-
• #2
Individual half links originate from half link chains. The factory makes the chain and a man with a tool splits them up. His union won’t like it but if you buy a chain and split it yourself, you will cut out the middle man.
-
• #3
Sounds good; thanks.
-
• #4
In my experience, half link chains are a cunt and a half to split. It's like the pins are peened more thoroughly or something and I don't know that I've ever managed to split one and remake the joint.
-
• #5
Hmmm, maybe I’ll just change the ratio for something that works; it’s only a 20 miles a day bike so doesn’t have to be perfect. I normally ride 48x19 on the road but 45x18 will work with full links and it’s almost the same.
-
• #6
Do you discard the half link every time you change the chain?
I think I’ve assumed that in the average chain of >100 links, a worn half link was <2% of the ‘system’ and wasn’t enough to worry about.
As per the other thread about chains though, I do also replace my chain pretty frequently so it’s not like my half links would ever get really knackered.
-
• #7
Good point; I do indeed discard them. I also change chains frequently. Probably about every 1000 miles on average; less on the winter bike and that’s still with meticulous cleaning.
I’ve never got how people claim to get thousands of miles out of chains on fixed.
I use a geared bike on zwift and while it obviously doesn’t go outside, the chain has done at least 15k miles now and is still good according to the gauge… -
• #8
How’s the tension on your fg?
-
• #9
As loose as is safe on the road going bikes. Positively baggy on the track bike.
When I had my burls bikes made I got the chainstays just the right length so that I could use regular links with my preferred ratio.
My track bike also behaves with a 50x15.
My commuter however demands that I use a half link. Up until now I’ve been buying individual links for about £5 a pop which is half what I pay for a chain.
Is there fundamentally any reason not to just buy a half link chain and just split a link off every time I fit a new chain?