Joining a new chain - SOLVED

[Shut Up Legs]

I'm almost done replacing the front chain rings, chain and rear cassette on my road bike, but am a bit stuck on joining the chain. It came with a pin inserted into one side of an outer link, and I'm trying to use a chain breaker to join this outer link with the inner link at the other end of the chain.

The only problem is: I'm having trouble pushing the inner link in-between the two plates of the outer link. Is it safe to bend these two plates out a fraction, to allow the inner link to go in?

I don't know if I've posted this at a good time, since anyone in the UK is probably sound asleep by now, but it's worth a try.

--- Regards & thanks,

--- Victor.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I gave up on the normal links, and removed the outer link. I then put a quick-link on. Now I can't seem to get the quick link to slide all the way on to the chain. They're compatible: 10 speed for both.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Problem solved!
I just read somewhere that if you hold the back wheel steady, then apply enough pressure to the pedal / crank with the chain quick link in the right position, it should just click into place... and so it did. Now my road bike has new drivetrain parts, and is ready to go again.

 

[mangid]

Problem solved!
I just read somewhere that if you hold the back wheel steady, then apply enough pressure to the pedal / crank with the chain quick link in the right position, it should just click into place... and so it did. Now my road bike has new drivetrain parts, and is ready to go again.

The right position being in the middle on top, not the bottom. Spent several frustrating minutes the first time I tried the technique with it on the bottom :-)

 

[Racing roadkill]

I've got one of these for holding the chain.

Then I use a quick link.
Then with the plates of the link pinched in position, slide a pair of needle noses pliers up between the rivets. Click, jobs a goodun

 

[Illaveago]

I find clipping them together can be a bit of a fiddle at times especially when my needle nosed pliers aren't needle nosed enough, they slip and I end up with a blood blister. They can also be a pain when you think you have succeeded only to find that one plate has located and the other has just slipped over the pin.

 

[I like Skol]

View attachment 354158

I've got one of these for holding the chain.

they saw you coming! I have a short piece of old wire coat hanger with a hook bent at each end. Cost approximately nothing.

 

[ColinJ]

they saw you coming! I have a short piece of old wire coat hanger with a hook bent at each end. Cost approximately nothing.

The coat hanger saw YOU coming! I just unship the chain and work on it while it is loose ...

 

[rusty bearing]

Make 'em out of old spokes, nice and springy.

 

[Tim Hall]

View attachment 354158

I've got one of these for holding the chain.

Then I use a quick link.
Then with the plates of the link pinched in position, slide a pair of needle noses pliers up between the rivets. Click, jobs a goodun

That sounds like a lot of tools for a simple job. Although from your description it appears you're trying to undo the quicklink, whereas the OP was trying to do his up.

 

[Racing roadkill]

That sounds like a lot of tools for a simple job. Although from your description it appears you're trying to undo the quicklink, whereas the OP was trying to do his up.

No, doing it up, undoing it is just a case of pushing the pin out, or unclipping the quick link with these.

"A lot of tools", best practice is the term I'd tend to use. It's possible to do it with a cable tie, and some strength, that's not best practice though.

 

[Tim Hall]

No, doing it up, undoing it is just a case of pushing the pin out, or unclipping the quick link with these.

View attachment 354182
"A lot of tools", best practice is the term I'd tend to use. It's possible to do it with a cable tie, and some strength, that's not best practice though.

Can't you just do it up by applying tension to the chain by pushing on the pedal?

 

[DaveReading]

Can't you just do it up by applying tension to the chain by pushing on the pedal?

Usually, yes.

Come to that, releasing a quicklink can normally be done without special tools by trapping it on the chainring and bashing it with the nearest available hard object.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Can't you just do it up by applying tension to the chain by pushing on the pedal?

Yes, but it's easier to do it with decent tools.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

The coat hanger saw YOU coming! I just unship the chain and work on it while it is loose ...

That's what I do too