proveyouexist

My rear hub is slipping and I need to tighten it with a chain whip. When I tried removing the rear wheel (first time removing rear wheel on new track bike) i couldn't remove the chain from the rear hub because the chain is so tightly wrapped around it.

Are there any tools I need to purchase to remove the chain or any advice?

AnOxymoron

I'm guessing your dropouts aren't horizontal? If they are...you just loosen the locknuts and move the whole wheel forward, loosening the tension. That's what I do on my bike.

But chances are, if it was that obvious you wouldn't be asking.

k.rad

Sounds like you need some more chain. For now you'll have to make due by using a chain breaker to pop that sucker apart.

proveyouexist

Is there any way around buying a chain breaker?

carleton

Yes. You can:

- Borrow a chain breaker.
- Pay someone to do it for you.
- Look for a master link.
- Use your teeth.

artesc

Ouch...

I've heard that using a master link while running fixed with skids, skips, etc is not a good idea. Is there any basis to this?

carleton

None that I'm aware of.

blackwagon

A chain breaker is like 4 bucks... you'll still need it if you want to run a master link...

k.rad

My roommate is a bike mechanic and advises against using a master link, as he himself has snapped two. Granted, his chainline was far from perfect, but the fact still remains that twice it was the master link that gave out first. Perhaps with a decent chainline this problem doesn't exist.

proveyouexist

So attaching a master link to my chain is a bad idea and I should invest the five dollars in a chain breaker and that means every time I need to remove the back wheel I would have to break a link off of my chain or just add another link to my chain so the tension isn't as high.

LupinIII

is there any space to slide the wheel forward? if so, slide forward to get some slack, pull the chain off the rear cog and let it fall on to the axle, and you should now have enough clearance to pull the wheel far back enough to get out of the fork end. once it clears the end, swing the wheel up or down to get some distance from the frame and take the chain off the axle, let it hang on the chainstay or the little chain hanger braze on that's on some bikes

stryper

loosen the rear wheel, slide it all the way forward, push the chain over with your finger and spin the crank slowly. This will take your chain off the chainring and give you more than enough slack to get the rear wheel out

bbattle

Notice he said "spin the crank slowly". Watch those fingers or the chain and cog may take them off.

Guvna

If for some unimaginable reason none of this advice works, you could always just take your chainring off.

queerpunk

Wait, wait. There's an easier way, really. There is almost definitely no need to break your chain or remove your chainring. Seriously.

If you can't derail the chain easily with your fingers because the hub sits too far forward in the track ends (note that they are not dropouts), you can still get the chain off.

1. Loosen nuts.
2. Use a thin wrench or anything to put some light lateral pressure on a chain while you spin the wheel slowly. Basically pretend it's a derailleur and "shift" the chain off of the cog.
3. Remove wheel.

Pretty much what stryper said.

When you get the chain back on do the same thing in reverse, sort of. Get the chain on one tooth or the cog and spin the wheel so that it's re-railed. I have to do this at the track when I put my riding-home gear on, 50x17 (from 50-15, my racing gear), which, for my chain and my fairly short trackends on my TK2, is kind of a tight fit.

But really, imagine you're in a situation where, say, you need to fix a flat tire. If your approach necessitates taking your chain apart or removing a chainring, then you're doing something wrong.

mihlbach

Repeatedly removing and resinstalling your chain without a master link is not a very smart thing to do. Reinserting a pin with a chain tool can damage the link. Use the masterlink...its much safer, that is, assuming the bike was built by a competent person. Your roommate is not qualified to be a bike mechanic, apparently. He should fix his chainline and also learn how to install a chain. Masterlinks can handle as much tension as any other link.

jlin

wait, i don't understand what the OP's saying. the whip is for servicing the cog, but you're saying the hub has issues? if the hub is slipping, then just use a wrench to loosen the hub, slip it back, and then re-tighten.

lz4005

There's an extensive thread about that here:
https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/303648-breaking-chain-without-chain-tool.html

Sixty Fiver

Running a masterlink should not cause a problem if it is properly installed and the chain line is straight... 3/32 chain has a little more lateral flex than most 1/8 chain and can handle a less than perfect chain line quite well.

1/8 chain is stiffer laterally and a poor chain line puts undue stress on the chain which can cause it to break under load, especially if the chain is also too tight.

JohnDThompson 

Only true for riveted chains. Traditional pinned chains can be done without a master link.

FWIW, none of my 1/8" chains are riveted; is riveting only done on modern narrow road (3/32") chains?

PunctualAlex

Most 9-speed mountain bike chains use master links, and the chainlines go way out on mountain bikes. Chainline won't cause a master link to fail.

The only riveted chains I've ever seen are the 9/10 speed chains, which are even narrower than 3/32"

kyselad

Unless I'm missing something here, you've got your dimensions confused. 3/32" describes the internal width of the chain, and it does not differ between chains for 9/10 vs lower geared cassettes. The external width is narrower on a 9/10 chain, but that's not part of the 3/32" specification.

capita

I have to deflate the rear tire in order to get all the way forward into the track end to get enough slack in the chain to get the rear wheel off. Clearance is very tight, as my chain is bit short after getting a little over-zealous with the chainbreaker and wrecking a few links. :I

mihlbach

Yes, it can be done on a traditional pinned chain, but you still run the risk of damaging the sideplate, which could lead to failure. I've seen it happen more than once. You have to be very careful and drive the pin in straight and then look very carefully to make sure you did not bend, distort, crack or other wise damage it. The master-link is much safer and easier.

AnOxymoron

This thread is full of failure. Why can't you just post a picture of the ordeal so we can help you more efficiently?