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single speed chain tension?

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  • 30-06-2008 9:22am
    #1
    souter
    Registered Users Posts: 634 ✭✭✭


    Having to make a roadside puncture repair (curse your lies gatorskins! thank you cycle knight with working pump!) I was quite happy with how tight I'd gotten the chain by walking the axle back.
    But got me thinking, what is the rule of thumb? http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed.html#tension is a bit opaque, I've no idea what chain binding is and don't particularly want to find out.
    I seem to remember 1/2" slack was the guide when I was a kid, but getting my bike back from it's first service it was way slacker than that, whether this was best practise or poor form I have no idea.


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    #2
    TinyExplosions
    Registered Users Posts: 6,860 ✭✭✭TinyExplosions


    I basically pull mine untill it's tight, and then as I tighten the nuts on the wheel, it usually moves forward a hair so there's a little bit of play in it. Works for me!


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    #3
    Gavin
    Registered Users Posts: 4,676 ✭✭✭Gavin


    souter wrote: »
    Having to make a roadside puncture repair (curse your lies gatorskins! thank you cycle knight with working pump!) I was quite happy with how tight I'd gotten the chain by walking the axle back.
    But got me thinking, what is the rule of thumb? http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed.html#tension is a bit opaque, I've no idea what chain binding is and don't particularly want to find out.
    I seem to remember 1/2" slack was the guide when I was a kid, but getting my bike back from it's first service it was way slacker than that, whether this was best practise or poor form I have no idea.

    A useful trick I saw on the Park tool website is to push the side of the chain while turning the pedals. Push it fairly hard. If it doesn't derail or get stuck then it's taut enough.

    http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=27


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    #4
    niceonetom
    Registered Users Posts: 4,833 ✭✭✭niceonetom


    souter wrote: »
    I was quite happy with how tight I'd gotten the chain by walking the axle back.

    that makes me think you're trying to get your chain as tight as possible, which is not a good idea. i used to ride with the chain too tight and it will eat your cog and cost you energy. you nly need the chain tight enough so as it wont derail, no tighter. i used to use tensioners till i found the sweet spot. my rule of thumb is to take up any slack in the chain on the top by pushing against the cranks strongly and then checking how much vertical play there is on the chain at the bottom - i go for about an inch of wiggle (ie you can pull the chain 1/2 an inch up or down). works for me.

    if you're worried that the chain is too lose then you can try the "spin the cranks up to fulll speed then wave the bike around over your head" method to see if it derails. only works on a fixed wheel though... fun.


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    #5
    souter
    Registered Users Posts: 634 ✭✭✭souter


    definitely have it too tight - always make the same mistake: I overhear some discussion about it being difficult to do x (get chain tight), then I assume doing x to the extreme is the "best".
    Also think might not have the best alignment - there's a constant whirring sound where before there was silence.
    Have a tinker when I got home tonight.


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