stiffer now so there's not quite as much slap.

]]> By: UltraRob http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/comment-page-1/#comment-26983 UltraRob Tue, 05 May 2009 16:01:00 +0000 http://www.cyclelicio.us/2009/too-short-bicycle-chain/#comment-26983 I used to go a link short on my mountain bike to reduce chain slap. I just had to remember not to go cross chain. Every once and a while, I wouldn't pay enough attention and would. It seems the derailleur springs on stiffer now so there's not quite as much slap. I used to go a link short on my mountain bike to reduce chain slap. I just had to remember not to go cross chain. Every once and a while, I wouldn't pay enough attention and would. It seems the derailleur springs on stiffer now so there's not quite as much slap.

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