Hello

Wondered if I could get a bit of advice re; chain tugs and correct tension when riding fixed wheel.

I got a Surly chain tug I am going to fit to my bike but just wanted to ask the best procedure-any tips and most importantly what kind of tension do I look for in my chain?

Many thanks

hold your bike above your head and shake it (bike not head). if chain does not fall off then it is tight enough.

tight - but not so tight that it locks and crunches round the rear sprocket. Try to eliminate as much play as you can while track standing.

Thats exactly what I was wanting, thank you very much.

I go for 1/2" vertical play. I find that tends to be tight enough so that I can't feel it through pedals but without binding.

You want about 1/2" play in the chain, grab the top bit and move up/down... might be wise to make it a bit tighter if you've got track shy testers 3/32 chain...

lol
4C.

Thanks for all the input. The chain tug Iv'e got is probably overkill as its highly unlikely I will be able to dislodge the rear axle from the drop outs with my pedal force!

But its handy to know how much tension I should have in my chain.

Cheers

I am selling these lightweight small chain tugs on the bay today.

So is it right that the less tension I have the more easy the pedalling but balancing that with not untensioning the chain so much that it's too slack, i.e. too much play when track standing

Main problem with slack is the chain jumping off. This would leave you in A World Of Pain if this happened at speed on the streets of London.

Yes. This is A BAD THING. I now have good chain tension.

So is the 1/2" inch the total movement up and down or movement up from the horizontal? And yeah I've got a softy-boy 3/32 chain

Just fitted new chain tugs myself.

5mm to 8mm movement either way from the horizontal at half way along the chainline is what you should be looking for.

Too tight and you'll fuck your bearings.

Sheldon Brown recommends 3/32 doesn't he? But what did he know?

I use 3/32.. so it must be right. Oh wait, I swapped those cranks..

another tip... make sure your chainring is mounted centrally on your cranks, then you wont have any slack or tight spots.

anyone know the technique for getting good tension without tugs? that guy in BLB did mine in about 2 seconds with some ninja shit and a 15 mil spanner - undid the nuts, hit the chain a couple of times, did the nuts up again and hey presto no slack. i mean wtf?!

tennis balls

check out Tynan's post in this topic;

http://www.londonfgss.com/thread11499.html

i don't think you really need tugs to get good tension As long as your chainline is good, just pull the wheel as far back as you can with your hands (centering it in the stays), and tighten the wheel evenly with a spanner.

if your chainline isn't that good or you just more tension, get the wheel as far back in the stays as it will go, then bend the wheel to the right whilst simultaneously tightening up the right nut. Then, after the right side of the axle is tight, re-centre the wheel in the stays whilst tightening up the left side. Chain tension should be fine now.

^yep tennis balls are good, i just always forgot to carry them with me everywhere :/

so i need ninja AND voodoo skills then....

can't believe i'm fucking around with this at 2 in the morning (slightly pissed)... that's enough fixie madness for one day....

since my chain fell off because the wheel slipped forward, i always use chaintugs. no going back, plus on of them has a bottle opener, perfect!

You can use an orange.

Apparently in London you are never more that six feet from an orange.

Actually that might be 'rats'.

but you can use those too, so it's OK

ride your chain slack like freddie mercury's arse

you just more tension, get the wheel as far back in the stays as it will go, then bend the wheel to the right whilst simultaneously tightening up the right nut. Then, after the right side of the axle is tight, re-centre the wheel in the stays whilst tightening up the left side. Chain tension should be fine now.[/quote]

alrighht, way to go! that's how you do it :)

thanx fella

a cheap plastic or rubber door wedge does it for me. i keep one with my puncture tool kit in my bag. my flyer has those little 3mm hex screws to hold position rather than a tug but they're not ideal they can shake loose and allow some forward movement. i'm sure the hex bit will strip before too long and force me to get a surly tugnut.