perils of shortening your chain?

[nuttall1991]

After having to take out a couple links from my chain I was wondering what damage could be done using a slightly shorter chain. I have a brand new chain on the way but the question crossed my mind.

 

[Cubist]

Not much to be fair. Check the line of the derailleur cage when in big/ big. As long as there is some semblance of an S shape to the chain as it passes through, and there is still some up and down movement to the mech, you should be fine. Avoid cross chaining if you can and you'll be fine in any case. Most chains I've seen are a link or two too long anyway.

 

[User6179]

There was a thread on here where a guy said his frame snapped because his chain was to short , he shortened his damaged chain then shifted to big ring and largest cog and his carbon chain stay snapped .

 

[Cubist]

I meant shift into big big in the work stand to make sure the chain still runs through the mech right of course. ......

 

[HLaB]

Maybe I was just unlucky but when my chain was marginally short my rear derailleur my chain got snagged up in the cassette and broke the cage (hanger was fine ).

 

[Cycleops]

Your only peril may come from using a poor/cheap chain tool. It may make the hole larger in the link and this could cause problems.

 

[e-rider]

After having to take out a couple links from my chain I was wondering what damage could be done using a slightly shorter chain. I have a brand new chain on the way but the question crossed my mind.

if the chain is too short then this will cause damage when using the 'big-big' combo, however, there is usually a couple of links scope for a good chain length, so one persons 'perfect' might be another persons 'slightly too long/short' - just make sure you are in this range and not actually using a chain that is too short i.e it is causing damage.

 

[zacklaws]

I made my chain too short once by accident and never noticed, till, half way through a ride it locked up through too much tension when I inadvertantly swapped from the small chain ring to the large chain ring too soon and being hasty before changing to a smaller one at the back whilst still on the large sprocket after climbing a steep hill. Later on in the ride, I did exactly the same, but this time, it completely ripped the rear mech off. So I had to shorten my chain and ride home fixed in one gear.

Lesson learnt.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

When I put a new chain on I shorten it link by link till the small (30th) x small (13th) allows the chain to run without the chain fouling the R.D. then check the the large large to make sure there is sufficient play in movement, I currently have an Alivo R.D. fitted to my road bike, which is a little over kill at the moment as its triple 30-42-52 and cassette 13-25, I had been running 13-28 on the 8sp, but since upgrading to 9sp, I couldn't find a nice set of ratios up to 28, so I am saving to get a either a sora or a tiagra R.D.

 

[nuttall1991]

Well, just done thirty miles with a friend and there are a couple, how should I say, differences in performance? I kept on the small ring to avoid putting extra strain through the chain but I had grinding in all but two of the gears and when I got my bum off the saddle to climb I had the chain slip on every revolution. I can only put this down to the chain as the ring doesn't look worn and it wasn't happening on Sunday. Does too much tension in the chain result in skipping? I saw there is meant to be some slack in the length of chain along the top and there isn't any on mine.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@nuttall1991 If you have replaced just the chain it is very visable that the rear cassette is worn which usually results in the chain skipping, do you know how old/miles the rear cassette is, if they the old chain and cassette are old/high mileage, once a chain gets past its normal wear it and the cassette will start to wear together so when a new chain is fitted the result is what you have described.
I may stand corrected on this but I think you actually put more torque through a lower gear than a higher one.

 

[nuttall1991]

it's the old chain I've shortened, still waiting for my new one. The cassette is relatively new, maybe two months old? I have ordered a new cassette however just to try different ratios out so if that is the problem it'll be remedied pretty soon

 

[fossyant]

It's big to big that is the issue. Just in case you are silly enough, especially on a triple.

Mostly it does not matter, but us perfectionists will notice the jockey running too close to the sprockets if the chain is too long

 

[nuttall1991]

Well just been down to Evans cycles to pick up my chain and the gentleman checked my chain wear and cassette. He found that the chain was very worn and the 2/3 gears I mainly use were very sharp. I'm surprised my chain (been used since December-ish) and cassette (new in January/February) have deteriorated so quickly! I think that's a lesson in chain maintenance...

 

[alicat]

I am surprised too. How many miles have you done since they were changed?

It's not good to just run on a couple of gears but I would be tempted to get a second opinion on the wear.