Recommended replacement chain for a Turbo Levo?

[Tetsugaku]

Completely stock bike, any recommendations?

 

[eFat]

You may find some info here: Specialised Turbo Levo Regular Maintenance

 

[Taffyteg]

I was going to replace my SRAM PCX1 - stock Levo chain - with a KMC x11e but a couple of guys said don't bother. I am now going back to the stock chain which to be fair has been ok.
Why are you changing the chain?

 

[Tetsugaku]

I suspect the chain is damaged or stretched and it’s causing something g to sleep (video in the general forum). Even if it turns out to be something else, I’ll have a spare.

Ordered a sram pcx1 From Amazon today cheers!

 

[TheBikePilot]

Just out a £16 SRAM Chain on mine as a replacement as I was past .75 wear after 300 miles. Have been racing and generally not thinking about preserving the old one.

I’ll report how it performs after this weekend and when I next have to replace it..

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

Just out a £16 SRAM Chain on mine as a replacement as I was past .75 wear after 300 miles. Have been racing and generally not thinking about preserving the old one.

I’ll report how it performs after this weekend and when I next have to replace it..

Snapped mine today, original chain. Have no idea what the wear was. Also got a SRAM PCX1 to replace, £20.

 

[TheBikePilot]

Oh yeh, I’d say yours was well due a new one ??

You can get a wear indicator for like £6 on amazon. They reccomended an 11 speed at .5 but speaking to @Paul Mac you might as well leave it to .75 or 1.0 otherwise you’d be changing chains every month!! How many miles do you reckon you got before it snapped?

I’ve also got a few master links and a remover tool and breaker in my bag for that reason as it’s a ride ender if not ?!!

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

Oh yeh, I’d say yours was well due a new one ??

You can get a wear indicator for like £6 on amazon. They reccomended an 11 speed at .5 but speaking to @Paul Mac you might as well leave it to .75 or 1.0 otherwise you’d be changing chains every month!! How many miles do you reckon you got before it snapped?

I’ve also got a few master links and a remover tool and breaker in my bag for that reason as it’s a ride ender if not ?!!

I have a Park tool gauge but always forget. No idea of mileage to be honest! At least 600 I’d say.

 

[Paul Mac]

I have a Park tool gauge but always forget. No idea of mileage to be honest! At least 600 I’d say.

You'll have to see if the new chain slips on your cassette.
If it does it might be worth just repairing the old chain with a spilt link and carry on using it until you get a new cassette.
I put a new chain on my bike some two months ago and the chain slipped all over the cassette, I put the old chain back on and I'm still running to this day!

 

[TheBikePilot]

I guess you can only find that out under load/on a ride?

 

[mccltd]

Just out a £16 SRAM Chain on mine as a replacement as I was past .75 wear after 300 miles. Have been racing and generally not thinking about preserving the old one.

I’ll report how it performs after this weekend and when I next have to replace it..

Which chain did you get and hows it performing?

 

[salko]

Does the PC x1 chain (118 links) needs to be shortened for using on TL 2020?

 

[Rich-EMTB-UK]

Does the PC x1 chain (118 links) needs to be shortened for using on TL 2020?

depends on the size of the bike and if this changes the cranks to rear cassette distance, also size of the cranks if changed from the stock ones. Generally measure a new chain against the old one for number of links. Or use standard measure procedure shown online.

 

[salko]

Ok great, now I can answer to my own question: TL 2020 (Comp) frame size L chain lenght is 116 links, so Sram PC x1 had to be shortened for 2 links if using stock cassete and chainring ...

 

[KennyB]

Ok great, now I can answer to my own question: TL 2020 (Comp) frame size L chain lenght is 116 links, so Sram PC x1 had to be shortened for 2 links if using stock cassete and chainring ...

Also means 114 link PC1110 and 1130 are too short

 

[salko]

Also means 114 link PC1110 and 1130 are too short

Not necessary, probably derailleur has enough stroke so also allow 114 links or even less ...

 

[KennyB]

Not necessary, probably derailleur has enough stroke so also allow 114 links or even less ...

Going by the SRAM manual, 116 links is correct for stock medium turbo levo. Not sure what the implications are for running too short a chain and not keen too find out. No offence but assumption is the mother of all foul ups.

 

[Andrew]

Hey,
Just bought a SRAM PC X1 for my 2018 Turbo Levo Expert as the chain broke on the one I bought.

Is this the correct chain for this bike?
I see here someone said that 116 is the correct length for a medium Levo (which mine is)

so should I simply remove 2 links, connect the power link and that’s it?

Does the chain come with a power link from new?

is it easy to change the chain and does anyone have any advice?

2018 Turbo Levo Expert Carbon (Medium)
SRAM PC X1 Chain (en route)
Previous chain snapped and is lost.

Any tips or should I just remove 2 links and then conned them via the lower link?

Thanks

 

[salko]

That depends on which cassette do you have on it. If its 11spd then PC-X1 is the right one.
Number of links again depends on rear cassette, chainring and chainstay length. WIth my MY20 Levo with stock groupset chain length is 116 links.
Chain is simply shortened with chain breaker tool.
A new chain should come with a power link, but you can also buy it separately.
Chain is very easy to replace, check for tutorials on YT.

 

[Andrew]

Thanks,
It’s complete stock 2018 Levo Expert Carbon 2018 11 speed.

I took the chain, removed 4 links, which I assume reduced it to 114 but then added the connecting link which assume brought it back to 116.

Since changing though it seems my gears may need a tune up as they Are not changing smoothly and gear 3/4 when changing down don’t seem to want to change, causing a double shift on the next Downshift.

any good tips for getting the gears dialled in?
I’ve looked at a few videos on YouTube, do you recommend any or have any good tips for getting the gears dialled in perfectly?

 

[salko]

Connecting link its just one (outer) link, not 2. If your chain is too short you may snap the derailleur off when you'll hit some jumps and bottom out the rear shock ... Easiest way to properly size the chain is to use lenght of old one. If old one is not available, see this video:
For seting up rear mech see this video: If youre still getting bad shifts then you may also have bent derailleur hanger ...

 

[Andrew]

Hi,
Thanks for this.
I tried following the chain measuring guide but it would have ended up with me removing about 8 silver links. On a 118 chain that seemed to short?

So followed the text guide in the post above that a says a medium levo has 116 links.

So I removed 2 (complete) silver links which makes the chain 114 (if I’m correct that each silver link counts as 2 pivot points in the 118 count) and then added the joining link, which adds 2 pivot points back in, bring it up to 116.

if you count the pivot point pins on my chain, it has 116 pivot point pins.

if I had followed that measuring guide video then the chain would around 8 links removed (16 pivot points removed) and would have for sure been to short? So not sure what I am doing wrong on the measuring guide (unless a levo doesn’t have 116 links?)

I don’t have a chain to measure it to, does anyone know the exact amount of pivot points count on a levo chain?

The shifter seems ok, I’ll follow that guide today and see if I can tune the gears in, all the gears are usable, except it won’t change from 4th to 5th thst gear does nothing, when I select the next gear it jumps 2.

All gears are reachable, but it doesn’t want to change from 4th 5th for some reason.

 

[Andrew]

Ok,

Tuned it up and it changes gear ok.

However I noticed an issue, it seems that I do indeed have 114 pivot point pins not 116! (I took 1 link to many out)

Will a 2018 Turbo Levo Expert (Medium) be ok with 114 chain links or must it be 116?

What issues can running 114 be?

Will it damage anything or is it within tolerance?

is there any issue to running 114 chain on a medium Levo? Is it better to buy another chain now and replace itand keep this as a spare or is it fine?