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Cycling app of the week: Chain Length Calculator

Haven't guessed what this handy app does yet? Let us explain more just in case...

What is it?
Chain length calculator does nothing more and nothing less than working out what the length of your chain should be, expressed in number of links. You can use cm or inches to input your chainstay length (you should always be able to find this out on your bike manufacturer's website inventory or in the manual it came with), and then add your outer chainring size and number of teeth on your biggest cassette ring and hey presto, it's done. 

What makes it unique?
The simplicity more than anything - although there are plenty of similar calculators you can find on websites with a quick Google, but this saves you a bit of typing once you've got the app and it doesn't really take up any space on your phone.  

Screen Shot 2017-12-13 at 17.05.45.png

How can it help me?
It works out how long your chain needs to be of course! While you can just go by the "big big and add two links" method, this takes out any estimations whatsoever and makes life that little bit easier if you're not confident of getting it spot on.  

Where can I get it?
Unfortunately for iPhone owners this app, which can be downloaded here, is Android-only... but we've found one very similar on the iOS store here. 

Arriving at road.cc in 2017 via 220 Triathlon Magazine, Jack dipped his toe in most jobs on the site and over at eBikeTips before being named the new editor of road.cc in 2020, much to his surprise. His cycling life began during his students days, when he cobbled together a few hundred quid off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story) and bought his first road bike - a Trek 1.1 that was quickly relegated to winter steed, before it was sadly pinched a few years later. Creatively replacing it with a Trek 1.2, Jack mostly rides this bike around local cycle paths nowadays, but when he wants to get the racer out and be competitive his preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking - the latter being another long story.  

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4 comments

Avatar
Leeroy_Silk | 6 years ago
0 likes

How often are people changing chains that they'd need an App on your phones? If you're using this App more than Strava (or any other App) you're either not riding enough or you have a serious problem! 

Avatar
turboprannet | 6 years ago
2 likes

needs access to wifi information....why?

Avatar
SingleSpeed replied to turboprannet | 6 years ago
4 likes

turboprannet wrote:

needs access to wifi information....why?

 

Because if you're stupid enough to need an app to fit a chain then you're sure as shit stupid enough to be suckered in by the advertisers the App will surely drive to your phone  1

Avatar
turboprannet replied to SingleSpeed | 6 years ago
2 likes

SingleSpeed wrote:

turboprannet wrote:

needs access to wifi information....why?

 

Because if you're stupid enough to need an app to fit a chain then you're sure as shit stupid enough to be suckered in by the advertisers the App will surely drive to your phone  1

 

well quite. it is a calculator. it doesn't need to do anything more than calculate. why is everyone trying to coin it in on your data? just no.

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