Replacing Chain: Need to Replace Freewheel?

[[email protected]]

When the freewheel on my 3 year old Marin hybrid wore out about 6
months ago, my LBS told me that I should replace the chain as well so
that they both wear together (I took their advice).

The gears have been slipping for a week or so & last night I noticed
that a link in the chain is breaking.

I don't think the freewheel is too badly worn (I've done about 1,500
commuting miles since it was fitted). I'm planning to replace the bike
in a month or two so I'd rather not have to replace both now. Will I
be OK just replacing the chain & not the freewheel or do you always
have to do both?

Thanks,

Michael

 

[John]

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
> When the freewheel on my 3 year old Marin hybrid wore out about 6
> months ago, my LBS told me that I should replace the chain as well so
> that they both wear together (I took their advice).
>
> The gears have been slipping for a week or so & last night I noticed
> that a link in the chain is breaking.
>
> I don't think the freewheel is too badly worn (I've done about 1,500
> commuting miles since it was fitted). I'm planning to replace the bike
> in a month or two so I'd rather not have to replace both now. Will I
> be OK just replacing the chain & not the freewheel or do you always
> have to do both?
>

You probably don't have to replace either. You need a link remover tool to
take the bad link out. You can either use the tool to rejoin the chain with
the bad link removed or you can fit a SRAM powerlink.

Even if you bought a new chain you would still probably need the link
remover to make the new chain the right length.

 

[BigRab]

> Even if you bought a new chain you would still probably need the link
> remover to make the new chain the right length.

Halfords (s'cuse the language lol) do a decent one for about eight quid

Robert

 

[[email protected]]

John wrote:

> You probably don't have to replace either. You need a link remover tool to
> take the bad link out. You can either use the tool to rejoin the chain with
> the bad link removed or you can fit a SRAM powerlink.
>
> Even if you bought a new chain you would still probably need the link
> remover to make the new chain the right length.


Must admit that I didn't realise that I could re-use the chain. I've
got one of those tools & christened it when I took the chain off last
night. A couple of questions:

1. If I take the link out won't the chain be a bit short (or will the
derailleur just adjust to it?)

2. I checked last night with my chain checker tool & it said that the
chain had stretched & was close to needing to be replaced, will taking
a link out solve this problem or do I just need to bite the bullet &
buy a new chain.

Thanks for the swift advice,

Michael

 

[Al C-F]

[email protected] wrote:
> John wrote:
>
>
>>You probably don't have to replace either. You need a link remover tool to
>>take the bad link out. You can either use the tool to rejoin the chain with
>>the bad link removed or you can fit a SRAM powerlink.
>>
>>Even if you bought a new chain you would still probably need the link
>>remover to make the new chain the right length.
>
>
>
> Must admit that I didn't realise that I could re-use the chain. I've
> got one of those tools & christened it when I took the chain off last
> night. A couple of questions:
>
> 1. If I take the link out won't the chain be a bit short (or will the
> derailleur just adjust to it?)

Taking out one link is unlikely to make too much difference, as long as
you can still select large sprocket / large chainwheel you won't do any
damage.
(Note, it's not a good idea to actually ride large/large, but accidents
will happen, and if your chain is too short there may be some gnashing
of teeth).

>
> 2. I checked last night with my chain checker tool & it said that the
> chain had stretched & was close to needing to be replaced, will taking
> a link out solve this problem or do I just need to bite the bullet &
> buy a new chain.

Unfortunately, you will need a new chain. Chains wear the bearings in
each link, so the wear is spread all through the length of the chain.
Removing a link will leave you with a shorter, worn chain.

>
> Thanks for the swift advice,
>
> Michael
>

 

[John]

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> John wrote:
>
>> You probably don't have to replace either. You need a link remover tool
>> to
>> take the bad link out. You can either use the tool to rejoin the chain
>> with
>> the bad link removed or you can fit a SRAM powerlink.
>>
>> Even if you bought a new chain you would still probably need the link
>> remover to make the new chain the right length.
>
>
> Must admit that I didn't realise that I could re-use the chain. I've
> got one of those tools & christened it when I took the chain off last
> night. A couple of questions:
>
> 1. If I take the link out won't the chain be a bit short (or will the
> derailleur just adjust to it?)
>

Depends how long the chain was when it was fitted. Normally it is ok to
remove a link. You can test by seeing how it would be when the chain is
going from big cog at the back to big cog at the front (not actually
recommended when riding as the angle puts a strain on the chain).

> 2. I checked last night with my chain checker tool & it said that the
> chain had stretched & was close to needing to be replaced, will taking
> a link out solve this problem or do I just need to bite the bullet &
> buy a new chain.
>

Sorry I can't help here I never seen any stretch but I've often needed to
replace the cassette due to a new chain skipping. On my bike I would expect
a new chain to skip after 1500 miles.

> Thanks for the swift advice,
>
> Michael
>

 

[Pete Biggs]

[email protected] wrote:
> When the freewheel on my 3 year old Marin hybrid wore out about 6
> months ago, my LBS told me that I should replace the chain as well so
> that they both wear together (I took their advice).
>
> The gears have been slipping for a week or so & last night I noticed
> that a link in the chain is breaking.
>
> I don't think the freewheel is too badly worn (I've done about 1,500
> commuting miles since it was fitted). I'm planning to replace the
> bike in a month or two so I'd rather not have to replace both now.
> Will I be OK just replacing the chain & not the freewheel or do you
> always have to do both?

With that amount of wear, it's possible that the sprockets are still fresh
enough for a new chain to work on them. There's only one way to be sure:
try it. You're OK if it feels normal and doesn't skip over sprocket
teeth. If it doesn't work, you need a new freewheel as well. However, if
it's just a slight occasional little skip in some gears, if you like you
can try gently perservering for some time while the chain beds/wears in.
With some luck, it'll be fine after 10 to 100 miles

Also consider new front chainrings if the new chain still skipps on a new
freewheel, or you have good reason to already believe that the chainrings
are worn out (hard to be sure).


In this case, because the chain is potentially dodgy (more links could
fail if one has) and it's quite worn, I would replace the chain now.

~PB

 

[[email protected]]

Pete Biggs wrote:

> With that amount of wear, it's possible that the sprockets are still fresh
> enough for a new chain to work on them. There's only one way to be sure:
> try it. You're OK if it feels normal and doesn't skip over sprocket
> teeth. If it doesn't work, you need a new freewheel as well. However, if
> it's just a slight occasional little skip in some gears, if you like you
> can try gently perservering for some time while the chain beds/wears in.
> With some luck, it'll be fine after 10 to 100 miles
>
> Also consider new front chainrings if the new chain still skipps on a new
> freewheel, or you have good reason to already believe that the chainrings
> are worn out (hard to be sure).
>
>
> In this case, because the chain is potentially dodgy (more links could
> fail if one has) and it's quite worn, I would replace the chain now.
>
> ~PB

>From reading the various comments it sounds to me like my best course
of action is to try a new chain rather than trying to limp along with
the old one. I'll give that a go & see how it gets on with the
existing freewheel.

Many thanks for the help.

Michael

 

[Bob]

I was suprised, Halfords have a better selection of chains than my
local bike shop.
I need 116 links for my tandem, the lbs only had one kind and they
didn't know how long it was (didn't say on the packet). They assured me
it would be too long and I'd need to remove some links. I counted the
links for them, and it was too short. I spotted a 116 link one in
Halfords half hour later. They didn't have the 7 speed cassette I
needed though, I had to get that from my not quite so local bike shop.

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>,
[email protected] ('[email protected]') wrote:

>
>
> When the freewheel on my 3 year old Marin hybrid wore out about 6
> months ago, my LBS told me that I should replace the chain as well so
> that they both wear together (I took their advice).
>
> The gears have been slipping for a week or so & last night I noticed
> that a link in the chain is breaking.
>
> I don't think the freewheel is too badly worn (I've done about 1,500
> commuting miles since it was fitted). I'm planning to replace the bike
> in a month or two so I'd rather not have to replace both now. Will I
> be OK just replacing the chain & not the freewheel or do you always
> have to do both?

You don't have to replace both at once unless the chain /or/ the
freewheel is badly worn. If as you say your problem is one damaged link
you'll probably get away with just replacing the chain (or even just
cutting that link out and replacing it with a spare or with a magic
joining link).

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; better than your average performing pineapple

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, John ('[email protected]')
wrote:

>> 2. I checked last night with my chain checker tool & it said that the
>> chain had stretched & was close to needing to be replaced, will taking
>> a link out solve this problem

No it most definitely won't! If your chain is that stretched buy a new
one.

> Sorry I can't help here I never seen any stretch but I've often needed
> to replace the cassette due to a new chain skipping. On my bike I would
> expect a new chain to skip after 1500 miles.

Is that a typo? Did you mean '...I wouldn't expect...'? Id it wasn't a
typo, what on earth are you doing to your chains to bugger them in 1500
miles?

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Morning had broken, and there was nothing we could do but wait
patiently for the RAC to arrive.

 

[Pete Biggs]

Simon Brooke wrote:
> in message <[email protected]>, John ('[email protected]')
> wrote:
>
>>> 2. I checked last night with my chain checker tool & it said that
>>> the chain had stretched & was close to needing to be replaced, will
>>> taking a link out solve this problem
>
> No it most definitely won't! If your chain is that stretched buy a new
> one.
>
>> Sorry I can't help here I never seen any stretch

Need to measure to "see" it.

>> but I've often
>> needed to replace the cassette due to a new chain skipping. On my
>> bike I would expect a new chain to skip after 1500 miles.
>
> Is that a typo? Did you mean '...I wouldn't expect...'? Id it wasn't a
> typo, what on earth are you doing to your chains to bugger them in
> 1500 miles?

It's not at unusual for a chain to need replacing after 1500 miles if a
new chain is to work on the same sprockets. That's what John means,
rather than completely buggered.

~PB

 

[Pete Biggs]

ps. You'll find hundreds of reports of chains only lasting 1000 to 2000
miles (before significant sprocket wear) on the cycling newsgroups &
forums. It seems pretty normal for modern stuff, unfortunately. You may
get several times that mileage if fastidious about cleaning and
lubricating, but obviously not everyone is.

Other variables are size of sprockets, chainline, environment and style of
riding.

~PB

 

[John]

"Simon Brooke" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> in message <[email protected]>, John ('[email protected]')
> wrote:
>
>>> 2. I checked last night with my chain checker tool & it said that the
>>> chain had stretched & was close to needing to be replaced, will taking
>>> a link out solve this problem
>
> No it most definitely won't! If your chain is that stretched buy a new
> one.
>
>> Sorry I can't help here I never seen any stretch but I've often needed
>> to replace the cassette due to a new chain skipping. On my bike I would
>> expect a new chain to skip after 1500 miles.
>
> Is that a typo? Did you mean '...I wouldn't expect...'? Id it wasn't a
> typo, what on earth are you doing to your chains to bugger them in 1500
> miles?
>

No, I have seen new chains skip when there wasn't a significant stretch on
the old one (eg after 1500 miles).

The measure technique I used was hanging the chain with a weight and
measuring the distance detween an number of links with a ruler. I'm pretty
sure I didn't mess up the measuring. So it was no where near the suggested
stretch limit but the new chain still skipped - new cassette problem solved.

So that why I said I couldn't talk about chain stretch. Although I would
imagine with that much stretch a new cassette would be needed. Which is why
I suggested keeping the old one for the couple of months before he gets a
new bike.

 

[John]

"Pete Biggs" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
solve this problem
>>
>> No it most definitely won't! If your chain is that stretched buy a new
>> one.
>>
>>> Sorry I can't help here I never seen any stretch
>
> Need to measure to "see" it.
>

Cheeky ;o)

>>> but I've often
>>> needed to replace the cassette due to a new chain skipping. On my
>>> bike I would expect a new chain to skip after 1500 miles.
>>
>> Is that a typo? Did you mean '...I wouldn't expect...'? Id it wasn't a
>> typo, what on earth are you doing to your chains to bugger them in
>> 1500 miles?
>
> It's not at unusual for a chain to need replacing after 1500 miles if a
> new chain is to work on the same sprockets. That's what John means,
> rather than completely buggered.
>

Yep. And if you don't want to get a new cassette (for only two months use)
don't change the chain.

> ~PB
>
>