How to Put on a Bicycle Chain

Whether you’re an aspiring bike rider who has just purchased a bicycle, or a veteran of the sport, knowing how to put on a bicycle chain is a MUST. It doesn’t matter how good working condition the bike is in, its chain could come down at any instant, mostly without a remote hint of trouble. However, while putting on a bicycle chain is easy, do the basics wrong and you’re in a predicament. Hence, if you don’t want to waste your time and energy midway through your journey, this guide would come handy.

To replace a bike chain which has fallen off or broken completely, the aforementioned steps would come handy.

Step # 1: Purchase a new Chain along with a Chain tool

First of all, make sure that the chain has broken. For, in some cases, it might have just slipped off its desired location. Once you’ve made sure that the current chain is irreplaceable, go for a new one. Also, to disentangle the old chain and put on a new one, you’d need a chain tool. Both these items could be purchased on any cycling shop or a sporting goods store.

Step # 2: Damage Assessment

There are two types of chains which bike manufacturers normally use. Of these three, the first one includes those who have special pins. If your bike has one of these, no need to assess the damage as they, in most cases, are irreparable.

 However, if your bike contains chains which have normal pins, they are easy to repair. However, if you don’t want the nuisance, change them.

Step # 3: Remove the old Chain

Although most people don’t know this, removing the worn-out chain is a cinch. All you’ve to do is to rotate the pedal until the chain has went gone around the sprocket. However, if the chain is still holding to its own, you’d need a chain tool to introduce a break-in point.

For this to happen, insert the chain tool in the chain and – after putting it into the “teeth” of the chain, push the pin – which is keeping the chain entangled, out. Since you won’t be using this chain after this, take out the whole pin.

Step # 4: Elevate the rear wheel

Since you’ve to put in the chain through the rear derailleur, you’d need to turn the back wheel. As you might guess, turning the wheel would be easy once you have lifted it off the ground. To do this, you might need the help of an accomplice.

Step # 5: Put the chain over the back derailleur

If you’re aren’t comfortable with the bike jargon, a derailleur is basically the system below the rear sprocket which houses the gears. To follow this step, take that part of the chain in your hand which doesn’t have a pick sticking out. Now, rotate it around the lowest pulley. To recheck whether the chain has been properly put-on or not, check whether it has made the desirable “S-shape”.

Step # 6: Put the chain into the rear cassette

Although it sounds difficult, it should take you less than a minute to complete this step. All you have to do is to pull the chain up from the rear derailleur and around/over the little sprocket in the cassette. Now, to give you some slack, pull the rear cassette towards the lead end of the chain.

Step # 7: Put the chain on the front derailleur cage

After turning the rear wheel, take the lower end of the chain into your hand, before threading it through the front derailleur.

Step # 8: Thread the chain around the front sprocket

Firstly, make sure that the chain is aligned with the front sprockets. Secondly, stretch it to make sure that it has entangled with the front teeth of the sprocket. Lastly, pull the chain around the sprocket, before turning the pedals.

Step # 9: Connect Both Ends of the Chain

Finally, once you have made sure that the chain has passed through the gear system, join both the ends and start riding.

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How to Size a Bicycle and Bicycle Seat to fit the rider

If you want to save yourself from back pains, prevent the injuries, or enhance the enjoyment – all while riding a bicycle, the best thing you could do is to get a properly sized bike. There are many methods out there claiming to teach you just that. However, as you might have noticed by your search on the Internet, most of these methods are for the nerds. In simple words, they are too complex and consist of inapplicable methods.

Thus, if you have been looking for a simple yet effective method, you’ve landed at the right place.

Step # 1: Determine your Inseam

Determining your inseam is one of the easiest things in the world. All you need is a measuring tape and a pair of pants which fit you well. Once you have got both these “tools” at your disposal, use the measuring tape to measure the distance from the bottom of the leg to the crotch. This is your inseam.

Step # 2: Measure the height of the bike

As you might guess, the term “measuring your bike’s height is equivocal” for it doesn’t convey much. To do this, measure the distance from the top frame of the bike to the ground. Now, in order to make sure that the bike fits your size, compare this measurement with your inseam.

For a bike which would fit you properly, its height should range from 1-2’’ of your inseam. In other words, while standing with flat feet on the ground, your crotch should almost touch the bar.

Step # 3:  Measure the distance between pedal and seat

Before carrying on with this step, make sure that the pedal is in its “lower” position. That would greatly refine our measurement.

Now that you have met the above-mentioned requirement, take out the measuring tape and measure the distance between the pedal and the seat. Make sure that the upper part of the measuring tape touches the center of the seat. Finally, note down this measurement.

Now, make sure that you’re comfortable with this bike, compare this measurement with your inseam. If a bike is properly sized, this measurement should be 1-2’’ less than your inseam measurement.

Why? If your bike meets this criterion, it means you won’t have to bend your leg while pedaling it. Consequently, there would be no pains in your leg.

Step # 4: Measure your total Reach

Unlike all the above steps – which are crucial if you want to land a perfectly sized bike, this is more to do with your comfort level. That is, if you want to, you could leave this method untouched. However, if you want to go the extra mile in achieving your comfort, scroll down.

With the term “Total Reach”, we mean the distance your hands cover when stretched fully. Firstly, spread your hands fully in the horizontal direction. Now, ask someone to measure the distance from the tip of one hand to the same of the other. Note down this measurement as A.

Secondly, measure the distance from the top of your crotch to your shoulder height. Note down this measurement as B. Now that you’ve got these measurements successfully, use the following formula to measure your total reach.

Total Reach = (A+B)/2

Step # 5: Alternative method

If you feel that the above-mentioned criteria are too difficult to meet – and want to go for a simpler version, here is an alternative method.

Sit on the seat and extend both of your legs. If they are able to touch the ground, congrats, you’ve got a perfectly sized bike!

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