Wipperman Chain Install

[JrPatrick]

1. When installing a road bike chain, is there a preferred method (without a tensioner) to determine if you're using the right number of links? I've been told that you if you put it in the right gear combo, and look at the rear derailleur pulleys, you can get it close. Problem is I don't remember which gear, or what the pulley position should look like.

2. For a Wippeman Connex 9-sp chain (used with DA 9sp), is it ok to use the same pins when removing links, or do you have to use replacement pins (as with Shimano)?

Thanks.

[boudreaux]

Originally posted by JrPatrick
1. When installing a road bike chain, is there a preferred method (without a tensioner) to determine if you're using the right number of links? I've been told that you if you put it in the right gear combo, and look at the rear derailleur pulleys, you can get it close. Problem is I don't remember which gear, or what the pulley position should look like.

2. For a Wippeman Connex 9-sp chain (used with DA 9sp), is it ok to use the same pins when removing links, or do you have to use replacement pins (as with Shimano)?

Thanks. Assuming the old chain was the correct lenth,just count the links. www.parktool,com repair section, has how to on chain length.Sheldon Brown at www.harriscyclery.com has another take. Whippermans use a removable link....use that. Didn't this chain come with instructions?

[JrPatrick]

Boys at the local shop installed it, so I don't have the old chain to compare. The instructions are gone too. The shop usually does very good work, but it seems kind of loose. It hasn't dropped yet, but I thought I'd check the forum before going back. Also, removable link is there.

Thx.

[drewjc]

If it does seem a bit loose then u may want to take one link out as the bike shop should have got it to within one link of the correct length (i would hope!), but if u do this then u have no need to put a pin back in as u r using the removable link as the joiner. All u have to do is knock the pin out and take a link with it, then join the chain back together with the removable link. If you do infact make a mistake and dont actually have to take a link out but u do then as far as i know u can use the old pins, unlike in a shimano chain.