Benjamin James
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- Canada
Can anyone tell me what I need to look for as far as a chain goes? (I'd assume it's a 7-speed chain, but how many links on it?)
Abound - I'd like to have a spare chain available for when mine wears out
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m@Robertson
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You have to count them. A 'link' is measured by every pin. Count those. Then get a 7-spd chain that is at least that long. There is no such thing as buying an exact match. You will have to resize the chain with a 'chain breaker' (aka a chain rivet remover tool) to shorten your chain accordingly. Then use a quick link (provided with the chain when you bought it, I hope) to connect it together on the bike.
Since the Abound is a mid-tail with an extra long chain, you will need to buy two chains, connect them together (use the quick link) and then shorten the second added segment. The final lengthened chain will have two quick-links and this is not a cause for concern. FYI my two longtails both are in the 200+ link range and both use multiple links across thousands of miles.
Also, you may have a 7-speed system, but 8 speed chains are perfectly compatible, which is good news because extra-strong 7 speed chains don't really exist. But a SRAM EX1 does. Its 8-speed compatible, mid-drive strengthened and only about US$25, which is cheap as quality chains go. 7, 8 and 9-speed chains have the same inner widths, with 9s having thinner outer plates (so figure a 9s on a 7s drivetrain will be quieter). A KMC e9 is known to be bulletproof.
Anyone riding a mid drive should always be prepared for a chain breaking. But its never cheap to do so unless you use low end chains not up to the job.
Since the Abound is a mid-tail with an extra long chain, you will need to buy two chains, connect them together (use the quick link) and then shorten the second added segment. The final lengthened chain will have two quick-links and this is not a cause for concern. FYI my two longtails both are in the 200+ link range and both use multiple links across thousands of miles.
Also, you may have a 7-speed system, but 8 speed chains are perfectly compatible, which is good news because extra-strong 7 speed chains don't really exist. But a SRAM EX1 does. Its 8-speed compatible, mid-drive strengthened and only about US$25, which is cheap as quality chains go. 7, 8 and 9-speed chains have the same inner widths, with 9s having thinner outer plates (so figure a 9s on a 7s drivetrain will be quieter). A KMC e9 is known to be bulletproof.
Anyone riding a mid drive should always be prepared for a chain breaking. But its never cheap to do so unless you use low end chains not up to the job.
Benjamin James
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- Canada
Thank you very much. I appreciate your replies.
I’m aware of the mid-drive chains being exposed to more stress than hub drives, mine is a hub drive
I’m aware of the mid-drive chains being exposed to more stress than hub drives, mine is a hub drive
m@Robertson
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OK my mistake. In that case, I wouldn't worry about it. On a hub motor powered bike, the drivetrain is superfluous to propulsion via the electrical parts. Its only there for your personal use. As such, with this reduced duty cycle (even if you pedal for exercise its still lighter duty than an analog bike), chains tend to last... forever (not really but 6000+ miles is not unusual).
If you do decide to do up another chain anyway, the stuff about sizing still applies. A KMC x8.93 would be my choice for an 8s chain on a 7s drivetrain. I just bought one a few days ago (arrives Thursday) for my resistance trainer bike, which is a 1980's-era road bike set up on rollers, that has a 7s rear cluster.
If you do decide to do up another chain anyway, the stuff about sizing still applies. A KMC x8.93 would be my choice for an 8s chain on a 7s drivetrain. I just bought one a few days ago (arrives Thursday) for my resistance trainer bike, which is a 1980's-era road bike set up on rollers, that has a 7s rear cluster.
harryS
Well-Known Member
I also like the KMC X8's. Around $13-15, depending where you look, Don't be paying $24 for a chain. Comes with a master link.
I also picked up a chain gauge. It's just a length of metal you stick between the links. If it fits. the chain is not stretched. I checked out about a dozen chains on various bikes that pass thru my garage and all were good.
I also picked up a chain gauge. It's just a length of metal you stick between the links. If it fits. the chain is not stretched. I checked out about a dozen chains on various bikes that pass thru my garage and all were good.
Benjamin James
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- Canada
I looked everywhere, and couldn’t find that. [Or I simply missed it]
Thank you, nonetheless
Ben J
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Go to the bike page, look down along the right edge of the screen until you see "technical specifications". That will pop out a sidebar with lots of details.
m@Robertson
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If you are going to replace the chain, know that ebike manufacturers are notorious for sizing chains much shorter than is optimal for a chain. The only reason I can see for doing this is it saves a few cents per bike (manufacturers buy chains on a big drum, not like we do in set sizes).
The cage on your derailleur exists to wrap excess chain. It can angle all the way back, but manufacturers typically have it going almost straight down on the small cog in back. What this does is stretch the cage forward when you get on the big cogs, which is not going to break the derailleur, but its still a)doing it wrong and b)causing undue stress on the unnecessarily-stretched-out derailleur spring. You want to let the derailluer cage do its job and let it angle itself backward.
This is an example in writing that goes into how to do a 1x chain, which is different than a '2x' (i.e. you have only one front chainring so you have a 1x drivetrain).
www.worldwidecyclery.com
And this video from Microshift shows it visually. I tee'd up the video to the exact spot for sizing the chain so you only have to watch a few seconds of it.
EDIT: Because your chain has a mid-position roller / tension wheel, you will want to make an adjustment to the above generic procedure and move the cage back as-described, but also so it doesn't interfere with that roller wheel. Probably means you have to allow a little less extension to make sure it clears. You'll figure it out when you do it manually. I bet you can still add a few links.
The cage on your derailleur exists to wrap excess chain. It can angle all the way back, but manufacturers typically have it going almost straight down on the small cog in back. What this does is stretch the cage forward when you get on the big cogs, which is not going to break the derailleur, but its still a)doing it wrong and b)causing undue stress on the unnecessarily-stretched-out derailleur spring. You want to let the derailluer cage do its job and let it angle itself backward.
This is an example in writing that goes into how to do a 1x chain, which is different than a '2x' (i.e. you have only one front chainring so you have a 1x drivetrain).
How To: Installing A New Chain For Your 1X Drivetrain (How to do it Right!)
For this MTB How To, we are going to be focusing on setting the correct chain length when installing a new mountain bike chain on a 1X drivetrain. Making sur...
www.worldwidecyclery.com
And this video from Microshift shows it visually. I tee'd up the video to the exact spot for sizing the chain so you only have to watch a few seconds of it.
EDIT: Because your chain has a mid-position roller / tension wheel, you will want to make an adjustment to the above generic procedure and move the cage back as-described, but also so it doesn't interfere with that roller wheel. Probably means you have to allow a little less extension to make sure it clears. You'll figure it out when you do it manually. I bet you can still add a few links.
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Benjamin James
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- Canada
That is all excellent information, thank you very much for posting
PedalUma
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- Petaluma, CA
I don't count links. I use a door. Remove the old chain. Hang it over a door. Cut the new chain to match. If it takes two chains, make them equal length. Include an extra link or two. You can always remove one if it is too long/slack on first gear or 8th gear. 6/7/8 speed chains are called 8-speed. A chain hook can help. You can make one from an old spoke.
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