Is this Bad Idea or Really bad Idea

[sketchy]

Hi All

I'm getting my old NC29 back on the road and this list of bits in need is getting longer by the second.

I have a DID X ring chain fitted that is right at the end of its adjustment.

How bad an idea is it to take out one link to shorten it until I have enough cash for a new one (might be quite a few miles down the road)

The chain looks in good condition and has always run with a scotoiler.

Has anyone done it ?

Any advice much appreciated

[CMSMJ1]

how much does it pull off the sprocket?

[sketchy]

Errr don't know. What do you mean?

[Davez29]

Well its been done before im sure, but personally if its at the end of its travel i would change it. You dont want it to snap and spoil your fun and perhaps your life. Just last year a rider was killed when his chain snapped a mile from where i live. Have you had the chain long, what sort of milage? Maybe count the links and make sure you have the required amount. I bought Chain recently to find they had sent a triarm fit of 116 links. So had to chop it to the required amount.

What cmsmj1 means is grasp the chain off the rear sprocket, if it moves more than a very small (tiny) amount its worn.

[sketchy]

Thanks for the replys

I cant remember how old the chain is. I have had the bike 16 years and i used to use it every day but it has sat in the shed for the last 4ish years.

The chain has 102 links 39t on the rear 14 on the front which i think is one less than stanadard. Would this make much difference to the length?

I checked the play with the link on the sprocket. Holding the chain rivet at 3 clock on the rear sproket the link will lift around 3 to 4mm. Is this ok as I cannot find a tolerance for this check.

Thanks

[JZH]

I'll vote for "really bad idea"...

Ciao,

[gullarm]

I vote for bad idea if you are going around thrashing it to death.

But if you are just pootling about, and keeping the revs low why not.

I didn't trust my bike chain when I bought my bike, but just kept it all nice and easy on the road, remember you only get 60hp close to the top of the rev range.


After all when you buy a second hand bike how do you know if the chain is in good nick or not, or even the correct type of chain for the bike.

[leopard_pagan]

NOT a bad idea, this has been done to chains since the dawn of chains..
I have done it a few times.
DO however check if you "need" to replace the sprockets & No you do NOT need to always buy a set with a new chain!
chains WILL bed in to what ever you have fitted.. yes if 1 sprocket is worn then yes it will wear out the chain quicker than if you had new all round.
again the above i have been doing for years, i only replace the part that needs replacing.

[vfrman]

Try to pull the chain away from the rear sprocket at the three o'clock position (a spot on the sprocket horizontal with the rear axle). If you expose more than half a tooth of the sprocket, the chain is done and I wouldn't take a link out, I would save up and replace it...and the sprockets. Why gamble? Ever see what a snapped chain can do to the crankcase? Guess how much THAT would cost!

[sketchy]

Thanks for all your advice.

I have decided to replace the chain and sprokets.


I found a workshop manual for another bike that also uses a 525 chain. That sugested to pull the chain taught and mesure center to center of 21 pins. If the mesurement is more than 319mm then it shoud be replaced.

Has anyone else come across this method is it the same for all 525 chains. Do all sprokets have the same tooth pitch?