Am I the only one who had no idea you can check chain wear with a ruler instead of buying a tool

Jordan King · 2026-10-16T18:00:04.901+00:00

I was at my local shop in Portland getting a new tube and the mechanic behind the counter mentioned he has not owned a chain checker in 15 years. He grabbed a 12 inch ruler and showed me how to line up the zero mark with the first pin, then measure to the 12th pin. If the pin lands past the 12 and 1/16 inch mark, the chain is done and needs to go. Mine measured right at 12 and 3/32 so I was well past the limit and had been riding a stretched chain for who knows how long. I swapped it that night in my garage with a $12 chain and a $9 breaker tool and the shifting got quiet again. Has anyone else been using the ruler method, or do you just grab a checker when they go on sale?

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Am I the only one who had no idea you can check chain wear with a ruler instead of buying a tool | DIY Bike Repair - Guest Forum