NYC XYZ wrote:
> Boom adjustment doesn't have me worried -- it's all the issues with
> doing the chain...tension, length, and strength...I don't want to not
> do something right and have a catastrophic, if not also fatal, failure
> some time later....
Shorten the boom first and see how your gears do. If they're skipping a
bit on the small chainwheel you need more tension, so a shorter chain.
According to how much the boom shortened, take out almost as much chain
and try again. Continue tweaking until the gears work smoothly at top
and bottom ends.
Strength is a non-issue. As long as you use a decent chain tool like
the Park one you can't appreciably weaken anything and the rivets will
be set in at the right place automagically.
So no reason for a failure later, and you'll know how to do it next time
and have the tool for the job if you /do/ have a failure.
> There's a bike shop nearby but the guy on the phone sounded like a
> drone and very bored (another LBS with an attitude problem).
> Interestingly, he said cutting a chain is only $5. I would have
> thought it'd be a bit more, seeing how it's probably as annoying as
> fixing flats.
It takes, oooh, several whole seconds to break it in the first place
(whether using the Powerlink you have or in any link with a chain tool),
and a few more to knock out the surplus bit, and a few more to connect
the ends back together. No parts needed, just a few seconds doing up
the tool. You can have the foolproof tool for not a huge amount more
than it'll cost to have it done for you.
> Still, I'm intrigued...it seems simple enough...find the Powerlink,
> undo, remove another few links, redo Powerlink, and voilà, ç'est ca!
Yes, it really is that easy. And since the chain's new finding the
Powerlink will be very easy as well... The key to undoing the
Powerlink, btw, is to squeeze the opposite plates together at the same
time you push the ends towards one another.
>> x-seam isn't very relevant to the Streetmachine unless you're very, very
>> tall or particularly short.
>
> Huh???? How's that possible????
> X-seam determines how much to telescope the boom, which in turn
> determines chain length, etc.
But you don't need to measure anything, just leave it loose after
pushing it in, sit on it, push it out to where you want it with your
feet on the pedals, make sure the crank is vertical, do up the bolts.
One perfectly set boom, no need to have any idea what your x-seam is.
> But in the here and now, I've got the chain tool on the Topeak Alien II
> Folding Multi-Tool ("Swiss Army Knife"). Is that adequate?
Yes, but it probably doesn't automatically limit the end-point so
without a bit of practice re-insertions of the pins can be slightly off
and result in a stiff chain. Just a case of fiddling with it back and
forth until it's right, but without the practice a real mechanic gets
it's easier to have one that sets things right like the Park one.
That's why I got the Park one.
Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net
[email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
