I can never keep my chain totally tight. It used to annoy the hell outta me, but now I've got to thinking there might be some benefit to a bit of slackness in the chain.

Pedalling smoothly and efficiently is all about applying even power for as much of the pedal strokes as possible, right? So I've taken to using that annoying feeling of give before the chain bites on the sprockets as a warning that my pedalling is inefficient, and so I reckon it's improving my riding by always trying to eliminate this...

Just a random thought really.

yeh.. might work

get yourself a chain tensioner if you wanna get the chain tight

chain tugs work nicely. I have a spare 8MM MKS one if you want it. Keeps chain nice and tight.

I personally hated that bit of give, drove me nuts. Trackstanding is easier without the give as well. Your machine just runs so much smoother with a taught chain.

but things wear out quicker if its all too tight.

That's the trick isn't it?

chain should never be "taught"

will create loads of resistance and wear things out quicker as whatfriends has mentioned.

Removing slack is good for a solid 'direct' feeling favoured by those who like to do backwards circles and the like.

But A bit of slack in your chain will make everything last longer, and spin smoother.

I've had this conversation with a lot of people in the last week.
It's refreshing that most people seem to be realising that a little bit of slack is a good thing.

OSCC FTW.

Object advocating moderation? what is going on?

he's sober.

I cannot advocate moderation as I do not understand it. The concept makes sense until I try and apply it to anything that I do.

Chain TUG..


NOT a chain tensioner..


Tensioners on fixed = BANG DEATH

My chain is always fucking slack.. just like its owner.

Slack in the chain = slack in the brain, as they say in the Marine Corps.

SMARTEN UP SOLDIER!

No, it just means mine driveline doesn't wear out as quick as yours*.


*Benefit negated by the fact that my chain is lubed solely with road grit and sand.

ah yes.. you have a point there. nice 1

This seems like a good place to find out what be gwarnin' with my slack-ass chain. Am I right in thinking that my chainring isn't an exact circle? I've got a TA Alize Track chainring and the chain is tighter at one point in the chainring's rotation than the rest. It's annoying the hell out of me as, although tension at the tightest point of the rotation is fine, at its slackest it's frickin' slack. Any suggestions?

Befuddled in Bethnal.

http://www.londonfgss.com/thread907.html

Use the search, it is your friend

Cheers fruitbat. Did a bit of searching before posting but that one didn't come up. Looks like I need to work on my search terms! Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

I took slack chain to the limits yesterday coming down BRixton Hill when it actually popped off and got caught in my hub. This had the nasty effect of jamming my back wheel and I can only thank years of skating/snowboarding which I'm sure enabled me to ride out the skid.

half an inch of movment each way or you'l go to hell

This is what I'm trying to go for. At its tightest it's about that (probably a little tighter) but at its slackest you could easily double that. I'm going to take the chainring off and rotate it two crank positions clockwise. Judging from what I've read in the thread suggested above by fruitbat the quest for good all round chain tension can be an arduous one. Frick!

Where can I get these from? I tried a couple of shops today but neither had any.

Tugs = hubjub.co.uk, Condor

Tensioners = cycle surgery, etc

It's really not that hard, what he says about hitting the chain with something (I use a monkey wrench) works. At least I'm not a mechanic and the first time I tried it I could see the difference, the problem I have is tightening the bolts that hold the gear to the spider... they are always coming loose (I've actually lost about 4 bolts already!)... I've just learnt to live with the fact that if I change the direction of pressure I loose an inch to the gear shifting on the spider!

same thing happened to me a couple of weeks ago, only coming down the hill just after clapham north, had a flat, street repair, obviously didn't tighten chain enough, chain wrapped around wheel and I skidded for what seemed like about 20 yards... ruined the tyre but was impressed that I managed to not fall off...