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Re: How to tell the width of a chain without a tool to measure it?
Posted: 24 May 2020, 7:09pm
by Brucey
thatsnotmyname wrote:It doesn't actually matter what size the existing chain is. A 1/8 chain will fit on there either way.
unless it is a chainglider type chaincase which will only accept a narrower chain....? It just might be...?
cheers
Re: How to tell the width of a chain without a tool to measure it?
Posted: 24 May 2020, 8:11pm
by thatsnotmyname
Brucey wrote:thatsnotmyname wrote:It doesn't actually matter what size the existing chain is. A 1/8 chain will fit on there either way.
unless it is a chainglider type chaincase which will only accept a narrower chain....? It just might be...?
cheers
I didn't know what that was - so had to google it. Probably a bit elaborate for an Islabike, but you never know...
Re: How to tell the width of a chain without a tool to measure it?
Posted: 24 May 2020, 11:58pm
by John_S
Hi All,
Many thanks for all of the replies and all of the advice & tips which are much appreciated.
I've only read the replies just now after it's got dark and so I haven't already taken photos with a ruler but I did take a photo earlier and I'll post that below.
The bike is the single speed Cnoc 16 but it is not the model of the bike with the enclosed chainglider.
The reason that I thought the chain is worn (or is stretched another way of decribing it?) is because the chain has jumped off the chainring and it appeared to be a bit loose when installed onto the chainring. Now this bike does have horizontal dropouts and so I can move the wheel back a bit in thr droupouts to lessen the slack in the chain. But I didn't know if this was the right thing to do. Plus the fact that the chain was loose got me thinking as to whether it's worn/streched and it would be better off to replace the chain?
It is definitely a KMC chain and it does have a code number stamped onto it. I thought that the marking on the chain says 2A-2 but I tried to search for this code and didn't find anything so maybe my eyesight was failing me when I looked at this and I need to look more carefully again to see if that's the right code on the current chain.
Thanks for all of the help!
John
Re: How to tell the width of a chain without a tool to measure it?
Posted: 25 May 2020, 12:15am
by Cyclewala
If it's a child's bike it's unlikely they will have done the miles or put the type of torque to wear a single speed chain. We're talking several thousand miles typically.
I think you will be fine with adding tension to the chain via the dropouts.
Re: How to tell the width of a chain without a tool to measure it?
Posted: 25 May 2020, 12:30am
by Brucey
Cyclewala wrote:
I think you will be fine with adding tension to the chain via the dropouts.
exactly; that is what dropouts like that are for.
cheers
Re: How to tell the width of a chain without a tool to measure it?
Posted: 25 May 2020, 10:00am
by thatsnotmyname
The chain in that pic looks to be in particularly good condition - as does the rest of the bike - so unlikely to need replacing. As others have said, just pull the wheel back a bit in the drop outs. Make sure the chain is not being pulled tight anywhere in the rotation (if it is, just edge the wheel forward a fraction), and then re-tighten the wheel nuts.