Chain lost master link today
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Chain lost master link today
I was riding today and when I shifted to the smaller chainring, the master link came off, as I did a little checking, I think I bought the wrong size chain last fall when I replaced the old one that broke on my 1979 Centenan that has been in the garage for more than 20 years. When I look back at the chain a got, the info says the chain was for a ten-speed, well, I had a ten-speed, so that's what I got. Now I believe that meant ten sprockets on the rear cog? So I think I will get me a new chain designed for a five-speed. Does that make since? That chain would be wider then the one I had designed for a 10 speed cassette?
I was having an issue with that chain getting caught in between the large and small chainring and it would make sense because a chain for a ten-speed cog would be thinner than one made for a five-speed, correct?
I was having an issue with that chain getting caught in between the large and small chainring and it would make sense because a chain for a ten-speed cog would be thinner than one made for a five-speed, correct?
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#2
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The chain is matched to the number of cogs on the back...So, if you have five cogs, you need a five speed chain.
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#3
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Yeah, a 1979 Centurion with 5 cogs in back needs a 3/32" 5/6-speed chain. I know KMC makes them. Others too but I am not up 5,6-speeds. It's been a few decades for me.
Memories. I assembled those Centurians two years earlier in Boston. Back when all "10-speeds" had chains that were simple, durable, required tools to both break and assemble and very rarely failed. (Higher math was needed to denote the number of speeds; you couldn't just count the cogs on your fingers.)
Ben
Memories. I assembled those Centurians two years earlier in Boston. Back when all "10-speeds" had chains that were simple, durable, required tools to both break and assemble and very rarely failed. (Higher math was needed to denote the number of speeds; you couldn't just count the cogs on your fingers.)
Ben
#4
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Thread Starter
Yeah, a 1979 Centurion with 5 cogs in back needs a 3/32" 5/6-speed chain. I know KMC makes them. Others too but I am not up 5,6-speeds. It's been a few decades for me.
Memories. I assembled those Centurians two years earlier in Boston. Back when all "10-speeds" had chains that were simple, durable, required tools to both break and assemble and very rarely failed. (Higher math was needed to denote the number of speeds; you couldn't just count the cogs on your fingers.)
Ben
Memories. I assembled those Centurians two years earlier in Boston. Back when all "10-speeds" had chains that were simple, durable, required tools to both break and assemble and very rarely failed. (Higher math was needed to denote the number of speeds; you couldn't just count the cogs on your fingers.)
Ben
#5
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Thread Starter
Yeah, a 1979 Centurion with 5 cogs in back needs a 3/32" 5/6-speed chain. I know KMC makes them. Others too but I am not up 5,6-speeds. It's been a few decades for me.
Memories. I assembled those Centurians two years earlier in Boston. Back when all "10-speeds" had chains that were simple, durable, required tools to both break and assemble and very rarely failed. (Higher math was needed to denote the number of speeds; you couldn't just count the cogs on your fingers.)
Ben
Memories. I assembled those Centurians two years earlier in Boston. Back when all "10-speeds" had chains that were simple, durable, required tools to both break and assemble and very rarely failed. (Higher math was needed to denote the number of speeds; you couldn't just count the cogs on your fingers.)
Ben
#6
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6-7-8 speed chain will be fine. Get one with a master link, still need a chain tool to shorten it as new chains are normally too long to fit numerous bike geometries.
Look into chain sizing like "big-big + links"
Look into chain sizing like "big-big + links"
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
ordered a KMC chain from Amazon, should be here Friday. 116 links, that's what the old one was and seamed to work well as far as the length goes.
Last edited by royphotog; 09-16-20 at 07:53 PM.
#8
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https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair...-length-sizing
#9
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My guess is when the last one was installed they didn't have a chain tool and installed as received rather than optimizing the length.
https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair...-length-sizing
https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair...-length-sizing
#10
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The chain you are getting will be the old-school. I'm betting it comes with a quick link simply because the world now expects them but your chain can be re-riveted just as you are used to. (The quick links work very well. If you use it, a great help is the Park tool for pushing the surrounding links together. I forget what they are called but it is easy to find. And I say "quick link". It is a tradename. There are several different links. They all work. The Park tool isn't required for any of them but it makes all of them easy to deal with.)
Ben
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#11
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Bicycle chains were, for many years, just like motorcycle chains, just smaller. But then the "need" for more and more cogs mean that chains got thinner and thinner. The old chains had a real amount of excess pin beyond the plate making the riveting simple. But when the cogs got to 9, the chain makers went to pins that were flush with the outside of the plate. The pins were peened to secure them. That means a pin driven out enlarges the hole, A re-rivet is no longer secure. Hence the need for quick links.
The chain you are getting will be the old-school. I'm betting it comes with a quick link simply because the world now expects them but your chain can be re-riveted just as you are used to. (The quick links work very well. If you use it, a great help is the Park tool for pushing the surrounding links together. I forget what they are called but it is easy to find. And I say "quick link". It is a tradename. There are several different links. They all work. The Park tool isn't required for any of them but it makes all of them easy to deal with.)
Ben
The chain you are getting will be the old-school. I'm betting it comes with a quick link simply because the world now expects them but your chain can be re-riveted just as you are used to. (The quick links work very well. If you use it, a great help is the Park tool for pushing the surrounding links together. I forget what they are called but it is easy to find. And I say "quick link". It is a tradename. There are several different links. They all work. The Park tool isn't required for any of them but it makes all of them easy to deal with.)
Ben
#12
Full Member
It's worth actually reading the directions. I've been using 8-speed chains with quick links where the plates are squeezed towards each other, as the ends are moved in, to release the plates.
I needed to take off the chain after using it a year, and fought those #$&@*"&#$**! for a half hour or more, including with needle nose pliers, before going online and reading the directions.
I needed to take off the chain after using it a year, and fought those #$&@*"&#$**! for a half hour or more, including with needle nose pliers, before going online and reading the directions.
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I use KMC chains on all my 8 speed and under bikes. KMC Z51 is the one I like best. KMC chains come with a master link that is reliable and solid.
It doesn't really hurt anything to use a 10 speed chain on a 5 speed rear cog bike. I mix and match drivetrain parts all the time. don't try and go the other way or you can have shifting issues.
You probably just got a bum chain or didn't seat it well. some times the master links wear out as well
It doesn't really hurt anything to use a 10 speed chain on a 5 speed rear cog bike. I mix and match drivetrain parts all the time. don't try and go the other way or you can have shifting issues.
You probably just got a bum chain or didn't seat it well. some times the master links wear out as well
#14
Newbie
Quoting from kmchain faq site:HOW MANY TIMES CAN THE MISSING LINK BE USED?
The Missing Link on chain models X11SL and X11L can not be reused. All other Missing Links can be reused between 2-3 times per life cycle of the chain. If you purchase a replacement chain, the used Missing Link should not be reused and is not interchangeable. Missing Links offer riders ease of maintenance and quick chain replacement when there is an emergency on the road or trail.
The Missing Link on chain models X11SL and X11L can not be reused. All other Missing Links can be reused between 2-3 times per life cycle of the chain. If you purchase a replacement chain, the used Missing Link should not be reused and is not interchangeable. Missing Links offer riders ease of maintenance and quick chain replacement when there is an emergency on the road or trail.
#15
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Can't even remember how long since I last used a chain tool to connect ends of a chain on any of my bikes. 15 years? Have only used quick links for a long time. I did start carrying a Park mini chain tool a few years ago "just in case" and have used it once to help a women on a club ride whose chain had been dumped/jammed beyond use. Was able to remove bent links and reconnect what was left so she could continue the ride. Shifting cautiously.
Still living in 9-speed world so not too concerned about reusing quick links - at least until a chain is replaced with a new one.
Still living in 9-speed world so not too concerned about reusing quick links - at least until a chain is replaced with a new one.
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Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
#16
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It's worth actually reading the directions. I've been using 8-speed chains with quick links where the plates are squeezed towards each other, as the ends are moved in, to release the plates.
I needed to take off the chain after using it a year, and fought those #$&@*"&#$**! for a half hour or more, including with needle nose pliers, before going online and reading the directions.
I needed to take off the chain after using it a year, and fought those #$&@*"&#$**! for a half hour or more, including with needle nose pliers, before going online and reading the directions.
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#17
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I received the chain today from amazon, a day early, (that has been happening lately) A KMC X8.99 1/2 X 3/32 definitely wider than the chain that was on it (the 10-speed chain that would get caught between the chainrings if I didn't shift all the way-compressing shifting on that bike ) 116 Links, tested it based on that Park Tool video and all seems to be good. I'll take it out tomorrow and see. Thanks for all the help.
#18
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