Bicycle Mechanics - Home Brew Chain Whip

I need a home made chain whip. I have a chain, does anyone have a good method for creating one?

I was just going to use a piece of flat bar stock, of appropriate width, and drill 3 holes in it, get some spare chain, and use the chain tool to attach it. Viola.

I built one with a hardwood hammer handle, old chain and 2 bolts/nuts, works like a charm.

I was just going to use a piece of flat bar stock, of appropriate width, and drill 3 holes in it, get some spare chain, and use the chain tool to attach it. Viola. You may have clearance problems using a chain tool on the link going into the bar stock. I broke a chain whip once (on a SEVERELY rusted-on lock-ring), and tried to use a chain tool to re-attach the chain section to the bar part of the whip, with limited success and a lot of cursing. Don't remember exactly what the problem was, and it's not in front of me now, but I remember it being an issue.

Thing is, just the old chain, with enough coming off either end to wrap a rag around and death-grip with your hand, might do the trick. If it's just for cassette lock-ring removal, those rings aren't supposed to be reefed down very tight. They're not tightened by rotation like a freewheel, and the knurles on it and the smallest cog keep it from loosening.

What we do is buy cheapish ones, wait for them to break, then replace the chain with BMX chain, which is, I think 3/8 inch

I was advised by my LBS to just loop the chain around the cog, put a rag over it, and just hold on tight. Seemed to work OK! The flat bar-stock idea sounds like a cleaner method, and might give you more leverage for a difficult cog. Of course, then you'd actually have to build something, instead of just yankin' on your spare chain. ;)

peace,
sam

I was advised by my LBS to just loop the chain around the cog, put a rag over it, and just hold on tight. Seemed to work OK! The flat bar-stock idea sounds like a cleaner method, and might give you more leverage for a difficult cog. Of course, then you'd actually have to build something, instead of just yankin' on your spare chain. ;)

peace,
sam

Sheesh! Sam! Are you on every freakin' forum I visit???? MB forums, Biodiesel (all of them!), now here?? Am I going to start seeing you on the shooting forums I visit too????

Hey, LMK if you come out to Boulder again sometime this year.

See if you can get a grade 8 bolt for the pin that connects the last link to the bar stock, since that is usually the weak point. Also, if I was going to make one, I'd put a notch in the end of the bar that will help keep the loose end of the chain on the cog.

Hunk of chain + vise grips = Redneck Chain Whip

Did that for years with good results. Now that being said, a chain whip from Nashbar is only $10.

Hunk of chain + vise grips = Redneck Chain Whip
Did that for years with good results. Now that being said, a chain whip from Nashbar is only $10.

This is a nice solution for touring too. You can replace drive-side spokes if needed,
and your tools will still fit in a wide-mouth water bottle below the down tube.

I made one out of scrap flat bar stock I already had. To get around the clearance problem with using a chain tool I just hammered the pins back in and peened them in using a flat spot on a vise as an anvil. It's worked so far.

-Will

Never had a "real" chain whip, but I made one out of an old chain and a steel handlebar. Ugly, but it works for me(as long as I remember to orient it correctly).

I just wrapped a length of old chain around and stepped on the ends. I don't know where I read about it, but it worked great. I suppose if you had a really tough case you might need to put the ends in a vice or otherwise anchor them.

Length of chain a few links longer then the cog (SS work here) and vise grips. Works on cassettes too.

Sheesh! Sam! Are you on every freakin' forum I visit???? MB forums, Biodiesel (all of them!), now here?? Am I going to start seeing you on the shooting forums I visit too????

Hey, LMK if you come out to Boulder again sometime this year.

Don't worry, man, the shooting forums are safe, I don't own any guns. ;) I guess we are just two men with far too many hobbies for our own good.

I might be out this summer sometime to see family, I'll let you know if I"m passing through!

peace,
sam

Just get out your plasma cutter......

I use two vise grip and a copper pipe that a plumber had provided me with. I stick the chain through it and vise grip it at one end with the smaller tool then wrap the remaining chain on the other end around the cassette and vise grip the rest onto the pipe using my larger tool. Works everytime for me.

Why go through the trouble of making a chain whip when you can get your point across just as well with an old 2x4 or some brass knuckles? ;)