Re: [St] New chain needed

[Brian Pitman <snowsurfer@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Mike et al,

I have been reading this chain thread with increasing interest since I recently put my 3rd (?) chain on my 100K km GTS, a 15 yr old bike.  Over that decade and a half, chain technology has increased to the point where chains last much longer, but also have much tougher joining links.  The last one I bought, my dealer told me that a clip-type master link is no longer an option, so I ended up buying a $75 chain tool just to rivet (peen) the master link.  Since the chain tool looked "indestructible," I tried using it to remove the old chain.  I picked a link at random and went to work.  While being very careful, I still managed to bend and break (!) the pin.  Moreover, it was Sunday AM and all the local dealers were closed, so that sent me diving through my basement work shop to find another method of removal.  Lo and behold, I came across my Dremel and set to work again.  Ten minutes later I had shaved off both pin heads on one side of the link and with a
 couple well placed hammer blows on the end of an old large flat screwdriver lined up between the plates, I have liberated the old chain!  Needless to say, since I had figured this out on my own (from the same guy who forgot the drain plug on his first ST oil change...), I was quite pleased with myself, and resolved to never bother with a chain tool for removal again!

Now, here is my Q; being both a m/c and b/c rider, and a packrat, I have kept many used parts over the years - "just in case."  The net result is that my garage walls have continuously grown thicker.  Two summers ago, I set about to reverse that trend and tossed out all the sooty spark plugs, frayed brake cables (b/c), mangled shift levers (b/c) and worn sprockets.  Yes, I am really enjoying the extra working space...

I am now curious why would anyone want to keep a used chain?  If there is still some useful live in it, then leave it on the bike!...

Back to you guys,

Brian
GWN
06 Caspian Blue Sprint ST
93 GTS 1000A
...and about a dozen bicycles and snowboards (each)


----- Original Message ----
From: "Young, Mike" <myoung@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: ST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, August 31, 2007 11:40:47 AM
Subject: Re: [St] New chain needed


I've played with roller chains for years and years. The quickest way to
open a chain that you want to "keep" is to use a small grinder. I've
used everything from a 1/8" diameter stone wheel on a "Dremel" tool to a
7" angle grinder. They all work fine, and save wear and tear on your
chain tools. Most of the chain I work with uses "master" links. I've
used the DID riveter twice and it worked fine both times. The second
pair of rivets looked much better than the first. Expect to experience a
learning curve with what ever tool you use.    

Mike 
'06 ST
Seattle


-----Original Message-----
From: st-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:st-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of simonb@xxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, August 31, 2007 2:50 AM
To: st@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [St] New chain needed

Quoting "John Petrey, Jr." <john@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:


Easy, a cheep angle grinder [1]. Just grind the head off two rivets  
and lever the side plate off. Job done.


This leaves you with a perfectly viable "power tool" that you can have  
loads of fun grinding things with.


[1] Should be cheaper than a chain tool :)

> I think in general Motion Pro make great stuff. BUT I have broken two
> of their chain breaking tools.
> To their credit they sent me a brand new one when I returned the
> first busted one. That replacement
> succumbed to a bicycle chain a few months back:-(
>
> John Petrey
>
> At 08:00 AM 8/30/2007, you wrote:
>> 2. What's the best chain tool (and where's the best place to buy) ?
I was
>> leaning toward the Motion Pro version but I have heard a few stories
about
>> them breaking so I am a bit leery of them now.
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Kevin
>
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>



-- 
SimonB

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