Bicycle chain

A bicycle chain comprising:

• a first inner link plate having a longitudinal centerline defining a longitudinal direction and comprising:
• a first inner-link end portion including a first inner-link opening having a first inner-link center axis;
• a second inner-link end portion including a second inner-link opening having a second inner-link center axis parallel to the first inner-link center axis;
• and
• a first inner-link intermediate portion interconnecting the first inner-link end portion and the second inner-link end portion, the first inner-link end portion, the second inner-link end portion and the first inner-link intermediate portion defining a first inner-link outer peripheral edge comprising:
• a first inner-link end edge extending about the first inner-link end portion;
• a second inner-link end edge extending about the second inner-link end portion;
• and
• a pair of first inner-link intermediate edges extending along the first inner-link intermediate portion between the first inner-link end edge and the second inner-link end edge;
• a first outer link plate comprising:
• a first outer-link end portion including a first outer-link opening,
• a second outer-link end portion including a second outer-link opening, and
• a first outer-link intermediate portion interconnecting the first outer-link end portion and the second outer-link end portion;
• a first single cylindrical link pin configured to pass through the first inner-link opening and the first outer-link opening;
• and
• a second single cylindrical link pin configured to pass through the second inner-link opening and the second outer-link opening;
• wherein
• the first inner-link end portion has a first extended edge portion extending to be away from the second inner-link end portion in the longitudinal direction;
• the first inner link plate further comprises a first tubular portion extending axially with respect to the first inner-link center axis to surround the first inner-link opening;
• the bicycle chain further comprises a first chain roller configured to be mounted on the first tubular portion, the first chain roller having a first radially outer circumferential surface and a first radially inner circumferential surface configured to surround the first tubular portion;
• an inner diameter of the first radially inner circumferential surface is configured to be larger than an outer diameter of the first tubular portion, so as to enable free rotation and longitudinal movement of the first chain roller about the first tubular portion;
• a first extended distance is defined in the longitudinal direction between an edge of the first extended edge portion and a part of the first radially outer circumferential surface of the first chain roller, the part of the first radially outer circumferential surface of the first chain roller facing the first extended edge portion, when the first chain roller has moved toward the second inner-link end portion in the longitudinal direction until the first radially inner circumferential surface of the first chain roller contacts the first tubular portion;
• the first extended distance is equal to or larger than 0.6 mm;
• wherein the extended edge portion comprises a stepped portion in an exteriorly facing surface thereof, a thickness of the stepped portion being smaller than a thickness of another portion of the first inner-link end portion that is adjacent the stepped portion in the longitudinal direction;
• a first inner-link distance is defined in the longitudinal direction from the first inner-link center axis to the first inner-link end edge about the first extended edge portion;
• a second inner-link distance is defined in a lateral direction, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, from the first inner-link center axis to a first lateral point defined on the first inner-link end edge in an area outside the first extended edge portion on one side of the longitudinal centerline;
• a second lateral point is defined on the first inner-link end edge on another side of the longitudinal centerline at which the lateral direction from the first inner-link center axis, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, intersects with the first inner-link end edge;
• the first inner-link distance is larger than the second inner-link distance;
• and
• the extended edge portion is configured to surround the first inner-link end portion from the first lateral point to the second lateral point.

An inner link plate for a bicycle chain, the inner link plate having a longitudinal centerline defining a longitudinal direction and comprising:

• a first inner-link end portion including a first inner-link opening having a first inner-link center axis;
• a second inner-link end portion including a second inner-link opening having a second inner-link center axis parallel to the first inner-link center axis;
• and
• a first inner-link intermediate portion interconnecting the first inner-link end portion and the second inner-link end portion, the first inner-link intermediate portion having a vertical axis at a midpoint between the first inner-link center axis and the second inner-link center axis on the longitudinal centerline,
• wherein the first inner-link end portion has an extended edge portion extending to be away from the second inner-link end portion in the longitudinal direction, so that a length in the longitudinal direction and a surface area of the first inner-link end portion are substantially greater than the second inner-link end portion;
• wherein the first inner-link opening and the second inner-link opening are circular;
• wherein each of the first inner-link opening and the second inner-link opening is configured to receive a single cylindrical link pin;
• wherein the extended edge portion comprises a stepped portion in an exteriorly facing surface thereof, a thickness of the stepped portion being smaller than a thickness of another portion of the first inner-link end portion that is adjacent the stepped portion in the longitudinal direction.