Hi, Im a new user to this forum and would like some tech advice please.
I've just brought a used 2004 specialized epic, before it was delivered the guy had a new chain put on. After i assembled the bike it appears to me that the chain is too short, there is no way that it will go onto the largest chain rings.
In the bike spec it states that the chain should be a Shimano HG 73, my question is, does the ' 73 ' relate to the number of links that the chain should have ??
I counted the chain that i have and it only has 50 links !?!
Hi, Im a new user to this forum and would like some tech advice please.
I've just brought a used 2004 specialized epic, before it was delivered the guy had a new chain put on. After i assembled the bike it appears to me that the chain is too short, there is no way that it will go onto the largest chain rings.
In the bike spec it states that the chain should be a Shimano HG 73, my question is, does the ' 73 ' relate to the number of links that the chain should have ??
I counted the chain that i have and it only has 50 links !?!
Any ideas/advice will be much appreciated,
Cheers, Steve.
HG73 means it's an Ultegra level chain. Nothing to do with the number of links. A general rule is that you should be able to fit "big/big" to determine approximate length.
I've just brought a used 2004 specialized epic, before it was delivered the guy had a new chain put on. After i assembled the bike it appears to me that the chain is too short, there is no way that it will go onto the largest chain rings.
Sounds too short.www.parktool.com has chain length drill in the repair section. Chain should be long enought to handle the big/big without ginking or stressing anything.
per shimano instructions, with the chain on the big ring/small cog gearing combination the rear derailer pulley center bolts should be vertical. if yours has the lower pulley pulled forward in this gearing postion, your chain is too short. links will then need to be added with until the pulley centers are vertical. the good news is, once you have your length correct, you will have a length measurement for future replacements.
steveorules said:
Hi, Im a new user to this forum and would like some tech advice please.
I've just brought a used 2004 specialized epic, before it was delivered the guy had a new chain put on. After i assembled the bike it appears to me that the chain is too short, there is no way that it will go onto the largest chain rings.
In the bike spec it states that the chain should be a Shimano HG 73, my question is, does the ' 73 ' relate to the number of links that the chain should have ??
I counted the chain that i have and it only has 50 links !?!
HG73 means it's an Ultegra level chain. Nothing to do with the number of links. ....
Actually FWIW the HG-73 is a 105 level chain (HG-93 was really the former 9-speed Ultegra)
steveorules said:
.... I counted the chain that i have and it only has 50 links !?!
Steve, Are you counting both the inner and outer plate sections as 1 link rather than two?? Sounds more likely that you probably have 100 links (still short but 50 shouldn't even be able to wrap). ( Most new chains come around 114 or 116 link length unadjusted) Any of the previous suggestions for length adjustments will work for a start.
Correct chain length is big chainring/big cog + 2 links (without going through the rear derailleur).
That's what Shimano states on the instructions booklets. I even leave three or four, more links and then test it in small chainring and small sproket, if nothing rubs and the chain isn't loose then I leave it like that. Sometimes I ride on big chainring and big sproket so a little more chain won't stretch thinks too much.
That's what Shimano states on the instructions booklets. I even leave three or four, more links and then test it in small chainring and small sproket, if nothing rubs and the chain isn't loose then I leave it like that. Sometimes I ride on big chainring and big sproket so a little more chain won't stretch thinks too much.
Thanks for the advice, I have another question, should i be able to use all of the rear sprokets with all of the chain rings or is it specific to which chain ring the chain is on to how many of the rear sprokets you can use ??? ie. if the chain is on the middle chain ring, can you only use the middle rear sprokets ??
Thanks for the advice, I have another question, should i be able to use all of the rear sprokets with all of the chain rings or is it specific to which chain ring the chain is on to how many of the rear sprokets you can use ??? ie. if the chain is on the middle chain ring, can you only use the middle rear sprokets ??
Thanks for the advice, I have another question, should i be able to use all of the rear sprokets with all of the chain rings or is it specific to which chain ring the chain is on to how many of the rear sprokets you can use ??? ie. if the chain is on the middle chain ring, can you only use the middle rear sprokets ??
Thanks again, Steve
In my mountain bike they work well any chainring with any sprocket eventhough manuals don't recommend using extreme combinations as big chainring with big sprocket, or small chainring with small sprocket. They tend to rub a little on the front deraileur, but I don't think they will cause any damage. On my road bike I use to do the samething but since I change the bottom bracket for a longer one, small with small work fine but big one with big one tends to misalign the chain and it does not work smoothly. Just my $0.02
