[Closed] 1 x 9 - Determining Chain Length

Downhill bike here but same principle...

Thanks v. much but mine is a hardtail. What I'm getting at is how tight does the mech need to be?

A little bit crude and none too scientific but I played around with the links until the jockey wheels/cage were pretty much 45 degrees whilst in biggest sprocket on cassette. Works well for me, never had any issues in 3 years.

Coyote - Member
Thanks v. much but mine is a hardtail. What I'm getting at is how tight does the mech need to be?

I would have thought that it's the same as in the vid.

He is setting up the chain with the suspension in full travel position, leaving a small amount of movement in the rear mech when in 1st gear.

With a hardtail, you do the same, as you are always in the "full travel" position.

I'd suggest round the chainwheel and largest sprocket without going thru the derr hanger +4 links (and by links I mean one outer [i]or[/i] one inner link - what some would call half a link). Oh, and use a medium cage...

Recently set up my lads 1x9 and you really don't need much slack in the chain at all.

Ran the chain round the front chain ring and the largest sprocket on the rear cassette missing out the rear mech (as stated above) and added a single link (one inner + 1 outer link).

His bike has an XO short cage rear mech and is running quite happily set up like this, if you are nervous about running such a short chain add an extra link.

Wrap the chain round the front ring & largest rear without going through the rear mech and add one complete link (one inner & one outer):

[img] [/img]

If using a SRAM powerlink/KMC magic link, don't forget that it will replace the "outer" section of your complete link.

I did this with my 1x10 conversion on my HT recently & it works fine. Might be different with full-sus.