Often a cyclist gets into an unexpected and unpleasant situation on the road when the bicycle chain breaks or loosens, which requires urgent repair. Experienced cyclists often perform routine maintenance under stationary conditions, while checking compliance with quality parameters or completely replacing the transmission. In all these cases, it is necessary to use a special device that allows you to quickly and easily connect or open. This is a squeeze of a chain.
This device should be an obligatory element in the repair kit of each bicycle driver, so that, if necessary, you could rely on your own strength and perform express repair of the chain even in the most difficult conditions. The advantage of the squeeze is also that it has compact dimensions, and this allows it to occupy a minimum of space in the repair kit.
Squeezing the chain allows you to not only minimize the difficulties associated with breakdowns on the road, but also to carry out repairs without contacting service centers or bicycle repair shops.
How does the squeeze chain work?
This product has a movable screw in its design, which allows you to securely and tightly fix the bicycle chain. The release pin extrudes the pins and splits the cheeks of the chain. In order for the device to work for many years and justify the amount spent on the purchase, it must be made of high quality material having maximum strength, which determines the reliability of the entire squeeze. As a rule, the model should be made of durable steel. In order for this key to be easily held in the hand of the person performing the repair, the handle should not be smooth, but rough, which will guarantee good adhesion of the skin and the surface of the handle. The most successful option is a rubberized surface.
How to repair a chain by squeezing
If your bicycle chain is broken or broken / deformed - this is not a reason to throw it away. Having squeezed the chain, you can make repairs yourself at home and even in the field, following our instructions.
The algorithm of actions is simple: you need to find a weak spot in the chain and remove the broken link, then replace it with a new one (of the same brand as the chain itself) or a reusable link. After connecting the components using a non-new element, the integrity will not be the same as it was before, and not as reliable as it could be when replaced with a new link.
Operating procedure:
- remove the broken chain;
- disconnect the broken links;
- connect the broken link, which consists of an internal and external element (for this you need to squeeze the chain);
- install the link in the slot, which serves as a component of the pressing or reverse action - pinning out the pin.
- Strengthen the external link in the external section of the squeeze so that the pin is directed in the exact direction of the pin, press it so that it extends to a distance at which it can be removed;
- connect the finished two ends of the chain and press in the pin with a squeeze.