How To Remove Mountain Bike Chain

The first thing you need to do is to find your chain breaker, which is a small tool that is used for removing the links from the chain. Next, you need to remove any broken links from the chain. If there are no broken links, then skip this step.

Next, you need to put the chain breaker on one of the pins (the pins are what holds each link together). Now use your other hand to push down on the pin until it pops out of place. You can now slide it out of both sides of the frame and remove it from your bike.

Do all chains have a master link?

Not all bikes have these links. They are most likely to be found on BMX bikes, single speed bikes or three-speed town bikes with internal gears. The more sprockets a bicycle has on its rear cassette, the narrower the chain must be and therefore the less room there is for this extra-wide master link.^[1]

How do you separate a bike chain without a tool?

Position the bike chain so that it is bridged across two solid supports such as blocks of wood or two wrenches. Take a punch tool and place it over one of the rivets in the chain. Use a hammer to push the rivet out and separate the chain to remove it.^[2]

How do you find the master link on a bike chain?

If you have a chain with a master link: To find the master link, look for a link that looks significantly different when viewed from the side. This is where you will break the chain. The master link has a pin on one side that inserts into a notch on the other side.^[3]

How do you break a chain without a bolt cutter?

If you don’t have bolt cutters, use a hacksaw, angle grinder, or reciprocating saw instead. Secure the chain in a clamp or vise, then saw through 1 link. Keep sawing until both sides of the link are cut in two.^[4]

Should you degrease a new bike chain?

A new chain usually feels sticky at first. These are residues of the high-performance grease used during assembly. Remove this grease with a thin-bodied oil or cleaner (no aggressive grease solvents!), lightly oil the rollers and remove excess oil with a cloth. We recommend never to degrease the chain completely.^[5]

Can you use wd40 on bike chains?

Is WD-40 good for bike chains—summary. In summary, WD-40 is great for cleaning and degreasing your chain, but doesn’t work well as a lubricant. It will provide some small amount of lubrication, but nowhere near enough for your bike chain to run smoothly. It’s best to use a high-quality, bike-specific lubricant instead.^[6]

Can you reuse a chain master link?

SRAM’s 10 and 11-speed master links are called PowerLocks and are not to be reused. According to SRAM, the ridge that joins the two plates of the PowerLock together can be damaged when unlocking it, increasing the risk of failure if reused.^[7]

How much does it cost to get a bike chain replaced?

How much does a bike chain cost to replace? Entry level chains can start off around $15.00 with more expensive and higher performance chains ranging from $25.00 to $60.00 or more. More expensive chains increase shift quality and are generally more durable as they wear.^[8]

What is a master link on a chain?

A master link or quick-release link is a roller chain accessory that allows convenient connection and disconnection of a chain without the need for a chain tool. It acts as a set of the chain’s outer plates, so joining two sets of the chain’s inner plate ends.^[9]

Can I reuse a Shimano quick link?

The new quick-link bears the ‘product of Japan’ legend of Shimano’s higher end groupsets. It is compatible with all Shimano 11-speed chains, and officially, it is not reusable.^[10]

Can you reuse a Shimano chain pin?

Shimano says to not re-use quick links: “Do not reuse a QUICK-LINK that has been removed. If the QUICK-LINK is reused, there is a risk that it will loosen and become detached, which may result in an accident.” I think they are overly cautious there.^[11]

Do Shimano chains come with PIN?

Shimano does make quick-links but only for 11-speed chains as far as I know. But since the chain pin is included with the Shimano 6-speed compatible chain I bought, I see no reason why not to use it.^[12]