How to Install a Chain on a Bike

Video Transcript

"Hi, I'm Travis, with Mad Dog Cycles, and we're talking about how to install a chain on a bike. We have to remove this one first. A lot of chains will have a master link. We have a master link plier, right here. We can just take and squeeze it together, and very simple, and the chain actually just goes right through the pulleys of the derailleur and the cog, and then go down to your local bike shop, and buy a chain. Now, there's like four different sizes of chain. This one for instance, is a nine speed chain, which is about a six millimeter, just over 6 millimeter width, like 6.6 millimeter, so when you go to the bike shop, tell them you have a 9 speed, or a 27 speed total bike. They should get you a chain. If you have an 8 speed chain, which is going to be a little bit wider, like 7.1 millimeter in width, or something even wider yet, if you have like a 6, 5 or I guess a 6 and a 5,which would be almost 8 millimeter width. Most of these chains will have a master link. If it's a Shimano it will have a special pin, so make sure you do get the right one. I'm just going to run the chain back through, the new chain, run it through the pulleys here. This is where I like to start. Wrap it around on to the top cog, because that's where I had the shifter at. Run it through here, and around. Like I said, some chains have a master link, like this one does, this KMC. Put one link in there, surround those two, the other link in here, put the two together, and snap them in, and there you go."