Silly chain question
 

What exactly constitutes a link? I assume it is the side plate and roller assembly attached to it correct?

Every 1/2 inch is a link. Inner links that would be a pair of inner plates with the rollers and a pair of outer plates with a pair of pins would be a link. A new chain may have 112-114 links or 56-57 inches of chain. 1 inch is the minimum increment of length change, for a derailleur chain.

What a silly question.

What Dave said.

its not a silly question. dave is correct when talking about bicycles, but the bicycle industry measures chain "wrong"

in industrial applications chain is measured in number of pitches. an industrial engineer would tell you that a bicycle chain is 112 or 114 pitches long or 56-67 links. in this environment a "half link" for a bicycle chain would be a 1/2in section.

what a cyclist calls a half link would be referred to as an offset link:
http://www.re-sourceind.com/images/p...setLink_Lg.jpg



why are these two environments different? i have no idea