Experience of using half-links with a fixed gear set-up?

[Pneumant]

My winter bike is a fixed wheel Raleigh 501 frame with short'ish forged horizontal drop outs. Last year (due to having a spare chain ring to hand) I changed from 44/18 to 48/20 which is almost the same gear ratio. All good apart from the fact that as the chain wears I am left with no drop-out adjustment (this was never an issue with the previous ratio set-up). Removing links does not work as the wheel axle is then placed too far forward in the drop out. Am thinking that inserting a half-link in the chain could provide a solution but have heard that these are a 'weak link' which is not wished for on a fixed . Suppose I could resort to replacing the cheapo S2 1/8 chains on a more regular basis (I have at least 4 in 'stock') but would much prefer to max the chain out. So has anyone experience of using these half-links with a fixed set-up?

[Brucey]

not all half-links are made equal by any means. If you are wondering about the half-link popping open, you could swage the rivets on the remade links.

BTW it isn't a bad idea to use two master links, and to have a short length of chain that is added to the main chain to adjust its length. The short length can be even or odd numbers of half-links, depending on whether a half-link is used in it or not. This strategy means that the half-link joints don't have to be repeatedly remade when the chain length is altered.

BTW a whole link moves the axle 1/2". A half-link moves the axle 1/4", one tooth more or less on the chainwheel or sprocket moves the axle 1/8". If you have a couple of chainrings and are happy to put up with (or want) ~2% gear ratio variations, you perhaps don't need a chain with a half-link at all.

BTW I would suggest using a KMC B1 chain in preference to an S1.

cheers

[Pneumant]

Thanks for responding - very useful information. The chain must have worn some more since my last ride during the week as today the chain flew off twice . No damage but I did notice that the chain although not badly slack has also developed plenty of side to side play, all within a measly 500 miles. Bounce the bike and it is possible to see this chain movement. I concur that S2 chains are not the best and now don't trust this chain to reliably run to a decent mileage (even corrected with a half-link) so I will exhaust my stocks and then reinstate the original ratios with a better chain!

[Ivor Tingting]

If it's any help I have a quick link for the KMC X1 chain I run with my Rohloff hub. Never ever had a problem with it or the chain but then again it is probably a lot better chain than the ones you are using. It cost about £25 if I recall and I have ridden about 8k miles on it and it still hasn't even stretched past the 0.5 marker yet on my Park chain checker so lots of life in it yet. I do sometimes take it off to clean and lube it, but have only had to do this once so far.

[Brucey]

the B1 is (IMHO) a better 1/8" chain than the S1 for about the same money.

The X1 is a harder wearing chain than either, but then it should be at the price it is.

cheers

[Pneumant]

An update: I am happy to say that a solution has been found which does not involve use of half-links. In fact I must have too many bikes as my recollection as to the set-up of the winter Raleigh was a bit off. I thought the bike was set-up 48 x 20T when in fact it was running 48 x 19T! The solution was to simply fit a 20T sprocket, which as Brucey correctly stated, moves the axle forward in the drop-out, gives me the gearing I thought I was riding and solves the adjustment problem. Once my stocks of cheapo S1 chains have gone (should not be long given their wear characteristics) I will buy better chain stock.