Correct chain length on Turbo Creo SL?

[Burning Matches]

Need some help with chain length sizing. I need to replace the chain on my Turbo Creo SL, so I bought a new Shimano CN-HG701-11 chain.

The chain that came on my Creo has 114 links. However, this looks too long to me. Here is the bike with the 114-link chain, in the biggest cog:

So I took two links out of the old chain. Here is the bike with one inner and one outer removed:

I have read several articles on bike chain length sizing. Park Tool has a good video, but they specify that when using the "wrap around the big-big and add links" method, a 1X system with a Sram derailleur should add four links. That results in 114 links, which is what the bike came with. My Creo has a Shimano rear derailleur. If I add only two links, I get 112, which to me, looks sufficient. But I don't want to cause future shifting problems if that is "technically" too short.

Does the shorter 112 chain look too short? Can someone with a Turbo Creo count how many links you have? 112 or 114?

 

[mmwada]

I was looking into purchasing a spare chain but didn't feel like counting the amount of links on my bike. Thank you for checking. Like I mentioned, I am not ready to count the amount of links but by comparing images, mine also looks like it has 114 links.

 

[Burning Matches]

I was looking into purchasing a spare chain but didn't feel like counting the amount of links on my bike. Thank you for checking. Like I mentioned, I am not ready to count the amount of links but by comparing images, mine also looks like it has 114 links.

Ok thanks -- so it sounds like the longer 114 link length is the way to go.

 

[JRA]

When installing a chain I find it is equally as important that there is still decent derailleur tension on the smallest cassette cog as well.

 

[bobf]

When installing a chain I find it is equally as important that there is still decent derailleur tension on the smallest cassette cog as well.

JRA has a point. To check whether a chain is too long, shift to the smallest cog(s) and see if the derailleur takes up the slack properly. The position in the photos above is for checking whether the chain is too short. IMO the 112-link photo looks short. To judge whether 114 links is too long, shift to the smallest rear cog.

 

[Burning Matches]

JRA has a point. To check whether a chain is too long, shift to the smallest cog(s) and see if the derailleur takes up the slack properly. The position in the photos above is for checking whether the chain is too short. IMO the 112-link photo looks short. To judge whether 114 links is too long, shift to the smallest rear cog.

It's fine in the small cog. No slack in the chain at 114 links. But that only tells me that it's not too long at 114. It doesn't tell me if 112 is too short.

 

[Deacon Blues]

If the bike came with a 114 linked chain why wouldn't you replace it with a 114 chain? Why have you considered going with a 112?

 

[Burning Matches]

If the bike came with a 114 linked chain why wouldn't you replace it with a 114 chain? Why have you considered going with a 112?

Because sometimes bikes come with missized chains. Has happened to me before with a mountain bike -- the chain as installed by the shop was too long, and it took me a few months before I realized the bike shifted much better with a few links taken out. Either way, my chain looks like it could potentially be a couple of links too long.

Here's a picture of an "ideal" derailleur pulley cage angle in the largest cog from Park Tool's chain sizing article:

That looks closer to the angle of my pulleys with 112 links.

So I was hoping someone else with a Creo could confirm how many links his or her bike's chain has. From mmwada's reply, it sounds like his Creo also has 114 links, so maybe that is the correct length.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

That looks closer to the angle of my pulleys with 112 links.

That looks like the chain is too short. The proper position of the derailleur cage in the lowest gear is 5 o'clock. The picture seems to show the cage at 4 o'clock position.
Park Tool or not.

 

[bobf]

Because sometimes bikes come with missized chains. Has happened to me before with a mountain bike -- the chain as installed by the shop was too long, and it took me a few months before I realized the bike shifted much better with a few links taken out. Either way, my chain looks like it could potentially be a couple of links too long.

Here's a picture of an "ideal" derailleur pulley cage angle in the largest cog from Park Tool's chain sizing article:

So I was hoping someone else with a Creo could confirm how many links his or her bike's chain has. From mmwada's reply, it sounds like his Creo also has 114 links, so maybe that is the correct length.

My Creo also came with 114 links. I guess I'm repeating, but the image you show from Park is for checking whether the chain is too short. It represents the maximum angle of the derailleur. Your post seems to say you used this image to decide your chain was too long. But that maximum angle is a limit, not a goal.

In the Park video (https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/repair-help/chain-length-sizing) there immediately follows a check on the smallest cog to check whether the chain is too long.