Wally World Bell Brand Chain Too Short!?!?!?

[Tailwinds]

So I had to visit 3 different Walmarts over the last couple of weeks trying to find the Bell Brand cruiser chain, the one for about $7. FINALLY found a Wally World with them in stock, bought two and headed home to slap one on my project.
Double-U-Tee-Eff. The chain is 6" short!!!!!

Has ANYONE else discovered this?

There's nothing special or different about the bike I'm building so why would a chain that they're specifically marketing for "1-3 speed bikes" be WAY to short?
So now I had to waste my second chain and rob from it for the extra length.
I'm also starting this thread in the hopes of warning others that have gotten it in their heads that they want to use this chain. So buy (2) at $7 each from Wally World, or buy one chain (that's long enough) at $14 each from your LBS.

 

[socal_jack]

I usually go by the links count on the package. Same problem with BMX chains, they're usually meant for smaller bikes.

 

[schwinnmesa]

I've experienced the same exact ordeal a month ago with two chains from Wal-Mart also -- one for a Columbia and one for a Murray Eliminator. I was somewhat stunned to realize the one for the 26" Columbia was too short. Then when I got to the 20" Eliminator and realized it was too short, I thought wow; this is pathetic.

That's why I usually buy chains online for $6.45. You can never go wrong with 112 links. The Wal-Mart chains probably have 50 links. :lol: But seriously, I have yet to find the number of links on the package of the Wally chains.

 

[maddogrider]

I have never had a problem with the Bell chain being short, but i have had problems with them breaking and that is not even riding the bike hard, i have broke 2 and not going to try another. My LBS sells chains for 10 bucks. I think the are KMC brand.

 

[DonQui]

oh man, thats good to hear. well not good for u guys that have bought a chain there and got ripped off, but good for me, now i wont buy a chain there.
the other day i bought one of WMs chain tools to remove the links, i figured id need it so i came home and tried it. and guess what happened?!?!?!.....it bent and broke. :shock:
i decided if i need something id rather spend a lil extra on something worth it, then to go buy something cheap at WM.

 

[schwinnmesa]

i decided if i need something id rather spend a lil extra on something worth it

One word: Park!!!

I've been through two Wal-Mart chain tools in a month. I then bought a Park chain tool (about $10 more than the Wal-Mart one) and it has been lasting me about forever now. :lol:

 

[Uncle Stretch]

I too have gotten short chained at Walmart. I think that somewhere it says cruiser on the longer ones.
The bad thing about chain brakes , is if you grab yours...even a good one and don't pay attention and not line the pin up one the one your pushing out , they will break. I did it a few times and then realized if its pushing on the side of a link when I wasn't looking it will brake them.

 

[user 135]

Paul, your bikes are too long anyway.

Go get some used garage door chain. Same stuff in good condition and usually free. :mrgreen:

 

[M.Martian]

I've got the walmart bell chain on my cruiser. It was upsetting getting home and finding it was too short to fit. Ended up picking up a second for the xtra 5-10 or so links I needed. Now I've got most of an additional chain for when I have to put another chain on something.

I've recently retired my walmart chain breaker though. It's actually worked fine for many years. Although I had to borrow a Park CT5 recently and decided it was time to replace mine. The Park allows you to see exactly how much of the pin is out so you don't go too far.

The only problem I ever had with my walmart breaker was that the pin would come fall out and had to be put back in all the time. Didn't effect it's performance though.

 

[jerrykr]

Most of the time the Bell chains that I bought have been long enough. don't blame Walmart - it's a Bell prepackaged product.

the chain length you need depends on the frame you are using and the size of the chain ring.

I have bought a chain at the LBS and a Bell chain for different projects and had to remove 2 links for each of them to fit my projects, so they were basically the same length. On another project I had to buy an extra Bell chain because I converted an 18 speed diamond frame to a coaster brake, and one CB type chain was not long enough for what I was building. The Bell chains are about 1/2 the cost of the LBS chains, and are good enough for me, (so far).

If you are replacing chains you need a chain brake tool (or a ghetto method) and I recommend the Park tool highly over the (walmart) Bell. The Bell tool frame breaks easily, it seems the metal it is made of is not very strong.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

So I buy (2) at $7 each from Wally World

There's your first problem. :mrgreen: ALMOST everything from Wally World is Chinese junk.

 

[X-RAY]

my first chain breaker didnt even have the threads cut the whole way. yup, it was the cheap bell from walmart. no wonder people use masterlinks! my new name brand chainbreaker works so well i kick myself for starting out with the cheapie! hope someone reads this and learns from my mistake.

 

[ratina]

I bought one for my girlfriends Murray and had to run back out at 11:30 pm to get another one because it was too short! And its a normal 26" bike, smaller sprocket too.

 

[Tailwinds]

So I buy (2) at $7 each from Wally World

There's your first problem. :mrgreen: ALMOST everything from Wally World is Chinese junk.

Agreed, completely. In fact I bet I've gone to Walmart more in the last 3 weeks than I have in the last 3 years.

So are there any American made chains that cost anywhere near the chinese crap? For that matter, are there any American made chains?

Well at least it's relieving to know I'm not the only bonehead to discover the Walmart chain is too short.

 

[maddogrider]

I too have gotten short chained at Walmart. I think that somewhere it says cruiser on the longer ones.
The bad thing about chain brakes , is if you grab yours...even a good one and don't pay attention and not line the pin up one the one your pushing out , they will break. I did it a few times and then realized if its pushing on the side of a link when I wasn't looking it will brake them.

M
Heck the chains that broke on me where not even close to where i took the links out.

 

[CCR]

Wal-mart is not a bike shop. I'm pretty sure they've got Bell wrapped around there finger though. This is how I tend to think of it.

Wal-mart - " :x If you don't get your prices down Bell we are gonna drop you on your rears and no one will buy your cheap junk. :x "
Bell - (shivering in their boots) " :!: Whatever you say Wal-mart, we will get our costs down immediately :!: "

back at Bell headquarters -
Bell Guy #1 " :?: How are we going to meet Wal-marts insanely cheap demands and still make a profit :?: we've already lowered our standards for quality and simply can't lower them any further :!: "

Bell Guy #2 " :idea: I know, we will just shorten the chains by a third and make the packaging as vague as possible, this will make our prices lower per package and we will sell more packages at the same time when the customer realizes they don't have enough chain, and as an added result we will sell more of those junk chain breakers we sublet out to a 3rd world country manufacturing facility, double win :!: :idea: "

Bell Guy #1 " Yaaayyyy, We can keep our jobs "

(high five)

... for the record, Ive never had a problem with the Bell chains other than the not-long-enough thing.

 

[schwinnmesa]

Remember Wal-Mart having those little packages of master links? I miss those.

 

[maddogrider]

Wait a minute ccr Wal Mart is not a bike shop? Huh never got the connection :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[CCR]

Wait a minute ccr Wal Mart is not a bike shop? Huh never got the connection :lol: :lol: :lol:

or is it ? link :shock: :lol:

 

[outskirtscustoms]

I almost always get my chains here when I have to buy a new one, I normally save the old chains that came with the bike or rob another bike for the chain, KMC chains are pretty good and they got them for $7.99. Same price as the Chinese junk chain at Wally World! :lol:

http://www.danscomp.com/products.php?ca ... how=Chains

I actually had one bike when I was a kid that I just would replace links as they broke, replace it with a master link.......I think I was the only kid in town that could break down my chain on ANY link....lol. I think I only had one link left from the original chain when I was done....... :mrgreen: