axelfox

I just got a new chain to put on my bike. I was trying to be extra careful not to push the pin all the way thru, but the little punk fell!

Are there any relatively easy ways to put it back in or tricks?

Update: Dang it I lost the pin trying to put it back in. Possible for mechanics to have extra pins around?

Update 2: Removed one link and I got it installed! Will go for a test ride later.

Update 3: Went out for a test ride, but now the rear derailleur won't shift. I think it either might be (1) the chain is too long or (2) the rear derailleur cable is broken.

Thanks everyone

operator

The easiest way is to - get a new chain or cut it at the closest spot possible and reattach another one. Or just cut it and check if the length is still good.

moxfyre

I've gotten pins back in before. All it took was 10 or 20 minutes of fumbling and cursing Just don't use that link. If it's a Shimano chain, you can use the special replacement pins, but I don't like those for other reasons.

Most chains come longer than you need them! So you probably shouldn't be using the full chain anyway. Try wrapping the chain around the large cog and large chainring without going through the derailers, and then add one or two links to that. That will give you the optimal chain length, which will result in a bit better shifting. Trim the chain down to that length, and be sure not to drop the pin at that point ;-)

peripatetic

I've done it about 3/4 times. Never learn my lesson. As Moxfyre says, it just takes some patience. I think I found it easiest to try and get it on by removing it from the bike, then putting the link I was trying to fix on the bottom of the loop, not the top (otherwise, the weight of the chain keeps pulling the separate links apart. Also keep the chain remover as low to the level of the rest of the chain as you can, again to minimize the pulling of the weight of the rest of the chain. Just be slow, methodical, and don't get discouraged by the 100 times it falls apart. That final 1 is all you need to go right .

Good luck.

moxfyre

+1
Peripatetic's method sounds better than mine, which may have an even lower success rate. I think I've only successfully done it twice

NoRacer

Use a master link--great for easy maintenance of the chain and it's just as, if not more, reliable as pushing pins back into the chain or installing a replacement pin that tends to bind the link.

dobber

A bit more information, perhaps?

Had you already sized this chain to the right length?
What kind of chain are we talking about, does it have a master link already?

As someone else mentioned, the easiest solution would be to just use a SRAM master link or something similar.

If you've already sized the chain, you probably have a couple inches of spare chain lying about. Transplant a length of that onto you chain in question.

willtsmith_nwi

Master Link: +1

Powerlink or Connex Link. Next time just buy a SRAM chain and you get the link thrown in.

mlts22 

I just bought a SRAM chain, the link came with it. No worrying about Shimano replacement pins (which arn't bad, but I've always wondered about running out of replacement links, as once you pop a pin out, you can't use that joint again.)

MillCreek

On all my Shimano chains over the years, including my current Ultegra chains, I have been careful to not push the pin all the way out when breaking the chain. I have always been able to push the same pin back in without problems such as a stiff link, premature breakage or the like. I have some of the HG replacement pins on hand, but so far have not had to use them.

vinnydelnegro

i did that the first time i broke a chain. i fumbled around with it for about 40 minutes and then asked someone to hold the pin in place with a pair of needle nose plyers while i tightened the chain tool. that's what finally worked and the chain has been fine ever since. just be sure to loosen the pin when you're done. my first chain tool didn't have any way of loosening the pin, so i thought you just had to do it manually by bending the chain back and forth about 10,000 times. what a pain!

Al1943

If the old chain was the correct length size the new chain with the same number of links. Normally there will be a few inches of extra new chain. New pins can be bought from any decent LBS. If you damage a link by pushing a pin all of the way through you can use two new pins and some of the extra new links to properly size and connect the new chain. Just be careful to thread the chain through the derailleurs before making the final connection.

Al

moxfyre

That has worked for me too, although I find I have to press extremely hard to get the Shimano pins back in. Because of the dire warnings about doing this, I have simply stopped using Shimano chains and now use SRAM and KMC, which are cheaper and come with quick-links. Problem solved

axelfox

Yeah, the chain I got was a Shimano off ebay. I just needed a replacement chain for my beater commuter/city bike, so I didn't want to spend a lot of money. Maybe I should have . . .