Strange old bicycle chain! -how to 'break'

Mike Beauchamp said:

I don't know how to get the chain off though! If you've ever seen one
before, it's a weird chain where two pins are very close and then a big
gap, and the chainrings just have a large tooth and then a very large gap
to match. There seems to be a Master link on the chain, but I have no idea
how to break it!!

This is clearly a 3/16" x 1" chain. There are two types of such chains.
The original, "block" chain, has a solid piece that fits into the gaps
between teeth of the cogs. These are very rare now, and could be
valuable to the right person. The more common version has two round
rollers right next to each other (and so is called a "roller" chain).

The master link should have the outer plate held on with a spring-steel
pin that fits into grooves in the pins on either side. You can usually
remove that pin with a screwdriver, or maybe by pushing the right way.
Then the plate falls off and the pins slide out, connected to the plate on
the other side. The master link on a modern three-speed chain is usually
similar.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Enron's slogan: Respect, Communication, Integrity, and
_`\(,_ | Excellence.
(_)/ (_) |

Mike Beauchamp said:

Hey all,
I've had this old bicycle someone gave me about 12 years ago in my garage
and finally decided to take it out and look at it again.
...
I don't know how to get the chain off though! If you've ever seen one
before, it's a weird chain where two pins are very close and then a big gap,
and the chainrings just have a large tooth and then a very large gap to
match. There seems to be a Master link on the chain, but I have no idea how
to break it!!

Most of these master links had a spring clip that either slides off
towards one end, or has to be spread with a screwdriver and then slid
or unsnapped from the pins.

Quoted message said:

I also can't use my chain tools because the teeth that hold the chain steady
wont' fit between the small gap.

As long as you can get the master link undone, there's no need to use
the chain tool.

If the old chain is not in usable condition, don't panic. You may
discover that a standard old-style 3/16" (wide single-speed) chain
will fit and work.
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
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Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

Hey David,
thanks for the reply, but I found an old plyer-style chain tool I had tucked
away and just used that to break the chain at a random spot.

It is the roller-type..

I still can't figure out the master link though.. Maybe I'll try it a few
times now that the chain is off, just for knowledge sake.

As for the bike, the red paint I was talking about is obviously not-original
now that the bike is completely apart. Inside the BB shell and on the fork
is blue, and there's clearly pinstripes underneath the red on the fenders...

I don't know if I'll be painting it original colours or just picking a new
oclour (like orange) and doing it like that...

The stem was seized, but I finally got that out (breaking the wedge in the
process). The stem is also bent (it was like that before).. ah well.

Mike

"David L. Johnson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mike Beauchamp said:

I don't know how to get the chain off though! If you've ever seen one
before, it's a weird chain where two pins are very close and then a big
gap, and the chainrings just have a large tooth and then a very large gap
to match. There seems to be a Master link on the chain, but I have no
idea
how to break it!!

This is clearly a 3/16" x 1" chain. There are two types of such chains.
The original, "block" chain, has a solid piece that fits into the gaps
between teeth of the cogs. These are very rare now, and could be
valuable to the right person. The more common version has two round
rollers right next to each other (and so is called a "roller" chain).

The master link should have the outer plate held on with a spring-steel
pin that fits into grooves in the pins on either side. You can usually
remove that pin with a screwdriver, or maybe by pushing the right way.
Then the plate falls off and the pins slide out, connected to the plate on
the other side. The master link on a modern three-speed chain is usually
similar.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Enron's slogan: Respect, Communication, Integrity, and
_`\(,_ | Excellence.
(_)/ (_) |

Mike Beauchamp said:

Thanks for the reply, but I found an old plyer-style chain tool I
had tucked away and just used that to break the chain at a random
spot.

Don't do that. The master link is easily identifiable in that it has
a side plate that does not neck in in the middle and has pins that are
obviously not in the center of the holes in this plate. The link is
opened by bending the chain so that the pin ends are forced closer
together which makes the cover plate drop off. They do not work like
new master links.

Quoted message said:

It is the roller-type..

Quoted message said:

I still can't figure out the master link though. Maybe I'll try it
a few times now that the chain is off, just for knowledge sake.

That would be better. As was mentioned, these chains came along when
roller chains were invented at a time when most bicycles still used
inch pitch block chain. These chains had a solid block where the
roller pair of your chain fit. Many track racers swore by them just
as they would never ride wheels whose spokes were not tied and
soldered.

Rather than throw away all the sprockets and chainwheels, an inch
pitch roller chain was offered that fir these sprockets. These were
popular until the 1950's when all the old hardware was used up and
derailleurs became popular.

Jobst Brandt
[email hidden]

Hey Jobst, thanks for the reply..

That is EXACTLY how I thought the chain would work but STILL couldn't get it
open. It is basically similar to how the master link in my Taya pro relief
chain works.. but sadly it never worked so I had to break the chain using
regular means 🙁

So this bike is probably from the 40's then? I haven't been able to find
much information about Hawthorne Bicylces online.. I'll post some pictures
soon. It looks like i'm going to have quite a task on my hand repainting
this bike.. since the paint definately isn't original (you can see the
original blue in the BB shell though). It's going to be hard stripping paint
off the inside of the fenders and stuff...

Mike

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mike Beauchamp said:

Thanks for the reply, but I found an old plyer-style chain tool I
had tucked away and just used that to break the chain at a random
spot.

Don't do that. The master link is easily identifiable in that it has
a side plate that does not neck in in the middle and has pins that are
obviously not in the center of the holes in this plate. The link is
opened by bending the chain so that the pin ends are forced closer
together which makes the cover plate drop off. They do not work like
new master links.

Quoted message said:

It is the roller-type..

Quoted message said:

I still can't figure out the master link though. Maybe I'll try it
a few times now that the chain is off, just for knowledge sake.

That would be better. As was mentioned, these chains came along when
roller chains were invented at a time when most bicycles still used
inch pitch block chain. These chains had a solid block where the
roller pair of your chain fit. Many track racers swore by them just
as they would never ride wheels whose spokes were not tied and
soldered.

Rather than throw away all the sprockets and chainwheels, an inch
pitch roller chain was offered that fir these sprockets. These were
popular until the 1950's when all the old hardware was used up and
derailleurs became popular.

Jobst Brandt
[email hidden]

Mike Beauchamp said:

That is EXACTLY how I thought the chain would work but STILL
couldn't get it open. It is basically similar to how the master
link in my Taya pro relief chain works.. but sadly it never worked
so I had to break the chain using regular means.

Quoted message said:

So this bike is probably from the 40's then? I haven't been able to
find much information about Hawthorne Bicylces online. I'll post
some pictures soon. It looks like i'm going to have quite a task on
my hand repainting this bike. Since the paint definately isn't
original (you can see the original blue in the BB shell though).
It's going to be hard stripping paint off the inside of the fenders
and stuff...

Oh, Hawthorne bicycle. That was a Montgomery Ward brand name:

http://www.bikeicons.com/1949%20Montgomery%20Ward%20Hawthorne%20Boys.html
http://www.nostalgic.net/index.asp?L=311
http://www.firstflightbikes.com/hawthorn.htm
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/bik/41770354.html

Chain:

http://www.bikecult.com/works/parts.html#ch
http://www.bikecult.com/works/archive/03bicycles/frejusPIP.html

Jobst Brandt
[email hidden]