Long wheelbase = long chain

[Edwin W]

I have a Joe Appa with long chain stays, which necessitates a long chain, longer than a single chain.

For all of you out there with a long chain bike, what are your best tips/tricks/techniques for purchasing a chain. Where do you go for a long chain?

What else do you think about with chain replacement, maintenance, etc...

Lifelong learner, breaking cobbled together chains,

Edwin

[Brian Forsee]

I don't have a long chain bike myself, but when i was employed as a bike mechanic i worked on lots of recumbent bikes. These would require 2-3 chains,  most of the time 3. We would just splice together 3 chains of the same make and model. I ran into problems trying to combine different model chains, even from the same manufacturer (obviously these were the same speed/width). The easiest way is to use multiple quick links. You can also splice them together using the regular link/pin but need to be careful to get the pin inserted straight. 

Brian

[Bill Lindsay]

Rivendell themselves buy "chain" in enormous continuous bulk, so they can use a single chain for a build.  I buy my long chains from Riv.  In the past, when I've been impatient and wanted to do something in the stand "RIGHT NOW" I've just used two quick links and a subset of a second chain.  Sometimes, what's left of the second chain is still long enough for a single speed build, etc.  

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

[Garth]

Ebike chains come in extra long links. Figure out how much you need and buy one close.

[DavidP]

My Platypus requires 116 + 12 links. I use two chains with two quicklinks. I don't bother about spacing the quicklinks equally between two 64 link sections but others may.

-Dave

[Richard Rose]

Count how many links you have now. Call Will & Riv & he will use their bulk chain to send you one the correct length. EZPZ. Cheaper than buying two & easier.

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 25, 2024, at 10:58 AM, Edwin W <dween...@hotmail.com> wrote:

I have a Joe Appa with long chain stays, which necessitates a long chain, longer than a single chain.

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[Armand Kizirian]

If you have certainty that you won't swap a drivetrain, simply buy two chains. The second chain will be enough to populate several chain replacements, granted they are of the same chain. No need to use two quick links either, if you have a chain breaker and know how to use it.

[Piaw Na]

You can't do that if you're using 11s or more. Rejoining 11s and up chains using a chain breaker is not recommended. My "trick" is to buy 11s chains at $10/pop when they go on sale once a year and a bunch of quick links at the same time.

[Nick Payne]

On Friday 26 April 2024 at 2:51:46 am UTC+10 Garth wrote:

Ebike chains come in extra long links. Figure out how much you need and buy one close.

 

^This. For my Appaloosa I bought a Wipperman Connex chain that had 136 links. With 38/24 chainrings and an 11-40 cassette, that was easily long enough to cope with the long chainstays. As I recall, I had to remove six or eight links to get the correct length.

https://www.connexchain.com/en/bike-chains/detail/connex-11se

Nick Payne

[Mackenzy Albright]

Buy two KMC z9's for dirt cheap. Toss the leftover second chain in the parts bin for the next 3 chain replacements. 

[Edwin W]

Awesome advice from all of you, two chains on the way!

[Dan]

I'd like to hijack this thread with a question relevant to the title, if not the OP's actual question:

How do people manage the loooong chain getting wedged between the tyre and chainstay?

I'm loving my Appaloosa so far, but when I'm in my 24t chainring and on a bumpy road, the chain flys around, hits the knobby side of my rear tyre, and gets sucked in and wedged. It's not a great sound.

My first angle of attack is to go for a slightly wider BB. There's a 115mm BB installed now, but the crank manufacturer recommends a 119mm.

After that, I'm going to try and fashion a kind of chain bash guard like Ultraromance did on his Atlantis for this very issue. Finally, I'd look at swapping the rear derailleur for one with more tension maybe? I'm using the Deore M591, which looks good, but maybe a different derailleur with stronger spring would lessen the chain flying around?

[Bill Lindsay]

"maybe a different derailleur with stronger spring would lessen the chain flying around?"

Or a derailleur with a clutch would lessen the chain flying around.  IMO there is some technique involved also.  The upper run of chain is only slack when you are coasting.  Keep it stuck in your head that if you are coasting you ought to already be in the big ring.  Maybe that's not practical on your terrain, but it's basically impossible for that chain mishap to happen from the big ring.  

Another idea is a mullet tire setup: wider in front and narrower in back. 

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito. CA

[Armand Kizirian]

Plenty of Shimano Shark Fin's on eBay and elsewhere still to be had. Chain suck be gone.

[Dan]

Bill:

Yes, that’s how I’ve been managing it. Works perfectly that way, and I take it as good training for front derailluer shifts. 

Kiziria:

Thank you so much, that’s EXACTLY what I’m looking for! I’ll be sourcing one of these for sure. Wow.