A bike chain is a small part of the bike that most people don’t give much thought to, but a bike chain is important for your bike to run smoothly and without any problems. To keep this optimum performance, removing links when they are broken or worn out is ideal. The good news is that it’s not difficult at all to remove a link from a bike chain – in fact, I will show you how with five simple steps!
There are three common ways to remove a link from a bike chain:
- Remove a quick link
- Remove a link from your bike chain with a tool
- Remove a link from your bike chain without a tool
We’ll go over how to remove a link in each scenario so that you’ll have no trouble doing so, no matter your situation.
So Let’s begin…
How to remove a link that is a quick link?
What is a quick link on a bike?
A quick link is a type of connector used on bicycle chains. It allows for an easy way to remove individual links from the chain without removing all the adjacent ones. This makes it easier to shorten or lengthen your chain, which can be handy if you’re in between sizes or need to remove a link on the fly.
How do you identify a Quick Link on a Bike Chain?
Quick Links have a distinctive shape that is different from regular links. They are rounded on one side and flat on the opposite edge, which looks like a “D” when viewed head-on. To identify the quick link on your bike, cycle your pedals in reverse and look for the link that looks like it has a rivet that can be move.
The connector part of this link also has two round holes for pins to be inserted into by another tool such as pliers or vice grips.
How to remove a link that is a quick link?
Removing a quick link is one of the easiest ways to remove a link from your bike chain. However, before even attempting to remove a quick link, you need to make sure the chain has a little slack. If it isn’t slack enough, you’ll have a hard time getting the quick link removed.
To get the chain slack ‘on most bikes,’ you’ll need to switch gears or move the chain to the smallest chainrings on your bike. If you have a fixie, you should loosen your track nuts and slide the wheel in a little, so the chain sags. With that done, we can move onto removing the quick link.
Next, you’ll want to remove the quick link pin from one side of the bike chain. Again, depending on the type of quick link you have, it should be easy to do by hand or with a plier. There are two common types of quick links, either by SRAM or Shimano.
The SRAM quick links are much easier to remove and can be done by hand in most cases. All it will require you to do is squeeze the link together and rub your fingers on them in opposite directions. That will push the pin that holds it together forward and allow you to release the link.
For the Shimano Quick Links, you need to position the quick link close to the front chainring. Then you’ll want to bend the chain at the quick link towards you and use the plier to lift off the link over the pin. Once you lift one side of the link off, you can easily slide the rivet out.
How To Take Out A Ring WITH A Tool
Owning a bike chain breaker tool is one of the most important tools all cyclists need to own. Moreover, they cost less than $10 in most cases. So it’s worth investing in one.
A bike chain tool will allow you to remove links from a bike chain, but it can also take out rings on the outside of the bike chain. This is great for those times when you quickly need to replace or remove a link from your bicycle chain.
Steps to remove a link from the bike chain with a chain breaker tool:
- Place the chain breaker tool over the pin on the link you want to be removed.
- Wind the handle of the breaker tool until it pushes out the pin.
- Remove the link.
Removing Bike Chain Without Tool
This method can be considered the hardest way out of the three and requires a little patience. In order to do it, you’ll need to get a few things together first. You’ll need a nail punch, screw, or whatever else you can find that is hard enough and the right size to push the pinout. You’ll also need to get something to bang the nail on the pin, and this could be whatever item you have on hand, like a hammer, spanners, or any other metal. Even a rock could be used.
Once you have those two items together, you then need to place the chain link between two surfaces with a gap in between where the pin will be knocked through. Then hammer the pin until it falls out of the link.
This method takes you back to the caveman days, but it works in case of emergencies. Here’s a quick video of how it can be done while at home with tools like a drill and hammer on hand.
Wrapping Up
Removing a link from your bicycle chain is not as difficult as you might think. All it takes are the right tools or just some patience to get the job done. The methods we’ve mentioned in this blog post should help you remove that link from your bike chain without any hassle at all. However, if these techniques don’t work for you or if they seem too complicated, be sure to consult with a professional mechanic who can do the repairs for you! In conclusion, removing links from chains may sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be hard!
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Last Updated on October 14, 2023 by Daniel White