Getting a chain back in the box

[CharleyFarley]

Yes, you want the half-links in adjacent rows to be 50% offset, which is impossible to achieve with a spiral.

I tried laying out in straight lines, up and down, and it didn't work.

 

[CharleyFarley]

And you can't get a spiral chain into the corners of a square chain box.

No, but once it's spiralled, it can be moved into square, but it's bigger than the box.

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

I asked a question when you dismantled a chain. I'll ask the same question now....
Why?

 

[CharleyFarley]

Chain wear tools may have their place, but I bet if you tested every bike on the road a huge proportion would indicate a change is needed when the chain could run perfectly well for thousands more miles.

The thing is, the new chain makes a big difference, and it's not just my imagination because it's new. The gear changes are smoother and quieter, evidence, to me, that a worn chain is detrimental to the performance of the bike. I'm not a performance cyclist, per se, but when you know something is clunky and worn, it's not a bad idea to do something about it. Probably quite a few cyclists wouldn't know or care. I know I could have run the old chain for longer, clunking its way from one cog to the next but I prefer to have it right. Hopefully this new chain will last for a few thousand miles.