I’ve purchased a new Wipperman chain and will be replacing with soon. My last chain I installed I followed the directions on the DA pamphlet that comes with the RD and CH. To the best of my recollection it directs you to put the chain on the large chain ring and smallest cassette ring. With the RD at 90 degrees (right angle) measure the chain length and add one additional length. Now this is fine but when the chain is in the largest cassette ring the RD is stressed forward. Looks like it puts an unecessary load on the chain and RD creating friction. Is this the proper way to determine chain length or did I misinterpret the directions. Thanks in advance for the suggestions.
Regards, Chris
YMMV…
Large Chain Ring and Large sprkt on cass. Don’t run through RD. Add two links.
I was a mechanic at 3 different shops for a total of about 3 years in a former life. The best and easiest method, by far, is to put the chain on the small/small combination (properly run through the RD) and then make it just short enough so that it doesn’t rub the RD. This method gives you the maximum amount of chain that you can have, and you DO want the max amount. This will keep you from being one of those people who puts it in the big/big combination and rips off the RD. Also, if something happens to a couple of the links you can take them out and still have enough length.
I also use the “as long as possible in the small/small” method. That way I don’t have to add links when I swap to a larger cassette.
what about running it through big ring front/ small ring rear and making sure the RD pulleys are parrallel? thats what Zinn’s book says to do
What about simply counting the links on the old chain, and going with the same amount on the new one? If you old chain worked fine, then this is the universal no-brainer method.
Or you can just take the old chain off and lay it on the ground- match up the length of the new chain and you should be good to go. Counting is just to hard :).
That’s basically what I meant…putting on the same amount as the other chain…not actually counting the individual links. I’d lost count after 10.
If I’m seeing this correctly in my head, then if you switch to the small/small combination then your chain is going to be too long and rub the RD. I’m guessing that you mean the RD pulleys are parallel to the ground.
Also, the “just match it up to your old chain” method assumes that the old chain was correct. Even if the old chain worked it may not have been the best option.
The small/small method is the easiest and the best. The beautiful thing about it is there’s nothing to interpret; parallel, perpendicular, +1 link, +2 links, /32, *.803, none of that. Just make it as long as possible without rubbing, done.