Switched from using a chain checker tool to just measuring with a ruler 6 months ago

I used to spend $15 every few months on those chain checker tools that always gave inconsistent readings, but after a shop veteran in Chicago showed me the 12 inch ruler method I have not had a single drivetrain wear issue since, has anyone else found the ruler trick more reliable too?

3 comments

3 Comments

aaron88014d ago

Wait, you mean the $15 tool actually worked for you sometimes? I ditched mine after it told me my chain was stretched on a brand new one... felt like a scam. The ruler method is just so simple it hurts, you know? Like, why are we overcomplicating something that's basically "is this stick longer than it should be?" I've been doing it for years now and I swear it's more accurate than half the gadgets out there. Plus you don't feel like a total dork in the shop pulling out a weird little gauge.

carr.abby14d ago

Completely agree, aaron880. I bought one of those chain checkers once, used it exactly once, and then threw it in a drawer where it's been collecting dust ever since. It told me my chain was shot when it was barely a month old. The ruler trick is foolproof, I've been doing it for like six years now and never had a chain fail on me. It's just common sense, really. Why buy a whole tool when a 12 inch ruler from your kid's school supplies does the same thing for free?

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violag8013d ago

Funny thing, my neighbor used a dollar bill to check his chain once and ended up with a bent hanger instead.