Greatest strain

Yes, of course, but I thought we were only talking about the chain between the sprockets - the front two tuggers in each team.

 

I thought the idea was to have the heavier part of the team at the rear, to keep the rope taught for the rest of the team?

 

Is someone pulling my chain?

 

Not an expert on tugging, , but -

are you suggesting that without the heavier part of the team at the rear, the rope would be slack between some of the tuggers - assuming all are pulling their weight?

 

i think they put the fat twastard at the back in case he looses his grip and flattens the one behind - health and safety requirement.

 

That would depend entirely on the quality of the tuggers

 

surely you have to size the chain to fit? they don't come ready sized and if you size it to the size of the old one it will keep getting longer and longer.

Big + Big + 1 inch is the formula I use.

 

That’s what I thought but you literally buy one according to the number of gears on your rear wheel. 7,8,9,10 speed etc. The more gears, the thinner the chain links are. If you’re still not sure, get one with the 'missing link' (no tools needed), check it for size, remove any links if you have to and then put it in your pouch. The worse case scenario if you don’t do that is that you may have trouble getting the very highest and very lowest gears (largest front and largest rear or smallest front and smallest rear) but at least you will get home!

 

the worst case scenario is; if your chain is not quite long enough to go into big-to-big and you accidentally try and select that combination, then it may force its way in and destroy the frame, esp vulnerable high value carbon frames, could write off your bike, it has happened.

(you should never ride big-to-big but it is easy when tired to accidentally put it in that gear)

 

No you've misunderstood me. The chain needs to be sized according the the length of the chain stay and the number of teeth on the big chain ring and largest cassette gear. The 7,8,9,10,11,12 etc determines the width of the chain. An XS Frame will need a shorter chain than the XL frame for the same gears.

see video

 

Easier way then is to buy a chain dependant on whether you have 8,9,10 etc gears on the rear and then just count the links on your existing chain and ensure that your replacement chain, including the missing link, has the same number of links. I am of course referring to something that will get you home. Any fine tuning by the addition or subtraction of a link can be done at home in the warm and dry although if you have the same number of links on each chain, it should be a perfect fit.

 

Assuming it was the right size to start with.

 

I thought (possibly mistakenly) that the quoted number of speeds was more due to the required lateral flexibility required of the chain.
A chain that is suitable for a 7-speed cassette will not need as much lateral flexibility as one intended for a 10 or more speed cassette.

?

 

I thought it’s because the ten speed gears are closer together so have a smaller gap between them and need a thinner chain.