Bicycle chain

Bicycle chains

Roller chain and sprocket

A bicycle chain is a roller chain that
transfers power from the pedals to the
drive-wheel of a bicycle, thus propelling it.
Most bicycle chains are made from plain
carbon or alloy steel, but some are nickel-
plated to prevent rust, or simply for
aesthetics.

History
Obsolete chain designs previously used
on bicycles included the block chain, the
skip-link chain, and the Simpson lever
chain. The first chains were of a simple,
bushing-less design. These had inherent
reliability problems and a bit more friction
(and mechanical efficiency losses) than
modern chains. With these limitations in
mind, the Nevoigt brothers, of the German
Diamant Bicycle Company, designed the
roller chain in 1898,[1] which uses
bushings, and it is the prevalent chain
today. Whether it be single rear cog (for
example coaster-brake single-speed or
with an internal-gears hub), fixed-gear
(such as track bikes and modern urban
"fixies") or multi-speeds with derailleurs,
all modern chains in use today are of the
"roller chain" design. Although it is still
possible to order lower cost "bushing-
less" chains from China today, with
generally lower manufacturing costs
across the board, bushing-less chains are
generally considered undesirable and not
prevalent.

The first solid bush-roller patent was filed

by the Renold Chain company in 1880.

Early examples of chain-driven bicycles

include the 1869 Guillemot and Meyer,[2]
the 1879 Lawson, the 1884
McCammon,[3] the 1884 Starley Rover,
and the 1895 Diamant.[1]

Before the safety bicycle, bicycles did not

have chains and the pedals were typically
attached directly to the drive-wheel, thus
limiting top speed by the diameter of the
wheel and resulting in designs with front
wheels as large as possible. Various
linkage mechanisms were invented to
raise the effective gear ratio, but with
limited success. Using chain drive
allowed the mechanical advantage
between the drive and driven sprockets to
determine the maximum speed, thereby
enabling manufacturers to reduce the
size of the driving wheel for safety. It also
allowed for the development of variable
gearing, allowing cyclists to adjust their
gearing on the fly, to terrain or road
inclination and their strength, obtaining an
efficient and workable cadence at various
speeds.

Efficiency
A bicycle chain can be very energy
efficient: one study reported efficiencies
as high as 98.6%.[4] The study, performed
in a clean laboratory environment, found
that efficiency was not greatly affected by
the state of lubrication.[4] A larger
sprocket will give a more efficient drive
because it moves the point of pressure
farther away from the axle, placing less
stress on the bearings, thus reducing
friction in the inner wheel. Higher chain
tension was found to be more efficient:
"This is actually not in the direction you'd
expect, based simply on friction".[4]

Maintenance
A city bicycle's chain protected by a chain case

How best to lubricate a bicycle chain is a

commonly debated question among
cyclists.[5] Liquid lubricants penetrate to
the inside of the links and are not easily
displaced, but quickly attract dirt. "Dry"
lubricants, often containing wax or Teflon,
are transported by an evaporating solvent,
and stay cleaner in use. The cardinal rule
for long chain life is never to lubricate a
dirty chain, as this washes abrasive
particles into the rollers.[6] Chains should
be cleaned before lubrication. The chain
should be wiped dry after the lubricant
has had enough time to penetrate the
links. An alternative approach is to
change the (relatively cheap) chain very
frequently; then proper care is less
important. Some utility bicycles have fully
enclosing chain guards, which virtually
eliminate chain wear and maintenance.
On recumbent bicycles the chain is often
run through tubes to prevent it from
picking up dirt, and to keep the cyclist's
leg free from oil and dirt.

Removal …

On most upright bicycles, the chain loops

through the right rear triangle made by
the right chain stay and seat tube. Thus a
chain must be separated, (or "broken" )
unless the triangle can be split (usually
the seat stay). Chain can either be broken
with a chain tool or at a master link. A
master link, also known as a connecting
link, allows the chain to be inserted or
removed with simpler tools, or even no
tools, for cleaning or replacement.[5]

Some newer chain designs, such as

Shimano and Campagnolo 10-speed
chains, require a special replacement pin
to be used when installing or reinstalling a
separated chain. An alternative to this
process is to install a master link, such as
a SRAM Power Link or a Wippermann
Connex.[7]

Wear

Four lengths of bicycle chain with the same number

of links but with different degrees of wear. They
show chain stretch, a consequence of wear
A chain-wear tool that exactly measures the length
of a given number of chain links to detect when a
chain is excessively worn; the two sides of the tool
measure different degrees of wear

Chain wear, often called chain stretch,

becomes an issue with extensive cycling.
The wear is removal of material from the
bushings and pins (or half-bushings, in
the Sedis design, also, called "bushing-
less", where the bushing is part of the
inner plate) rather than elongation of the
sideplates.[8] The tension created by
pedaling is insufficient to cause the latter.
Because the spacing from link to link on a
worn chain is longer than the 1⁄2 inch
(12.7 mm) specification, those links will
not precisely fit the spaces between teeth
on the sprockets, resulting in increased
wear on the sprockets and possibly chain
skip on derailleur drive trains, in which
pedaling tension causes the chain to slide
up over the tops of the sprocket teeth and
skip to the next alignment, that reduces
power transfer and makes pedaling
uncomfortable.

Since chain wear is strongly aggravated

by dirt getting into the links, the lifetime of
a chain depends mostly on how well it is
cleaned and lubricated, and does not
depend on the mechanical load.[6]
Therefore, well-groomed chains of heavily
used racing bicycles will often last longer
than a chain on a lightly used city bike
that is cleaned less. Depending on use
and cleaning, a chain can last only 1,000
kilometres (600 miles) (e.g. in cross-
country use, or all-weather use), 3,000 to
5,000 km (2,000 to 3,000 mi) for well-
maintained derailleur chains, or more than
6,000 kilometres (4,000 mi) for perfectly
groomed high-quality chains, single-gear,
or hub-gear chains with a full cover chain
guard.[9][10]

Nickel-plated chain also confers a

measure of self-lubrication to its moving
parts as nickel is a relatively non-galling
metal.
Chain wear rates are highly variable. One
way to measure wear is with a ruler or
machinist's rule.[11] Another is with a
chain wear tool, which typically has a
"tooth" of about the same size found on a
sprocket. They are placed on a chain
under light load, and if the tooth drops in
all the way, the chain should be replaced.

Twenty half-links in a new chain measure

10 inches (254 mm), and replacement is
recommended before the old chain
measures 101⁄16 inches (256 mm) (0.7%
wear).[5] A more conservative limit is
when 24 half-links in the old chain
measure 121⁄16 inches (306 mm) (0.5%
wear). If the chain has worn beyond this
limit, the rear sprockets are also likely to
wear, in extreme cases followed by the
front chainrings. In this case, the
'skipping' mentioned above is liable to
continue even after the chain is replaced,
as the teeth of the sprockets will have
become unevenly worn (in extreme cases,
hook-shaped). Replacing worn sprocket
cassettes and chainrings after missing
the chain replacement window is much
more expensive than simply replacing a
worn chain.

Sizes
Exploded view of a few bicycle chain links. (1) Outer
plate; (2) Inner plate; (3) Pin; (4) Bushing; (5) Roller.

The chain in use on modern bicycles has

a 1⁄2 inch (12.7 mm) pitch, which is the
distance from one pin center to another,
ANSI standard #40, where the 4 in "#40"
indicates the pitch of the chain in eighths
of an inch; and is standard 606 (metric)
#8, where the 8 indicates the pitch in
sixteenths of an inch. Its roller diameter is
5⁄ inch (7.9 mm).
16
1976: Shimano briefly made their own
10 pitch Dura-Ace track-specific system
with 10 mm (3⁄8 in) (approximately) pitch
from about 1976[12] to 1980[13]—called
Shimano Dura-Ace 10 pitch. The
Shimano 10 pitch system is incompatible
with ANSI standard #40 (1/2") e.g. chains,
sprockets and so on,[14][15] and was
outlawed by the Japan Keirin Association,
helping in its demise.[12]

Width …

Chains come in 3⁄32 in (2.4 mm), 1⁄8 in

(3.2 mm), 5⁄32 in (4.0 mm), or 3⁄16 in
(4.8 mm) roller widths, the internal width
between the inner plates. 1⁄8 in (3.2 mm)
chains are typically used on bikes with a
single rear sprocket: those with coaster
brakes, hub gears, fixed gears such as
track bicycles, or BMX bikes. Chains with
3⁄  in (2.4 mm) wide rollers are generally
32
used on bikes with derailleurs such as
racing, touring, and mountain bikes.[16]
Fixed sprockets and freewheels are also
available in 3⁄32 in (2.4 mm) widths so
fixed-gear and single-speed bikes can be
set up to use the narrower and lighter
3⁄  in (2.4 mm) chains. Finally, chains
32
with 5⁄32 in (4.0 mm) wide rollers are used
on freight bicycles and tricycles.

With derailleur equipped bicycles, the

external width of the chain (measured at
the connecting rivet) also matters,
because chains must not be too wide for
the cogset or they will rub on the next
larger sprocket, or too narrow that they
might fall between two sprockets. Chains
can also be identified by the number of
rear sprockets they can support,
anywhere from 3 to 12, and the list below
enables measuring a chain of unknown
origin to determine its suitability.

6 speed – 7.3 mm (9⁄32 in) (Shimano

HG), 7.1 mm (9⁄32 in) (SRAM, Shimano
IG)
7 speed – 7.3 mm (9⁄32 in) (Shimano
HG), 7.1 mm (9⁄32 in) (SRAM, Shimano
IG)
8 speed – 7.3 mm (9⁄32 in) (Shimano
HG), 7.1 mm (9⁄32 in) (SRAM, Shimano
IG)
9 speed – 6.5 to 7.0 mm (1⁄4 to 9⁄32 in)
(all brands)
10 speed – 6.0 to 7.0 mm (1⁄4 to
9⁄  in) (Shimano, Campagnolo)
32

10 speed (Narrow) – 5.88 mm (7⁄32 in)

(Campagnolo, KMC)
10 speed (Narrow, Direction) –
5.88 mm (7⁄32 in) (Shimano CN-5700,
CN-6700, CN-7900)
11 speed – 5.5 to 5.62 mm (7⁄32 to
7⁄  in) (Campagnolo, KMC, Shimano
32
CN-9000)
12 speed - 5.3 mm (13⁄64 in) (SRAM)
The Wikibook, "Bicycle Maintenance and
Repair", has more details on this topic.
Shimano uses the same chain types on 6,
7,and 8 speed designs.

Length …

New chains usually come in a stock

length, long enough for most upright bike
applications. The appropriate number of
links must be removed before installation
in order for the drive train to function
properly. The pin connecting links can be
pushed out with a chain tool to shorten,
and additional links may be added to
lengthen.[17]
In the case of derailleur gears the chain is
usually long enough so that it can be
shifted onto the largest front chain ring
and the largest rear sprocket without
jamming, and not so long that, when
shifted onto the smallest front chain ring
and the smallest rear sprocket, the rear
derailleur cannot take up all the slack.
Meeting both these requirements is only
possible if the rear derailleur is
compatible with the gear range being
used on the bike. It is broadly accepted as
inadvisable to actually use the large/large
and small/small gear combinations, a
practice known as cross-chaining, due to
chain stress and wear.[18]
In the case of single-speed bicycles and
hub gears, the chain length must match
the distance between crank and rear hub
and the sizes of the front chain ring and
rear sprocket. These bikes usually have
some mechanism for small adjustments
such as horizontal dropouts, track ends,
or an eccentric mechanism in the rear
hub or the bottom bracket. In extreme
cases, a chain half-link may be necessary.

Variations
In order to reduce weight, chains have
been manufactured with hollow pins and
with cut-outs in the links.[19] Chains have
also been made of stainless steel for
corrosion resistance[20] and titanium for
weight reduction, but they are
expensive.[21] A recent trend is chains of
various colors, and at least one
manufacturer offers a chain model
specifically for electric bicycles.[22]

Manufacturers
Notable bicycle chain manufacturers
include:

Campagnolo
Rohloff AG
KMC Chain
Shimano
SRAM
 Wippermann

See also
Bicycle gearing
Chainless bicycles

References
1. lydia.net (September 4, 2014). "Die
ganze Geschichte" .
www.diamantrad.com (in German).
Archived from the original on
January 7, 2017. Retrieved
December 30, 2016.
2. "Bicycle by Guilmet and Meyer,
1869" . Bridgeman Images. Retrieved
January 3, 2015.
3. "McCammon Safety Bicycle" . The
Science Museum. Archived from the
original on May 15, 2012. Retrieved
January 3, 2015.
4. Spicer, James (August 19, 1999).
"Pedal Power Probe Shows Bicycles
Waste Little Energy" . Archived from
the original on March 6, 2008.
Retrieved February 13, 2008.
5. "Sheldon Brown: Chain
Maintenance" . Archived from the
original on December 5, 2008.
Retrieved December 3, 2008.
6. Brandt, Jobst. "Chain care, wear and
skipping" . Archived from the
original on December 9, 2008.
Retrieved December 3, 2008.
7. "Sheldon Brown: Chains from Harris
Cyclery" . Archived from the original
on December 16, 2008. Retrieved
December 3, 2008.
8. Sheldon Brown. "Chain Maintenance:
Chain "Stretch" " . Retrieved
August 20, 2013.
9. "KMC: How to minimize chain wear" .
Archived from the original on April
23, 2013. Retrieved July 27, 2013.
10. "KMC: When to maintain your chain" .
Archived from the original on April
23, 2013. Retrieved July 27, 2013.
11. "How to use ruler to measure chain
wear" . RoadBikeReview components
forum. Retrieved April 24, 2012.
12. "Dura-Ace History" . Retrieved
December 30, 2016.
13. May 6, 2013,
progettopistavintage.blogspot.dk
Quote: "... Somewhere in the 1970s,
Shimano people got the great idea to
reduce the chain pitch to 10 mm ...
Somewhere in the 1980, the 10 mm
pitch series were discontinued...."
14. bikeforums.net: why Shimano
stopped 10 mm small pitch chain
Quote: "... 10 mm required new chain,
new hubs, new sprockets, new
chainrings, new chainwhips.
Basically just about anything that
touched the drivetrain was
incompatible with 10-pitch with the
exception of the spiders on your
crank arms..."
15. Shimano#Shimano products Quote:
"... Metric chain—Shimano designed
chains with a 10 mm pitch instead of
the conventional half inch pitch...."
16. Sheldon Brown. "Chain" . Retrieved
May 14, 2012.
17. "Chain Replacement: Derailleur
Bikes" . Park Tool. August 24, 2015.
Retrieved July 21, 2018.
18. "Cross Chaining: The Good, The Bad,
and The Ugly" . Noble Cycling. March
27, 2018. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
19. Warren Rossiter (June 1, 2007).
"KMC x10sl Gold road chain" .
BikeRadar.com. Archived from the
original on March 23, 2013.
Retrieved March 26, 2013. "KMC
have achieved this with the pared
down profile and slotted plates
(something Campag also do with the
Ultra 10-speed chain) and hollow
pins connecting everything together."
20. "Interbike Tech: Retro Fondriest, solar
hydration pack, organic nutrition and
more" . VeloNews. September 20,
2012. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
"Wippermann claims that its Black
Edition stainless-steel ConneX chain
is the toughest, most corrosion-
resistant derailleur chain on the
market."
21. Daniel Carruthers (January 4, 2010).
"Taichung Bike Week round-up" .
BikeRadar.com. Retrieved March 26,
2013. "Titanium chain from YBN ... at
US$180 (approx £110) you're unlikely
to see too many of these around."
 22. "KMC Launched Components for
Bosch e-Bike Drive System" . Bike
Europe. January 27, 2012. Retrieved
February 6, 2013.

External links
Wikibooks Bicycle Maintenance and
Repair – see the section on Chains
The Complete Guide to Chain –
general, not specific to bicycles
How to calculate chain length (video
tutorial)
Animation of Shimano gearing system

Retrieved from
"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Bicycle_chain&oldid=949553459"

Last edited 13 days ago by 108.168.100.7

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