Simple Steps In Using A Chain Tool

By Rebecca Lane


Immediately replace your mountain bike chain with a new one when it's damaged. But it's possible for a broken chain to be repaired with the use of a chain tool. This is the reason why traveling with a chain tool is what most mountain bikers do.

Your chain has three basic components - the metal side plates, the rollers between the side plates, and the rivets, or pins which go through the rollers and help to hold the plates together. Allowing the rollers to freely turn as the chain moves around the cogs are these pins.

If your chain happens to break, you'll need to remove the broken link and replace it with a spare link. Until you can get it replaced, reattach the two ends of the broken chain and ride on a shorter chain.

Place the broken link of chain in the chain tool in order to remove it. Now, turn the tool counter clockwise until the rivet pin of the chain tool touches the chain rivet. You should continue turning the tool until the pin is pushed out of the roller. Caution is required since you have to stop turning when the pin is at the edge of the roller, before it can move through the outer side plate.

Back it out of the roller once you've turned the tool in the other direction. You then have to set the tool to the side, work the chain gently from side to side and then the inner side plates and roller should be extracted.

Re-routing the chain through the bike is your next step. Ask someone to hold the chain in the right spot or have a chain retaining tool when you route and repair it.

You can insert a new link or simply connect the link that were beside the broken one when you've removed the broken link and re-routed the chain. For the link with the inner side plates to fit inside the link with the pin and outer side plates, you need to align the two ends. To push the pin inward, use the chain tool until it's positioned evenly between the side plates.

Have someone show you how to do this because that's still the easiest way to learn, after which you can actually practice with a chain and a chain tool. When you've seen it done by professionals and practiced a few times, you won't have trouble making temporary repairs on your mountain bike chain.




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