1x10 Chain Length

mcnultycop

I've had a read of Sheldon and done some googling, but can't seem to find a definitive answer on setting the correct chain length for 1x10. Big to big plus 2 wouldn't appear to make sense to me in this situation as the mech cage would be almost horizontal in that gear. I'm not sure it makes a difference but I'll be running 32t up front, 11-36 on the back with a Zee mech (the correct sized one for that cassette).

Other advice seems to be "just set it as short as possible" whereas others have said "big to big plus 2"; is there a correct answer?

Thanks in advance.

supersonic

Big big plus 2 ;-)

oxocube1

When setting up a 3x10/9 I would always put the chain on the two biggest cogs and have the chain at a length that made the rear mech sit at a 45 degree angle to the floor. Obviously on a 3 speed chainset you would never use that gear ratio as it would be too much stress on the chain. So try a chain length that leaves the mech at a suitable angle, but not too far so that there is slack in your highest gear.

Obviously if your mech is horizontal on the 2 big cogs that's too tight, just loose a few less links so that the mech sits at maybe a 40-35 degree angle insead.

cooldad

Or keep it simple.
This

supersonic wrote:

Big big plus 2 ;-)

The Rookie

Shimano chains come with a very complicated way of setting chain length, but do it Big Big plus 2 and it ends up the exact same length....same is true for SRAM chains.....and yes in first the rear mech will be stretched out.

mcnultycop

Done big to big + 2 (after 4 months, I'm useless).

This look OK for big to big, mech is stretched out (as Beginner said above) but it is shifting fine?

oxocube1

That looks good to me. Pretty much 45 degree angle in big-big. And yea 4 months! That's a long time to fit a chain

mcnultycop

oxocube1 wrote:

That looks good to me. Pretty much 45 degree angle in big-big. And yea 4 months! That's a long time to fit a chain

I know, I know.

Weekends have been spent riding, not building. It's not just a chain, I had to do the cable and index it too.