Bike chains

On Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:19:24 -0400, Matt O'Toole
wrote:

In my experience, the expensive ones don't last any longer than the cheap
ones.

I used to wear out chains in 2-3 months of mountain biking. Always
looking for more chain life per dollar I tried all levels of quality,
and found there's no difference. A decade of this is a pretty good sample.

That may be true for mountain bikes, but it isn't for road bikes, in
my experience. Campagnolo 10-speed chains are expensive, but they
last considerably longer than their KMC equivalents.

On Mar 26, 2:27*pm, A Muzi wrote:
JCrowe wrote:
I suppose I should just shorten the second chain to
length and use both removable links or would pressing
them together do the trick?
wrote:
Pressing together, as in joining the two chains with a chain tool?
That's officially a no-no with modern multi-speed chains (the pins are
peened, so they flare at the ends, so when you drive them through with
the chain tool, they enlarge the holes in the side plates, and then
those side plates won't fit tightly on reassembly).
Mike Elliott wrote:
Wait -- modern chains should not be taken apart with a chain tool? I did
not know that! That's how I remove mine to clean. So . . . what's the
more correct procedure?

Sevens go both ways but 8-9-10 chain have thinner links with tighter
rivets and they set flush.

My experience running 8speed medium quality KMC chains (also labeled
"Nashbar" or even "Nashbar tandem") and Sram P48s and 58s and using a
classic Rivoli tool on those chains has been without incident. They
all have pronounced rivets. Are there some fancy streamlined 8spd
chains out there that I don't know about??

"Mike Jacoubowsky" writes:

If you've got a 10-speed drivetrain, the KMC & Shimano chains work very
nicely. I'm not a fan of the SRAM. Noisy, seems to wear more quickly, and
break more often than I'd like. For 9-speeds, same thing, except that
there's no wear or failure issue with the SRAM chains (although I don't find
they shift as well up front as the other chains).

Mike, what do you have to say about the venerable PC-48, PC-58, and
PC-68 SRAM chains? I have been pretty happy with SRAM PC-68's.

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA, USA

In article ,
Mike Elliott wrote:

On 3/26/2008 1:11 PM Hank wrote:

On Mar 26, 11:20 am, Mike Elliott wrote:
On 3/26/2008 10:41 AM wrote:

On Mar 26, 10:11 am, JCrowe wrote:
I suppose I should just shorten the second chain to
length and use both removable links or would pressing
them together do the trick?
Pressing together, as in joining the two chains with a chain tool?
That's officially a no-no with modern multi-speed chains (the pins are
peened, so they flare at the ends, so when you drive them through with
the chain tool, they enlarge the holes in the side plates, and then
those side plates won't fit tightly on reassembly).
Wait -- modern chains should not be taken apart with a chain tool? I did
not know that! That's how I remove mine to clean. So . . . what's the
more correct procedure?


You can take them apart with a chain tool, just don't put them back
together the old way. Both Shimano & Campy pins should be pushed out
all the way, and have special rejoining pins to replace the old ones
(Shimano pins are cheap, Campys are half the price of a new chain).
That special pin should not be pushed out again later, Other brands
include snaplinks to rejoin. As long as the width is the same, SRAM,
Wipperman and KMC snaplinks can be used with Shimano and Campy chains.

Well, looks like I have a few new chains to order! Might as well get
Gnashbar's snaplink variety, they seem to be the price leader right now
in 9's and 8's.

While I'm at it, I've been considering getting one of those on-bike
chain cleaning tools. Been asked and probably answered a million times
here, but is there a consensus about what's a good one? Gnashbar has
Park and Finish Line, and the chains I need, so that's my main stop.

The on-bike chain cleaning tools are very little help.
Wipe down the chain regularly.

I figure anything I put on the chain will carry grit
into the mating surfaces, so I have stopped worrying
about it. I put on lubricant and thoroughly wipe the
chain.

Folks here have described excellent methods for
cleaning the chain off the bicycle, but my time
is better spent arranging my sock drawer.

--
Michael Press

On Mar 26, 12:56*pm, Mike Rocket J Squirrel
wrote:
On 3/26/2008 12:27 PM A Muzi wrote:





JCrowe wrote:
I suppose I should just shorten the second chain to
length and use both removable links or would pressing
them together do the trick?

wrote:
Pressing together, as in joining the two chains with a chain tool?
That's officially a no-no with modern multi-speed chains (the pins are
peened, so they flare at the ends, so when you drive them through with
the chain tool, they enlarge the holes in the side plates, and then
those side plates won't fit tightly on reassembly).

Mike Elliott wrote:
Wait -- modern chains should not be taken apart with a chain tool? I did
not know that! That's how I remove mine to clean. So . . . what's the
more correct procedure?

Sevens go both ways but 8-9-10 chain have thinner links with tighter
rivets and they set flush. Quite difficult to do well when it is
possible at all. *The downside risk is a rider injury. Use a snap link!

Well I'll be hornswoggled. I've been doing my 9's the Old School way all
along! Nobody ever tells me anything.

I reckon I better get some snap links. I wonder if my Performance LBS
stocks them. I guess I need new chains, too. Dang.

Do what Muzi says, but I still use a chain tool on my SRAM 9sp chains
-- at least some of them. I have never had a problem. I have had
more problems with the super-duper links not-so-quick links than my
regular links. -- Jay Beattie.

On Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:20:27 -0700, Mike Elliott
wrote:

On 3/26/2008 10:41 AM wrote:

On Mar 26, 10:11 am, JCrowe wrote:
I suppose I should just shorten the second chain to
length and use both removable links or would pressing
them together do the trick?

Pressing together, as in joining the two chains with a chain tool?
That's officially a no-no with modern multi-speed chains (the pins are
peened, so they flare at the ends, so when you drive them through with
the chain tool, they enlarge the holes in the side plates, and then
those side plates won't fit tightly on reassembly).

Wait -- modern chains should not be taken apart with a chain tool? I did
not know that! That's how I remove mine to clean. So . . . what's the
more correct procedure?

Don't know if that's a typo.... You do use a chain tool to take it apart, you
aren't supposed to use one to put it back together.

A lot of mixed experience on this. I re-riveted a Shimano 8s chain (instead of
using the magic pin) and got about 200 miles before it took the der hanger off
my mountain bike. Others seem to have no problem.

Mostly I use the Sram links - cheap, easy and reliable.*

Ron
Just how I like my women

On Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:11:17 -0500, JCrowe
wrote:

Serendipitous posting. I am currently refurbing my tandem and I have
to link two chains together for the length between the captain and
stoker cranks. I bought two SRAM chains which come with two removable
lengths. I suppose I should just shorten the second chain to length and
use both removable links or would pressing them together do the trick?

You can use the 2 links for the 1½ chains you are going to use. If
the timing chain is tensioned properly, you won't be able to get the
link to come apart. On my timing chain, I usually put a rag on the
chainrings and force the chain off the ring. I never rejoin chains by
reinserting pushed links.

On Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:56:01 -0700 (PDT), landotter
wrote:

Are there some fancy streamlined 8spd
chains out there that I don't know about??

I recall that the PC48 came with a removable link but my recollections
are not great.

On Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:20:49 GMT, "Mike Jacoubowsky"
wrote:

For 9-speeds, same thing, except that
there's no wear or failure issue with the SRAM chains (although I don't find
they shift as well up front as the other chains).

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA

Links with 'bellies' work better on front chainrings without shift
assists or the SG variety of assist. I'm sure someone has still sells
flat rings but they are rare.

Suntour actually made a chain where the links were flat on one side
and bowed on the other.

On Mar 26, 7:39*pm, Paul Kopit wrote:
On Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:56:01 -0700 (PDT), landotter

wrote:
Are there some fancy streamlined 8spd
chains out there that I don't know about??

I recall that the PC48 came with a removable link but my recollections
are not great.

You recall correctly--but so do pretty much all chains, even those
that are easily broken with a traditional chain tool.