1/8th Chain

[vandatubes1966]

Hi

Found an old Renolds 1/8 chain its in very good 'nick' and want to use it on my Nexus 7 speed hub as the exisiting chain (kmc) is thinner and seems to be a cheapo.

But what way does the clip goes when connecting the chain?

Its either open face looking towards the forks going forward

OR

The closed end looking towards the forks going forward.

Does the 1/8th have any advantage over the 3/32?

regards

tubes

Never heard of Renolds chain before and I got it from an old hercules.

[thirdcrank]

I think it's normal for a split link to be fitted so that the open end trails but I'll stick my neck out and say it does not make any difference.

1/8" chain was the standard width for normal use pre-derailleur. (Some delivery bikes, rickshaws etc have wider - 3/16th??) 3/32" was for many years standard for derailleurs and 6-7-(not sure about speed retained that roller width but with a narrower overall width.

1/8" chain remained the standard for stuff with only one back cog but, presumably in the interests of standardisation, the use of 3/32" has spread. I suppose the main point is that 1/8" chain will run on a 3/32" single sprocket (not through most derailleur cages) which is that bit narrower, but 3/32" chain will not work with 1/8" sprockets.

[random37]

If it's a new Renold chain, it's almost a pity to use it with a modern bike. They have to be quite hard to find now.

[ANTONISH]

Yes closed end trails. I had a 3 speed cyclo derailleur in 1955, that had a 1/8 chain.

[thirdcrank]

Yes - I should have remembered - we had one of those on our Saxon 'Wings of the Wind' tandem in the 1950's until my dear old dad decided we should leap into the 20C and get 5 speed. (Unless they've had a clearout, I expect the whole mech + bits is still in the cellar at 8 Carlton Street Castleford, a paint and wallpaper shop when we lived in the flat above, now a chinese. It's just waiting for a visit of the Antiques Road End.)

[DaveP]

You used to be ableto get this sort of split link on 3/32 chains, for use with 5 speed transmissions. The open end was supposed to trail, ie. point to the rear on the top run from sprocket to chain wheel. Ther idea was that the tips were less likely to snag, causing unexpected opening of split link.
I wouldnt expect much happiness from using a 1/8 chain with 7 speed.

[rogerzilla]

I didn't think that kind of link was ever used on 3/32", because it wouldn't pass through a derailleur. Even Bromptons with 1/8" chains don't use the master link (you have to push out a rivet instead) because it would jam in the chain tensioner.

[thirdcrank]

Yes. I remember it used to be possible to get what I think was called a screw link instead, where one rivet was replaced by a screw. I don't know how widely available they were because the last time I wanted to fit one, my usual lbs Cavill's in Armley denied the possibility of their existence, even though I was pretty sure I'de bought one there before. I went off and came back with one from Eddie Matthews in Bramly and he still denied its existence - says more about bike shops than chains I suppose. Any, he had the last laugh because when it had been on a while, the screw head became worn and there was no way I could unscrew it.

(Messrs., Cavill and Matthews have both been on the great club run in the sky for many years.)

[rogerzilla]

Izumi 1/8" track chains still use a screwed master link.

On 3/32", SRAM seem to have cracked it with their Powerlinks.

[thirdcrank]

I can see that using a screw link for a non-derailleur use would prevent the cage damaging the screw head, which is what happened to me. On the other hand, mine was definitely a 3/32" because it was on a 5 spd derailleur.

On the current thread about exploiting a cycling invention, I made the point that ease of removal of equipment was always a good vote winner, and the SRAM powerlink is a good example, IMO.

[robbo]

I've got a drawer full of unused Renold 3/32" chains, most still have the joining link in its little plastic bag.

[thirdcrank]

robbo

The only thing I can remember about Renolds chains with any certainty is that the face of the box was entirely covered with guff about retail price maintenance (RPM) (Note for anybody under about 50. RPM, which nowadays would be considered a bad thing and a restraint on free trade, was once upon a time considered a good thing.)

I'm not sure what type of link yours have with them.

[saudidave]

I have to say that this thread has left me a bit speechless! I am 56 yrs old and when I did my cycling proficiency test at St Ambrose Barlow Secondary School, Swinton, Manchester, circa 1964, I vividly remember them telling me that the spring link should "look like a fish" - round end, "head" to the front and open end, "tail" to the rear. It was also common knowledge that you can't use a spring link with a derraileur, because the deformation of the chain as it derails causes the spring link to spring off.

Surely I am not the only old git here who knows these things?

P.S. I didn't attend that school, that was where they did cycling proficiency. I went to Cromwell Road juniors at the time

[PW]

I'll be the same age next weekend, and yes the fish thing was something my Dad taught me.

[saudidave]

I'll be the same age next weekend, and yes the fish thing was something my Dad taught me.

I think my dad was the first person to inform me of it too. Thank the lord it isn't just me - I was starting to think I was loosing it!