One more link, yeah or nay?
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
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.
#2
working on my sandal tan
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CID
Posts: 22,670
Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)
Liked 2,600 Times
in
1,593 Posts
#4
Very Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Always on the Run
Posts: 1,211
Bikes: More than last week
Liked 344 Times
in
245 Posts
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.
#5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
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.
#6
Very Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Always on the Run
Posts: 1,211
Bikes: More than last week
Liked 344 Times
in
245 Posts
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.
#7
Junior Member
Thread Starter
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....
#8
Junior Member
Thread Starter
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.
Likes For audiomagnate:
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 3,744
Bikes: Puch Marco Polo, Saint Tropez, Masi Gran Criterium
Liked 471 Times
in
336 Posts
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.
I would leave well enough alone. One other alternative is to change your rear derailleur for a long cage.
#11
Really Old Senior Member
Shift to Big:Big.
You want more than 1" and < 2"
.
You want more than 1" and < 2"
.
#12
Junior Member
Thread Starter
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Roswell, GA
Posts: 8,326
Bikes: '93 Trek 750, '92 Schwinn Crisscross, '93 Mongoose Alta
Liked 1,101 Times
in
729 Posts
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.
#15
Senior Member
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.
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.