Bicycle chain: dimensions according to the model of the bicycle, installation, adjustment

Modern bicycles are much more complex compared to older models, so in many ways they require a slightly different care, and in particular this concerns how the bicycle chain should be serviced. The sizes, type and many other parameters of such components affect how they must be used correctly. However, many people continue to act in the same way as they did before: just lubricate it a couple of times a year, and it seems that there will be no wear and tear on it.

In fact, you need to do many things so that your bicycle chain does not bother you with your poor condition. The sizes and other parameters of such devices must be correctly selected during the acquisition process, so that the product is convenient to use for a long time. At the same time, it must be lubricated and replaced in a timely manner if you want to ensure maximum safety for your “iron horse”. But at the same time, many do not know how and when to do it.

How to choose?

The correct chain selection directly depends on how many stars are used in your bike. If your “two-wheeled horse” has five stars, then in this case the standard option with a width of 2.4 mm will be quite optimal. If we are talking about a bicycle with 6-7 stars, then you need to give preference to more expensive and high-quality products, since standard ones simply can not withstand such loads, not to mention how responsibly this procedure should be approached when buying a chain for 8 -star "horse", which is suitable only for the most flexible and expensive products. Of course, if you wish, you can use cheaper analogues, but in this case you will need to change them quite often, and most likely you will have to do this immediately with cassettes, which makes the saving quite dubious.

bike chain sizes

First of all, you must fully comply with the coincidence of the characteristics of your old and new chains, and in particular this applies to their width. It is best to use a chain from the same manufacturer from which you used it before, and for this, most likely, you will need to conduct a detailed cleaning of the old product in order to find the name of the manufacturer on the plates.

It is worth noting the fact that some chains are additionally marked in accordance with the quality of their manufacture, and most often such marking is applied in the form of numbers. Accordingly, the higher the numerical value indicates the marking, the better the quality of the installed circuit. It is also worth noting the fact that the CCM chains often differ in their color, and the best models here are usually painted only in gold color.

For some reason, few people pay attention to such a moment as the length of the chain, because it is this parameter that determines the accuracy of gear shifting. It often happens that the manufacturers themselves make their chains longer than they should be, but in fact there are not so many problems from a long chain as from a short one, because the latter quite often leads to the most sad consequences. You need to choose as follows:

  • On hybrid and mountain bikes, the chain is mounted on the largest front and rear stars, after which it is shortened so that the tensioner frame has an almost horizontal direction forward with a margin of two more links.
  • If a double-suspension bike is used, then in this case the chain length should be selected in such a position of the rear suspension that provides the maximum distance between the cassette and the star of the system.
  • On road bikes, the chain is mounted on a small rear and a large front sprocket.
  • For single-speed bicycles or bicycles with a planetary hub, the chain length is selected so that the axle in the rear wheel fits extremely reliably in the grooves of the frame.

When using a short chain, the most optimal outcome of events is the impossibility of changing gears, but in fact the switch breaks completely more often, which often knocks a couple of spokes from the wheel, and the chain itself can simply break during operation under such a load.

When does it change?

As is the case with any other parts, during the operation you may just wear out the bicycle chain. The dimensions of this element do not play any role here, because even the highest quality products wear out, but often any problems can be corrected completely if desired. At the same time, you need to understand that there is no definite answer to the question of why this wear is occurring, because there are a huge number of factors affecting this process. Soil, weather conditions, the type and method of lubrication, the duration of the ride - because of all this, the bicycle chain eventually wears out. Dimensions and other nuances should already be taken into account when choosing which is best to apply to it.

That is why it will be useful for every cyclist to know what such components are and how they should be serviced.

What is she like?

The bicycle chain is the main mechanism of the “two-wheeled horse”, and is a standard drive roller chain that transmits torque to the follower from the drive sprocket. In total, three types of such products are manufactured today:

  • lightweight;
  • half-link;
  • single speed or speed.

chain for bike

It is also worth noting the fact that the chains between themselves differ in width and the distance between the pins fastening the links. There are several reasons why a chain for a bicycle may wear out, but among the most common, the following can be distinguished:

  • negative weather conditions;
  • chain life is too long;
  • method and type of lubrication;
  • workmanship.

Such products require special attention. You need to know how to tighten a chain on a bicycle, when to lubricate, clean and change it. It is quite simple to see too much wear - it regularly falls off, pops up and stretches noticeably.

Grease

There are many opinions on how to tighten a chain on a bicycle, and whether it should be lubricated at all. Some believe that she does not need lubrication at all, because a large amount of dirt begins to accumulate on the oil, which leads to accelerated chain wear. Others, on the contrary, think that it is precisely the lubricant that is correctly made that will increase the overall service life of this mechanism. But here, many people have questions about how to apply lubricant and what to do if, after that, the chain flies on a fast bike?

how to pull a chain on a bicycle

You can carry out this procedure using a standard grease fitting. You can also use a spray, but in this case you need to be extremely careful, because the oil can get not only on the chain, but also on some other parts of your bike. If it is incorrect to apply oil, then in the end the mechanism itself will become too dirty, and it happens that the chain also flies on a high-speed bicycle.

Features to consider

The basic rule for performing this procedure is to correctly observe the three points at which the presence of oil is mandatory - these are:

  • the place where the rivet rubs against the inner plates;
  • the place where the outer and inner plates are in contact;
  • inner surface of the roller.

Quite often, when putting a chain on a sports bike, lubrication can cause certain problems associated with the occurrence of air bubbles. When using standard oil lubrication technology using a spray, air bubbles always remain inside the glass, which prevents the oil from passing further. But even if it does get inside, it will already be contaminated, because the outer plates are extremely quickly covered with dust from the road.

Much less problems arise if the chain is pulled by a bicycle of the "non-glass" type. Such products are designed in such a way that even if oil is dripped onto a specific roller, it will get inside when moving, thereby displacing air from there, and through various gaps it will also get onto the outer plates. Since the side plates are lubricated from the inside, all the dirt present will be completely washed out by using an oil flow, and you should not even worry about the contamination of the rollers, since they are completely cleaned without unnecessary help in the process of interacting with the teeth.

What to use?

The most common today are two main types of lubricant - waxes and motorcycle.

The latter are a thick material in combination with a solvent, which has a fairly high evaporation rate. Any motorist knows that viscous lubricants cannot penetrate to those places where they are really needed, while liquid ones do not linger too long in the chain. It is for this reason that it is best if the entire length of the bike’s chain is lubricated with motorcycle oil, since due to the use of a special solvent in it, it can easily penetrate even the most inaccessible places, after which this substance completely disappears and a thick material remains that can serve for a long time.

chain flies on a speed bike

Waxes act in a similar way, since they use a combination of liquid and viscous lubricants, but it is worth noting that in this case the chain will have to be lowered into the molten viscous liquid, and under the influence of temperatures the mixture will become liquid, falling into all places where it is needed place, after which it cools down and provides work for a long time. The main drawback of this method can only be called the fact that it may take a fairly large amount of time to implement it.

Cleaning

It was already mentioned above that the lubricant is a fairly sticky material, as a result of which road dust sticks to it quickly enough. For this reason, during the operation of the vehicle, special attention should be paid to the cleaning procedure.

It is not difficult to find a tool for effective chain cleaning today, as modern stores offer their consumers a fairly rich assortment of cleaning fluids with a wide variety of compositions and aromas. However, the main drawback of these liquids, which process the chain on a bicycle, is the price, so not everyone can afford them. In this regard, in the predominant majority of cases, modern cyclists prefer to use conventional means like gasoline or acetone.

bike chain Price

There are some specialized tools that quickly enough bring the chain to the bike into normal condition. The price of such products is quite low, but the main drawback of them is most often that they have a strong enough and pungent odor, which is why it is not recommended to clean them indoors. It should be borne in mind that today the chain itself can be bought at about the price of 150 to 400 rubles.

In addition, you will need to use a rag, brush and a small container into which the cleaning agent spills. If your chain has not yet become too dirty, then in this case it will be quite simple to wipe it with a rag, but otherwise it will be first soaked in a container with cleaning fluid, and then it will be loosened with a brush. The fluid will have to be replaced until it is completely clean, and in some cases the procedure can even drag on for a rather long time.

How to understand that it’s time to replace the circuit?

Many believe that timely replacement of the chain is not so important, because you can always reach the last moment, and only then change it. In fact, do not forget that the total life of the bike cassette is several times longer than the life of the chain, and if you do not change it in time, then you will have to replace two components at once. In this case, you can extend the life of the circuit, if you correctly understand how you need to switch speeds.

chain on a sports bike

Useful Tips

There is a way that you can not worry for a long time about how to put the chain on the bicycle after purchasing it. First, one product is used, but after the slightest suspicion of wear appears, it is replaced with another, but the old is not discarded. If again suspicions arise, then a third is put in, and only after its partial wear and tear does the first return to its place - and so on in a circle. This method allows you to achieve the full and uniform application of all three circuits, but few prefer to use this technology because it requires a rather painstaking approach.

If the product is worn out and it is time to change it, it will be elongated, regardless of how many links there are in the bicycle chain. At the same time, it will constantly pop up and fall, which will lead to a lot of difficulties during operation.

How to change it?

The main difficulty here is to remove the product correctly, and at the same time not to damage any link in the bicycle chain. In order to dismantle it without any damage, you need to get a squeeze, which is sold today in almost every normal bike shop. Further, the procedure is as follows:

  1. Lay the chain link so that the pin is positioned in front of the release pin.
  2. Gently scroll the knob to extrude the pin, and you need to stop here only when it is almost extruded. Pay close attention to the process of carrying out this procedure, because there is a risk of full extrusion, and it is often extremely difficult to insert it back.

bike chain tension

Instantly remove and install the chain using a specialized link lock.


All Articles