How many links to my chain?

[Somebuddy]

i just bought a new 10 speed chain for my Boardman Team Carbon. Apparently I have to cut it to size. My old chain snapped and I lost some links and I'm not too sure how many links its supposed to have. Can anyone help out?

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Route the chain through the rear derailleur and put the chain on biggest sprocket at the rear and largest chain ring at the front stretch the chain until the rear derailleur is at full stretch and then overlap by one link and that will be fine for most situations. You should never be big to big (cross chaining) but if you try to put it on that combination with too short a chain the results can be disastrous.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Some cyclists do run shorter chains which can work better with short cage derailleurs that cannot retrieve all the slack when on smaller sprocket/chainrings - but above method has always worked fine for me.

 

[cyberknight]

 

[slowmotion]

Use this chain length calculator....
http://www.machinehead-software.co.uk/bike/chain_length/chainlengthcalc.html

 

[Smokin Joe]

Use this chain length calculator....
http://www.machinehead-software.co.uk/bike/chain_length/chainlengthcalc.html

That's the easiest and most accurate way to do it, there's no need to faff about trying to judge the angle of the cage when you can type the info into that and get the perfect fit.

 

[Dan B]

Isn't that going to give different answers depending on bottom bracket height?

 

[cyberknight]

N

Isn't that going to give different answers depending on bottom bracket height?

No
Its not in relation to the BB, its saying the Rear mech should be vertical when your in big/small.

 

[Somebuddy]

Thank You everyone.

 

[slowmotion]

That's the easiest and most accurate way to do it, there's no need to faff about trying to judge the angle of the cage when you can type the info into that and get the perfect fit.

I think that it was you who posted that link in about 2009 or earlier. I have used it many times since.

http://www.machinehead-software.co.uk/bike/chain_length/chainlengthcalc.html

Many thanks.