How to Determine Bicycle Chain Length
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 มี.ค. 2022
- How long should my chain be on my bicycle? If you don't have an old chain to work from, we show you how to measure the correct chain length which works on most bikes including a road bike chain and most mountain bike with few exceptions which we'll describe below.
As we can see here, when we place the chain in the smallest chainring and smallest cassette cog (a gear we don't usually use), the chain rubs on the pulley wheels indicating that the chain is too long. So first we'll remove the old chain with our chain breaker.
Size bike chain using this drivetrain method which works for most cases with a few the following exceptions:
Using a "shadow derailleur" requires one more full link (an outer plate and inner plate constitute an chain link).
If bike uses a chain guide, be sure the chain is routed through the guide.
If the bike is equipped with a SRAM derailleur, 10 or 11-speed cassette on a single front chainring and no rear suspension, or if the bike has rear suspension then see the video from Park Tools.
Move the rear derailleur to the smallest cog to get it out of the way. Now move the front derailleur over the large chain ring. Wrap the chain around the largest cog. If one end of the chain has just outer links, feed that end forward onto the large chain ring and hold in the 5 o'clock position. If the chain uses a masterlink, install half of the masterlink. Now the rest is the same whether you're using a master link or special rivet. Pull the rest of the chain snug and place on lower part of the large chain ring. Make sure the chain is securely on the large cog and we've bypassed the rear derailleur completely. We will add some extra chain links at the end to make up for this.
Find the closest rivet where the 2 ends can be joined. If we have an outer link matching up with an inner link, this is our reference point. Now count 2 rivets down and mark the chain. This is the rivet we'll remove to cut the chain with a chain tool.
If we have an outer link matching up with another outer link, these cannot be hooked together. So go down one more rivet. This will become our reference rivet. Count down 2 rivets to find the rivet that we'll remove.
This is the easiest way for bicycle chain sizing when you don't have an old chain that you removed to work from (i.e. replace your present chain). Once we have the correct length, we also show chain installation using a masterlink. Note: When replacing a masterlink, look for an arrow on the masterling. If present, it points in the direction of chain movement when pedaling. On Shimano chain, the writing faces out toward you. Master links are available for most chains including SRAM, Shimano, Connex and KMC (KMC makes masterlinks for 5 speed up to 12-speed). - กีฬา
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thanks! this is the only video I could find that references specifically a triple crankset.
You're Welcome. Also visit our TH-cam home site at:
th-cam.com/users/MrTony10speed
Regards and safe cycling, Tony
Always a pleasure to watch a master at work. If only Tony was my neighbour.
I’d love to see a video about preventing chain rub when the highest and lowest gear.
Thank you. Also visit our TH-cam home site at:
th-cam.com/users/MrTony10speed
Regards and safe cycling, Tony
Great explanations!! Now I will attempt to change chain.
Thank you. Let me know how you make out. Also see our video on chain replacement:
th-cam.com/video/02-WEIVoT78/w-d-xo.html
And visit our TH-cam home site at:
th-cam.com/users/MrTony10speed
Regards and safe cycling, Tony
@@tony10speed Thanks for the reply. I will let you know how it goes. Is it possible for me to count the chain links of the original chain and match with new chain?
@@dido1803 Yes. You should take into account any master link as shown in the video I referred to.
Thanks for a wonderful video very detailed,and helpful I learned alot
You're Welcome. Also visit our TH-cam home site at:
th-cam.com/users/MrTony10speed
Regards and safe cycling, Tony
Great explanation, thanks sir 👍👍
You're Welcome. Also visit our TH-cam home site at:
th-cam.com/users/MrTony10speed
Regards and safe cycling, Tony
Very informative, thank you.
You're Welcome. Also visit our TH-cam home site at:
th-cam.com/users/MrTony10speed
Regards and safe cycling, Tony
Thanks Tony what i like about you your a honest man open to ideas of any easier tips but all I have seen in yours is both short and simple to follow very useful for bikers experienced and amateurs alike im glad you mentioned on the extra link on the particular shimano as I got 1 the same.
I appreciate that! Regards, Tony
thank you Sir for sharing this useful video
You're Welcome. Also visit our TH-cam home site at:
th-cam.com/users/MrTony10speed
Regards and safe cycling, Tony
Thankyou for sharing this.
You're Welcome. Also visit our TH-cam home site at:
th-cam.com/users/MrTony10speed
Regards and safe cycling, Tony
Outstanding!
Thank you. Also visit our TH-cam home site at:
th-cam.com/users/MrTony10speed
Regards and safe cycling, Tony
easy peasy on regular diamond frame bikes. I just bought a 3 speed recumbent trike and it is now a 20 speed . A regular diamond frame bike has about 114 links and my trike is a bit over 300! 10 speed chain is about half the weight of the 3 speed chain I took off.
I’ve been wrenching on my bikes for 40 years but never fail to learn something new from 10speed Tony, thanks.
I’m planning to ride to Allentown from Brooklyn. As a Jersey boy could you recommend a road? Just give me your fav East-West road to work out a route.
Here's a plot to start with. I've only been on the roads from Manville, NJ to Milford, NJ and can not vouch for any other roads. It quite a distance. Good luck and safe cycling.
www.google.com/maps/dir/New+York/Allentown,+Pennsylvania/@40.594811,-74.8942199,10.43z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c24fa5d33f083b:0xc80b8f06e177fe62!2m2!1d-74.0059728!2d40.7127753!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c439929f4adce1:0xeaf9df4b246824a1!2m2!1d-75.4714098!2d40.6022939!3e1
@@tony10speed
Thanks. Rte 12 looks good.
Hi Tony what would you say about an 11 speed chain on an 10 speed Casett? I am building my first full suspension bike.I found a 2013 Kona Satori that has good bones , this is my second bike build, and I removed the front deraileur that controlled a 2X10 Crankset , it was a Shimano SLX M678 , and i installed a new Shimano M8000 Crankset with a 32t, FUNN Narrow wide chainring, that is able to use a 9,10,11,12 spd chain, and left the rear end alone with a Shimano SLX 10 spd rear deraileur and an 11-36t cassett, could i use? Or would the stock chain be long enough, to work on my new system? Or should the chain be longer? Basically i bought and cut a new Shimano HG56 10spd chain cut to the exact length as the origional a month ago,…then decided to just go ahead and rebuild and modernize the bike
The stock 2x10 Crankset had a 26t and 38t chainring, and now i have a 32t narrow wide
I have a few brand new 11spd chains, in case I should have the chain longer
Sorry for the confusing question
The 11 speed chain is very close in overall width to the 10 speed and should work fine. Since the length was OK on the 2x10 26t and 38t, it should work as is with your new 32t narrow wide. Let me know how you make out. Regards, Tony
Do you always use a master link? What happened to partially removing a pin using that to snap the chain to the other end?
Most chains now come with a master link. You can still use the old method of partially removing a pin But the master link, if used correctly and snapped in, will give a more secure linkage and less chance of breakage. Since the use of masterlinks (also called quick links), I've rarely seen a snapped chain. Regards and safe cycling, Tony
Tony, enjoyed your video. Does you method allow for small, medium or large derailleur? I would think that would impact the chain length. Thank you.
I assume you have the correct rear derailleur (short or long cage) with the right drivetrain capacity for your chain rings and rear cassette cogs. To determine the correct rear derailleur, see:
www.mantel.com/blog/en/derailleur-capacity-maximum-techcenter
The chain length will depend on the largest chain ring and largest cassette cog. The correct rear derailleur will take care of it's self, if it's the correct capacity for your drive train. Sounds odd, but true. Good question and the answer requires one delve into how the bicycle drivetrain works. Regards, Tony
@@tony10speed Thanks for your comment. After read your message I started to think about it. I replaced a short cage with a medium. The short supports 11-28 where the medium supports 11-32. I have a medium with the 11-28. I would think that would work.
@@bobscharle1233 It should with the right length chain.
Thank you for taking the time to assist. I really appreciate it.
Why not just adjust chain length so the chain is just shy of rubbing the upper jockey wheel when in small chainring & small sprocket?
Some mechanics do that. But you must also check that when in the big cog and big chainring (a gear combination we usually avoid) that the derailleur jam (is a about a 45 degree angle).
whats the effect when we use too long chain for daily use? I never use the smallest chainring-smallest sprocket combination
You are probably fine if you remember not to accidently shift into the small / small where the chain will contact the rear derailleur which is not good for the chain or derailleur. But another effect may be "chain slap." Without enough tension on the rear derailleur pulleys due to "too long a chain", the rear derailleur swings back and forth, especially on rough roads, and excess chain will slap against the chain stay. Just some thoughts. Thanks for your comment and safe cycling, Tony
@@tony10speed yes, I change from 42 to 44T biggest chainring, while the rest two are getting smaller (34 to 32T and 24 to 22T). If I shorten the chain, I'm afraid it is also not a good option since my largest chainring is getting bigger. Thus I prefer not to change my chain length
@@melisaangelina6408 When changing cassette size and/or chainring size, one must be aware of the drivetrain capacity. You may be exceeding the capacity of the rear derailleur to shift properly or to use all gear combinations. I suggest you read the following which (although long) will give you greater in site into how and when you can make such changes and the type of derailleur that will work the best:
www.mantel.com/blog/en/derailleur-capacity-maximum-techcenter
Learning how this all works can be fun if you want to take the time. Regards and safe cycling, Tony
@@tony10speed my RD, shimano tourney TY300, has maximum capacity of 43T (data from shimano website). mine is (44-22)+(28-14)=36T.
Glad to read your suggested link, it expands my knowledge about bike drivetrain compatibilty. Thank you
Can't you measure the chain using the smallest cog and smallest chainring and shortening it just enough so the chain doesn't rub against the pulley wheel?
The method of using the large chainring and large cog will work on both double and 1x front chainring setups with a few exceptions for mountain bikes with a clutch. On a front double, one can use small chainring / small cog as follows:
With the chain threaded through the rear derailleur, and around the smallest cog and small chainring, pull both ends of the chain together until you get some tension in the rear derailleur cage. This is the point at which you want to cut the chain. You should have approximately 10 mm of clearance between the chain wrapped around the upper jockey wheel and lower run of chain. Ensure you cut the link with one “wide” and one “narrow” end remaining, if you’re using a pin. Make sure the chain has two “narrow” ends if you’re using a quick link.
Does this work on all bikes?
There are some exceptions when considering SRAM derailleurs on a 1x chainring, if you have a front chain guide and with rear suspensions. See:
th-cam.com/video/O0YibMDWBAw/w-d-xo.html
You made a rookie mistake when placing the chain through the derailleur. You passed over the tab below de guide pulley which will be rubbing against. I think you should put a tag oin the video advising of it, as you edited it later. Anyway good video.
Good observation!! That's what happens when you're in a rush. Unfortunately, once published, TH-cam no longer allow you to edit (and add) to your video. I'll put in a "card" that will suggest the viewer see the following video:
th-cam.com/video/02-WEIVoT78/w-d-xo.html
Thanks and safe cycling, Tony
@@tony10speed It has happened to everyone at least once! Thanks and keep with your channel!