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One more link, yeah or nay?

Old 09-25-19, 09:30 AM
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audiomagnate
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One more link, yeah or nay?

I switched from a 12-25 cassette to a 12-28 and am about to replace the chain and wonder if I should add one more link. Everything worked fine on a test ride with the old chain, even cross chaining from the big chainring to the 28.
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Old 09-25-19, 09:33 AM
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Looks fine to me. What you don't want is a straight line of chain through the rear derailleur.
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Old 09-25-19, 09:34 AM
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If that is the old chain I would make the new one inch longer.
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Old 09-25-19, 09:45 AM
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If that is the old chain, it looks fine. But have you measured the stretch in it? If it's stretched, I would add a link to the new chain. Let us know how you like the extra top gear, I might consider that on one of my MTB-kinda like the over drive I keep wishing for.
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Old 09-25-19, 10:11 AM
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Originally Posted by Bigbus
If that is the old chain, it looks fine. But have you measured the stretch in it? If it's stretched, I would add a link to the new chain. Let us know how you like the extra top gear, I might consider that on one of my MTB-kinda like the over drive I keep wishing for.
It's the old chain and has minimal stretch. As to the change in gearing, here's my take. My area is very hilly, with many grades between ten and fifteen percent. On my group rides virtually all the other riders have 28t and larger cogs. On some hills I often found myself trying to down shift even though I was already in my lowest gear, so for me it was basically a no brainer. On the 13 degree hills near my house it's the difference between standing up and powering up with the old cassette and staying seated for a relatively easy, albeit slower, spin up the hill.
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Old 09-25-19, 10:17 AM
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Originally Posted by audiomagnate
It's the old chain and has minimal stretch. As to the change in gearing, here's my take. My area is very hilly, with many grades between ten and fifteen percent. On my group rides virtually all the other riders have 28t and larger cogs. On some hills I often found myself trying to down shift even though I was already in my lowest gear, so for me it was basically a no brainer. On the 13 degree hills near my house it's the difference between standing up and powering up with the old cassette and staying seated for a relatively easy, albeit slower, spin up the hill.
My bad. I haven't had my second cup of mojo yet this morning. I was thinking backwards. Yeah, you're right, that will give you a lower gear and on hills, a good thing I need a taller setup and I'm already at 11 teeth so my only option is changing up the front. Time for more coffee....
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Old 09-25-19, 10:24 AM
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Originally Posted by Bigbus
My bad. I haven't had my second cup of mojo yet this morning. I was thinking backwards. Yeah, you're right, that will give you a lower gear and on hills, a good thing I need a taller setup and I'm already at 11 teeth so my only option is changing up the front. Time for more coffee....
I missed your point too lol. I was actually considering going from a 12-25 to an 11-28 to add more top end but decided the amount of time I spend speeding downhill at over 40 mph was insignificant and it was better to keep the skips smaller in the middle gears where I spend most of my time.
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Old 09-25-19, 10:37 AM
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Here's a pic on the two smallest gears. It doesn't look like there's much room for the derailleur to take up much more slack.
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Old 09-25-19, 11:37 AM
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For a minute I thought you said one more line. I guess it's time for new bifocals.
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Old 09-25-19, 11:52 AM
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Big/Big and small/small are both gears that you should not normally be using. If you add links this would be OK if you intend to ride occasionally in the Big/Big combination. But then the consequence of that is now when you are in the small/small you no longer have that (last little bit of) clearance and the chain is now going to be clacketting on the cage.

I would leave well enough alone. One other alternative is to change your rear derailleur for a long cage.
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Old 09-25-19, 12:21 PM
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Shift to Big:Big.
You want more than 1" and < 2"
.
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Old 09-25-19, 01:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Bill Kapaun
Shift to Big:Big.
You want more than 1" and < 2"
.
Then I'm good staying with the same length chain. Thanks.
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Old 09-25-19, 02:41 PM
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As long as you can comfortably shift into big-big your chain is long enough. If you lengthen it you may have slack in the chain in small-small. You should not use either but no harm will come from a slack chain; too short is a big no-no.
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Old 09-25-19, 03:43 PM
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Originally Posted by dsbrantjr
As long as you can comfortably shift into big-big your chain is long enough. If you lengthen it you may have slack in the chain in small-small. You should not use either but no harm will come from a slack chain; too short is a big no-no.
That's what my last girlfriend said too...
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Old 09-25-19, 10:56 PM
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For current 11 speed, Shimano spec is for big/big+2 on cassettes with a large tooth of 28 or more teeth, and for cassettes smaller they specify to shift into the highest gear (big/small) and for the chain length to be such that in that gear the pulleys form a perpendicular line to the ground.

But yeah, basically, the chain is supposed to be very tight in big/big, especially for large chains, on Shimano (Campy specifies sizing around small/small), so as long as you can shift into it and nothing looks like its about to explode, you're fine, and it will in fact shift its best in normal usage.
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