Chain too short!

[rasusto]

So I bought my new chain, 520 pitch as the manual says. I replaced the sprockets, 16 front, 39 rear as the manual says. I had them cut the chain at the shop because I don't have a chain tool. I counted the links myself, 110 pitches counting the master link. 110 is what the manual specifies. I moved my rear wheel all the way forward, and the chain is too short by about 4 inches! Am I missing something here or did I screw up a brand new chain?

[Kerry]

16, 39, 520, 110 ... the numbers are all correct.

I'm curious how you made the determination of 4" too short.  Did you lay out the new chain next to the old one, or mount the new one on the bike and it won't quite reach, or ... ?

Assuming that you counted the 110 links correctly, I suspect a "routing" issue.  How did you install the new chain?  Maybe it got hung up in the front sprocket area?

When I replace a chain, I:

• Position the bike so the master link of the old chain is on the bottom run between the sprockets
• Pop the outer plate off the old master link (for a rivet-style chain, use a Dremel to grind off both pins of a single link)
• Pull the old chain from the LEFT pin of the master link
• Push one end of the new chain onto the same pin
• Rotate the rear wheel to feed the connected chains through the system until the leading end of the new chain has gone around both sprockets and is in between them
• Disconnect both chains from the old master link
• Add the new master link to connect both ends of the new chain

That method guards against "hang-ups", but I suppose there are other ways to do it.  How did you go about it?

[adidasguy]

Please explain how you replaced the sprockets then had the shop cut the chain?

Did you happen to rin the chain over the clutch push rod? That could make it 4"too short and ruin the clutch and clutch push rod.

[Kerry]

Please explain how you replaced the sprockets then had the shop cut the chain?

I assumed that he had the shop cut a length of new chain from a long roll, after he counted out 109 links and told them where to cut it?

[rasusto]

Problem solved! It turns out the shop cut the wrong number of links. They can't count, and apparently neither can I. I went back and they fixed it for me. TIL measure twice, cut once.

[weedahoe]

Problem solved! It turns out the shop cut the wrong number of links. They can't count, and apparently neither can I. I went back and they fixed it for me. TIL measure twice, cut once.

Bingo