A further question on chains and pins

[Richard]

'scuse me while I put on my flame proof bike shorts

I ordered an 11' HG 90 chain from a recumbent dealer for my recumbent. I really wanted a complete
chain without replacement pins (I use Superlinks on all my chains) Much to my chagrin it came
with 2 Shimano replacement pins in place. The dealer claims his links joined with replacement
pins are as stromg as factory links. Maybe, maybe not. I have broken and repaired chains for
years with no problems.

I figure he uses 2 1/2 chains, gets two 11'chains from 5 regular chains with no waste.

Never the less, I would still like to find a source of chain cut to length off a roll. Does anyone
sell chain like this? Am I too far off the wall about this? It seems like a good idea.

Richard

 

[lisated]

In article <9fa77d4c.0302231622.112e275[email protected]>, [email protected] (Richard) wrote:

> 'scuse me while I put on my flame proof bike shorts
>
> I ordered an 11' HG 90 chain from a recumbent dealer for my recumbent. I really wanted a complete
> chain without replacement pins (I use Superlinks on all my chains) Much to my chagrin it came with
> 2 Shimano replacement pins in place. The dealer claims his links joined with replacement pins are
> as stromg as factory links. Maybe, maybe not. I have broken and repaired chains for years with no
> problems.
>
> I figure he uses 2 1/2 chains, gets two 11'chains from 5 regular chains with no waste.
>
> Never the less, I would still like to find a source of chain cut to length off a roll. Does anyone
> sell chain like this? Am I too far off the wall about this? It seems like a good idea.
>
> Richard

You won't be getting any flames from me, as I have had the same question due to an ongoing
infatuation with recumbent trikes. I avoid Shimano chains in favor of SRAM, but I'd still like to
avoid buying 2.5 chains.

Let me know if you find anything. Big rolls of chain do exist. I have seen one at the Vision
factory. I have no idea how a lowly consumer can get his mitts on one.

--
Ted Bennett Portland OR

 

[Russell]

[email protected] (Richard) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I would still like to find a source of chain cut to length off a roll. Does anyone sell chain like
> this? Am I too far off the wall about this? It seems like a good idea.

Hmmm...actually, that's not a bad idea. I know that they sell Velox rim tape in giant rolls for bike
shop use. There is less waste using it, I suppose. To tell the truth though, I hate using it; it's
rather unweildy trying to hold this big roll of tape while installing it on a rim.

They also sell cable housing in bulk rolls too. So there isn't any reason that I can see why chains
couldn't come bulk, in one loooooong section. But as far as I have seen, chains sold bulk just means
50 or so chains in one plain cardboard box (meaning they're not individually packaged for display.)

Russell

 

[Doug Huffman]

Somebody sells chain from the roll. I thought that it was Hostel Shoppe or Calhoun but I just
reviewed their sites without seeing mention of bulk chain. There IS a shop on-line selling chain
from a roll.

"Richard" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> 'scuse me while I put on my flame proof bike shorts
>
> I ordered an 11' HG 90 chain from a recumbent dealer for my recumbent. I really wanted a complete
> chain without replacement pins (I use Superlinks on all my chains) Much to my chagrin it came with
> 2 Shimano replacement pins in place. The dealer claims his links joined with replacement pins are
> as stromg as factory links. Maybe, maybe not. I have broken and repaired chains for years with no
> problems.
>
> I figure he uses 2 1/2 chains, gets two 11'chains from 5 regular chains with no waste.
>
> Never the less, I would still like to find a source of chain cut to length off a roll. Does anyone
> sell chain like this? Am I too far off the wall about this? It seems like a good idea.
>
> Richard

 

[Sheldon Brown]

Russell wrote:
> [email protected] (Richard) wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
>
>>I would still like to find a source of chain cut to length off a roll. Does anyone sell chain like
>>this? Am I too far off the wall about this? It seems like a good idea.
>
>
> Hmmm...actually, that's not a bad idea. I know that they sell Velox rim tape in giant rolls for
> bike shop use. There is less waste using it, I suppose. To tell the truth though, I hate using it;
> it's rather unweildy trying to hold this big roll of tape while installing it on a rim.
>
> They also sell cable housing in bulk rolls too. So there isn't any reason that I can see why
> chains couldn't come bulk, in one loooooong section. But as far as I have seen, chains sold bulk
> just means 50 or so chains in one plain cardboard box (meaning they're not individually packaged
> for display.)

Currently available "bulk" chains come in boxes of 25, weighing 17 1/2 pounds. Even these packages
are awkward to handle due to their weight, and the boxes are very commonly damaged in shipping due
to cardboard not being up to holding such concentrated weight.

If they came in big heavy rolls, the extra labor involved in measuring and cutting would eat up
any savings.

Sheldon "Efficiency" Brown +-------------------------------------------------+
| I am appearing with the Sudbury Savoyards | In Gilbert & Sullivan’s _Patience_ | February
| 21-March 1, Sudbury, Massachusetts | http://sudburysavoyards.org |
+-------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone
617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 http://harriscyclery.com Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

 

[Richard]

"Doug Huffman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Somebody sells chain from the roll. I thought that it was Hostel Shoppe or Calhoun but I just
> reviewed their sites without seeing mention of bulk chain. There IS a shop on-line selling chain
> from a roll.
>
Thanks for all the replies. Actually I got mine from the Hostel Shope. They sell several different
chains in 11' lengths- 2 1/2 chains joined. My life would be much less iteresting if I asked
first... instead of assuming they are selling what I want.

I thought at one time a recumbent dealer was selling chains off a roll. Can't remember who.

Richard

 

[David L. Johnso]

On Mon, 24 Feb 2003 12:04:52 -0500, Sheldon Brown wrote:

> If they came in big heavy rolls, the extra labor involved in measuring and cutting would eat up
> any savings.

Why? You have to measure and break every chain, anyway. How many fit out of the box? And, for each
one, you have those extra links, which you toss into your chain-bits bucket and there it stays.

If you had even a 25-times usual length super-chain (with super-links to complement it...) you might
get a couple extra chains out of the fact that you don't have 3-4 links extra each time.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | This is my religion. There is no need for temples; no need for _`\(,_ | complicated
philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our (_)/ (_) | temple. The philosophy is kindness.
--The Dalai Lama

 

[Sheldon Brown]

I wrote, of bulk chains:

>>If they came in big heavy rolls, the extra labor involved in measuring and cutting would eat up
>>any savings.

David L. Johnson

> Why? You have to measure and break every chain, anyway.

No I don't, only the ones I install, not the ones I sell for customers to install.

Even when I do install them, I measure them by wrapping them around the largest rear sprocket and
chainwheel. This would be rather awkward to do with a chain attached to a big roll on some sort of
dispenser/spool.

> How many fit out of the box? And, for each one, you have those extra links, which you toss into
> your chain-bits bucket and there it stays.
>
> If you had even a 25-times usual length super-chain (with super-links to complement it...) you
> might get a couple extra chains out of the fact that you don't have 3-4 links extra each time.

Actually, some of my own bikes have chains patched together from old cuttings! I wouldn't do this to
a customer's bike, and probably not even to one of my own derailer bikes, but it works fine for a
fixed gear.

Sheldon "Cheapskate" Brown +-------------------------------------------+
| Good judgment comes from experience, | and experience comes from bad judgment. | --Fred Brook |
+-------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone
617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 http://harriscyclery.com Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

 

[Keven Ruf]

> Thanks for all the replies. Actually I got mine from the Hostel Shope. They sell several different
> chains in 11' lengths- 2 1/2 chains joined.
>
> Richard

Is that really a good deal? I saw the PC-59 for $60 for an 11 foot chain at Hostel Shoppe. You can
get a PC-59 for $18 from a bike shop, maybe $20. An 11 foot chain seems to be 2.3 or 2.5 chains. 2.5
times $20 is $50, 3 times $20 is $60. You're better off buying three chains for $20 each than an 11
footer for $60-- you get half a chain more for the same price, no shipping costs. --Keven.

 

[Hjalmar DuklæT]

"Keven Ruf" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > Thanks for all the replies. Actually I got mine from the Hostel Shope. They sell several
> > different chains in 11' lengths- 2 1/2 chains joined.
> >
> > Richard
>
> Is that really a good deal? I saw the PC-59 for $60 for an 11 foot chain at Hostel Shoppe. You can
> get a PC-59 for $18 from a bike shop, maybe $20. An 11 foot chain seems to be 2.3 or 2.5 chains.
> 2.5 times $20 is $50, 3 times $20 is $60. You're better off buying three chains for $20 each than
> an 11 footer for $60-- you get half a chain more for the same price, no shipping costs. --Keven.
You can get three PC59 for £26.99 @
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/categories.asp?numcats=2&category1=Chains
&category2=chains+spares_Spares Hjalmar

 

[Hjalmar DuklæT]

"Hjalmar Duklæt" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> "Keven Ruf" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > > Thanks for all the replies. Actually I got mine from the Hostel Shope. They sell several
> > > different chains in 11' lengths- 2 1/2 chains joined.
> > >
> > > Richard
> >
> > Is that really a good deal? I saw the PC-59 for $60 for an 11 foot chain at Hostel Shoppe. You
> > can get a PC-59 for $18 from a bike shop, maybe $20. An 11 foot chain seems to be 2.3 or 2.5
> > chains. 2.5 times $20 is $50, 3 times $20 is $60. You're better off buying three chains for $20
> > each than an 11 footer for $60-- you get half a chain more for the same price, no shipping
> > costs. --Keven.
> You can get three PC59 for £26.99 @
>
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/categories.asp?numcats=2&category1=Chains
> &category2=chains+spares_Spares Hjalmar
Try this one instead: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/categories.asp?numcats=2&category1=Chains
&category2=chains+spares_Spares Hjalmar

 

[Matt O'Toole]

"Sheldon Brown" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> Even when I do install them, I measure them by wrapping
them around the
> largest rear sprocket and chainwheel. This would be
rather awkward to
> do with a chain attached to a big roll on some sort of
dispenser/spool.

Well, perhaps someone could make a chart or computer program where you could look up the numbers of
gear teeth, the derailer model, and chainstay length factor, and get the right length chain on the
first go. Maybe some industriously nerdy guy in Taiwan is working on this right now...

Matt O.

 

[Matt O'Toole]

Sheldon Brown writes:

> Actually, some of my own bikes have chains patched
together from old
> cuttings! I wouldn't do this to a customer's bike, and
probably not
> even to one of my own derailer bikes, but it works fine
for a fixed gear.

One of my buddies, who worked in a shop, used to make chains this way while watching TV. He'd
collect the cuttings in a box and take them home every now and then. Great things big and little are
born of youthful enthusiasm and poverty...

Matt O.