What are the individual parts called, and how do they work? The kind folks at Wippermann Connex lent this graphic to us:Īs you can see, there is a lot going on in there. What you may not understand, however, is what a chain looks like when it’s taken all apart.
While that’s true, chain manufacturers all strive to make all of their links equally strong. For the big hairy topic of chain lubrication… well, that’s for another day.Ī chain is only as strong as its weakest link, right? Sure, fine. We will focus primarily on proper chain sizing and installation of most major brands. We’ve written about it in the past HERE.Ĭonsider this the updated, expanded, and extra-nerdy version. That last one is what we intend to address with this article.
How do they work? Why do they break? What’s the proper way to lube a chain – wax, oil plus additives, sewing machine oil, or something else entirely? And don’t forget the grand daddy of them all: How-in-the-heck do you determine proper chain length? Why then, is there so much controversy surrounding chains? For such a (seemingly) black-and-white topic, there is an astounding amount of perceived ‘chain black magic’. Without this lovely piece of engineering, we wouldn’t have the ability to pedal forward, shift gears, and ride these wonderful machines we call bikes (I’m assuming that most of you don’t ride belt drive bikes). Depending on length, they can have more than 400 individual moving parts. Your chain is arguably the most critical part of your entire bike.