SRAM chain too short - can I use another Powerlink?

[Jimmy Doug]

Yay! Sorted!
Went round to the LBS yesterday and bought another chain. Fitted it this morning with no trouble at all. I think the key to my troubles was this:

The normal kind of chain like that is made up of alternating inner and outer links. The outers hold the pins which go through holes in the inners. You don't have a choice - you have to alternate them and Powerlinks are outers.

When I'd split the chain on both occasions I broke it at the place I thought I needed to and didn't realise that with chains you have to work in pairs. Found this video last night which really helped me to visualise the situation:



This morning I got to it early and was amazed how easy I found it this time! Now I really feel like a dummy for making something so straightforward into a mountain.
Anyway - here's the situation now in the upper/upper combination. If you compare it with how it was, you'll see that the deralleur is under less stress (according to the video about you should not count the Powerlink when calculating the number of links extra - ie, it's two links excluding the Powerlink).


Before:

After

My LBS gave me another tip: he said that with the chain in the largest sproket at the front and the smallest at the back, the middle ot the cassette, and the centre of the jockey wheels should form a line. This looks good to me (although the first jockey wheel doesn't seem to be on the line which may mean the chain is too long still):

The only thing is, he didn't have any SRAMs left. He sold me instead a Selcof SLC-S8, which looks to me to be a cheap copy. He's a good fella in that shop - he only sells good stuff - but I'd feel a lot more comfortable if it were a genuine SRAM.
Oh, and one more thing, he advised me to only have one Powerlink in any given chain and no more. As Colin said, is this an admission that these Powerlinks aren't all that strong?

Thanks once again guys - I couldn't have managed without you.

 

[CopperCyclist]

The advice re the largest chain ring, smallest rear cog and a vertical derailleur position is correct - or at least what my LBS and at least one YouTube video have also concurred with to find chain size!

However I believe - and I stand to be corrected, I'm relatively new to this - that the top jockey wheel doesn't need to be 'in line' as much, as long as the centre of the bottom jockey wheel and the centre of the cassette are in line, as in your picture. The position of the top one can be adjusted by the B Tension screw if necessary.

 

[fatblokish]

I don't see how having two non-consective powerlinks makes the chain any weaker than having just one, after all a chain is only as strong as its weakest link (thanks Anne).

Perhaps shifting is impaired with more then one link? Or maybe they stretch more?

 

[Jimmy Doug]

However I believe - and I stand to be corrected, I'm relatively new to this - that the top jockey wheel doesn't need to be 'in line' as much, as long as the centre of the bottom jockey wheel and the centre of the cassette are in line, as in your picture. The position of the top one can be adjusted by the B Tension screw if necessary.

Yes, I was hoping this would be the case. If I remove another link (I mean, if I remove another two links!) I'll be back where I started - ie a chain which is two links shorter than the one that was so expertly installed by the Greek bicycle mechanic extraordinaire.

I don't see how having two non-consective powerlinks makes the chain any weaker than having just one, after all a chain is only as strong as its weakest link (thanks Anne).

Perhaps shifting is impaired with more then one link? Or maybe they stretch more?

This makes sense to me.

 

[mickle]

Here's a photo. You can see that it's all wrong!

Nowt wrong with that angle.

 

[mickle]

I don't see how having two non-consective powerlinks makes the chain any weaker than having just one, after all a chain is only as strong as its weakest link (thanks Anne).

Perhaps shifting is impaired with more then one link? Or maybe they stretch more?

You could have a chain made up of nothing but powerlinks and inner links it would work. It wouldn't shift so well but it would work, and probably last as long too.

 

[mickle]

The advice re the largest chain ring, smallest rear cog and a vertical derailleur position is correct - or at least what my LBS and at least one YouTube video have also concurred with to find chain size!

However I believe - and I stand to be corrected, I'm relatively new to this - that the top jockey wheel doesn't need to be 'in line' as much, as long as the centre of the bottom jockey wheel and the centre of the cassette are in line, as in your picture. The position of the top one can be adjusted by the B Tension screw if necessary.

Nope. Absolutely wrong. Your LBS is talking out of its bottom bracket. Wrap the chain big to big (bypassing the mechs) and add a link. It's the universally accepted method, and anyone who tries to tell you otherwise either doesn't understand how a mech works or is being contrary for the sake of wanting to appear clever.

 

[Jimmy Doug]

So, mickle, do you think my current set up is OK?

 

[ColinJ]

Yay! Sorted!
When I'd split the chain on both occasions I broke it at the place I thought I needed to and didn't realise that with chains you have to work in pairs.

I did it once! I realised what I had done and now doublecheck before I shorten chains.

I'm glad that you are sorted out.

 

[Cubist]

The whole point of having a chain at the right length is so that it works in all gears without stress. the mech is sprung ad designed to keep the chain taut. Too slack and you will suffer chainslap, with damage to your chainstays not to mention.crap shifting. You will also find that on smaller gear combinations the mech folds back o itself. I work on large large plus two incl powerlink on all of my bikes. The mech is.at the same angle as your original one Jimmy

 

[Jimmy Doug]

So you reckon I should take out another two links?

 

[mickle]

So you reckon I should take out another two links?

" Wrap the chain big to big (bypassing the mechs) and add a link. "

 

[Jimmy Doug]

" Wrap the chain big to big (bypassing the mechs) and add a link. "

I have cut my chain to this size. The LBS checked out everything for me today and said that it was perfectly set up. The middle of the two jokey wheels and the cassette are not in a complete line - but quite near. He said that that rule is approximate and that Mickle's add one link rule is better.
Thanks once again. I'll now be able to cycle in Norway condfident my chain won't snap.

 

[mickle]

blah blah blah... The LBS .... said that that rule is approximate and that Mickle's add one link rule is better.

Well there we go. And why would anyone want to use an 'approximate' method to install a new chain when the consequences of getting it wrong are potentially catastrophic?

Forget about the jocket wheels lining up, it's totally irrelevant.

 

[Scoosh]

..... He said that that rule is approximate and that Mickle's add one link rule is better.

CycleChat does a collective ! OF COURSE it is !!

It's Mickle we're talking about here !

My tip: Keep your old and new-but-not-being-used chains and practise taking links out and putting them back until you can do it at the roadside, at night, in the rain, with moose (or other Norwegian wild animals) prowling hungrily around you.

THEN you will be confident on your tour ... and have absolutely no chain issues for many years to come !

And don't forget the spare Powerlink in your bike tool-kit !

Have a great tour.