2 + bash – how do YOU size your chain ?

big-big @ longest c’stay (if suspended) + 1

hardtail – big to big with a little bit of spare in the mech springs

sus – as above with a couple of extra links for supension movement (suppose you could take out the shock & check it’s enough but I never have)

longest c’stay will be at full extension, no compression, i assume , or is it frame specific ?

big-big +2 for me

What cynic-al said.
Big big plus 2.
I always size mine with the spring removed and shock at full compression, don’t bother threading chain through the mech when sizing, as that’s what the extra links are for.

I presume you mean a new chain on a new bike – othersie I hand both on a nail and trim to size of last chain (i.e. count links) coz its never sooo stretched as to get confusing 😉

so many variants !

Big-big +2 here too, as read in thew SRAM instructions which come with my chains.

Foxy, thats because chains don’t actually stretch, they just wear out inside the links I believe – so they should be the same length/number of links.

I’m clearly the monkey here because I fit the chain with a speed link then remove the “right” number and reattach the speedlink.

brassneck: chains don’t actually stretch, they just wear out inside the links I believe – so they should be the same length/number of links

you can argue semantics if you wish in terms of stretch vs wear, but they DO get longer (that’s how chain-checkers work)

atlaz: I’m clearly the monkey here because I fit the chain with a speed link then remove the “right” number and reattach the speedlink

The discussion is about how you determine the “right” number – I’d guess we nearly all use powerlinks or similar

Foxy, thats because chains don’t actually stretch, they just wear out inside the links I believe – so they should be the same length/number of links.

well when you hang them up they are sl longer thats what I was pointing out. I am aware the link plates dont “stretch” but the overall length changes beause the pivots wear and become thinner. Thanks for pointing out what chain stretch is brassneck though 😉