Bicycle Chain Length Calculator

Your details

Choose your preferred unit for chainstay length.
Measure from the centre of the bottom bracket axle to the centre of the rear wheel axle. Typical road bike: 405-435 mm. Typical MTB: 415-445 mm.
mm
Count the number of teeth on your biggest front chainring (the outermost ring on a double or triple crankset, or the single ring on a 1x drivetrain).
teeth
Count the teeth on the largest sprocket on your cassette. This is the easiest gear used for climbing.
teeth
The rigorous formula accounts for the geometry of the drivetrain and is preferred for most bikes. The simple formula is a quick estimate that works well when the chainstay is 15 inches (381 mm) or longer.
Chain LengthShort chain (road / gravel)
110links

Always round up to an even number of links (chains connect in pairs).

Length in Inches54.95in
Length in mm1,395.8mm
Derailleur Capacity Needed16teeth
110 links
Single-speed / fixie<96Road / gravel96-114MTB / hybrid114-122Cargo / tandem / triple122+

Your bike needs 110 links.

  • With a 430 mm chainstay, a 50-tooth front chainring, and a 34-tooth rear cog, you need 110 links (always rounded up to an even count so the master link pairs correctly).
  • Buy a new chain one size longer than the result: most 11/12-speed chains come as 126-link rolls, giving you spare links to remove rather than add.
  • Your chain is in the road-bike range. Verify the chainstay measurement at the axle centre, not the dropout face.

Next stepYou used the rigorous formula. Always confirm the final length on the bike: thread the chain over largest-front/largest-rear without the derailleur, bring the ends together, and add one complete link (inner + outer) before fitting the master link.

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