So I just got half link because I’m close to a magic gear and I think it should do the trick.
But…I’ve never used a half link before and I have no idea how to fit it.
It looks like this…
…but the two sideplates aren’t actually joined together. What I got was the sideplates, a roller to fit between the narrow ends of the plates (like the pic), and a pin which is actually two pieces threaded together, like this…
I want it to shorten an ordinary singlespeed chain by half a link but now I’m wondering whether I bought the wrong thing.
I expected that the link would be fixed together at the narrow end and you just add it to the chain and put the joining pin in. If I do that, then the roller will probably fall out whenever I split the chain. Or are the small flanges on the sideplates enough to keep the roller from falling out?
What am I doing wrong? Any BMX dudes got some tips?
I’ve used a couple different types but always the plates were joined to the roller. Haven’t seen this type before. FWIW, I think I’ve got one or two of these ones from Harris if you want one (bottom of page) :
The two plates are joined to the roller and you just use a chain tool to push the pin through. Have used to facilitate magic gear more than once, though it’s arguably less magical if you have to use a half-link
Hard to explain, so, on the the way I installed these on bikes is I use the standard chain, with its pin to go through the roller on the half link.
I then use the wide side of the half link over the narrow part on the original chain (obviously).
I insert the installation pin, (one part of the pin that screws in half should be narrower than the other), to hold the chain, and 2 loose halves of the half link together around the part of the original chain you are joining, then push the rest of the pin through with a chain breaker.
Once the pin is in, unscrew the installation pin part and voila.
That probably makes no sense in the way I’ve written it so let me know if anything is unclear.
Oh and to answer your q about the plates on the half link being separate, that’s pretty normal, you just need to hold them all in place while you drive the pin from the original chain though, or install the other half with the joining pin to hold the plates together while you do the other end.
it’s tedious, and frustrating and you’ll probably drop the f bomb a few times.
ok thanks. That’s what I thought but it just seemed a bit strange.
One more thing…the side plates have arrows stamped on them which suggests that they’re supposed to be installed the right way up. Any ideas which way is the right way?
No F bombs with the link installation. Just a couple when I realised it’s too magic and now the chain is marginally too short, so I switched the 17T to a 16T and the tension is a little bit tight but just ok, but I don’t really want that gearing.
So all in all, it was probably a waste of time. But I kind of expected that, and I learnt something in the process so it’s all good.
