Hi all,
I have a single speed with sliding dropouts. I tension the chain but after a few rides I find that the chain becomes looser and I have to re-tension it with the sliding drop outs. The question is how tight should The chain be ? Is it ok to leave it until it starts coming off/rattling around? Cheers .
usually about half an inch to an inch of play in the chain.
Are you using chain tugs? If not is it moving in the drop out?
As qwerty said, cheap the dropouts aren't moving, it doesn't take much to make the chain slacker... oh and check both sides too, the braking forces can sometimes pull that side backwards...
If you are stretching chains, then try a 1/2 inch chain instead.
Oh, and don't set it up too tight to begin with that always seems to make them stretch faster...
If you have proper singlespeed chainring and rear sprocket, and they are in line, then you can run your chain with an incredible amount of slack.
You don't need the precision in tension that you'd want if you were running it fixed, so a bit of slack is ok, no need for exactitude.
If you have proper singlespeed chainring and rear sprocket, and they are in line, then you can run your chain with an incredible amount of slack.
You don’t need the precision in tension that you’d want if you were running it fixed, so a bit of slack is ok, no need for exactitude.
+1, it's not supposed to be tight, somewhere between 1/2" and 1" of up/down wiggle in the chain at the mid point, it should feel slack, not tight like a guitar string.
If you have proper singlespeed chainring and rear sprocket, and they are in line, then you can run your chain with an incredible amount of slack.
You don’t need the precision in tension that you’d want if you were running it fixed, so a bit of slack is ok, no need for exactitude.
+1, it’s not supposed to be tight, somewhere between 1/2″ and 1″ of up/down wiggle in the chain at the mid point, it should feel slack, not tight like a guitar string.
What epicylo says - I ran my SS road bike with up to 2 inches of slack and it never dropped a chain - perfect chainline and full tooth sprockets
I always run mine as tight as possible (very small amount of slack when chain at it's tightest point). Admittedly I do ride fixed so any slack is awful when slowing down/skid stopping but I am not sure why anyone would want a looser chain that it needs to be as it just feels sloppy.
I am merely too lazy to adjust it!
Thanks all! I use the sliding dropouts with nut and bolt which holds it in line. Are those called tugs? Anyway I think I’ll stop being so obsessed with the tension and just keep riding it until the chain starts coming off.
The chain shouldn't be getting noticeably looser after a few rides so it would suggest the sliding dropouts may be moving slightly. Can you put a marker somewhere to see if the dropout is moving?
The only reason I need to pull back my wheel is as the chain wears but that is over months rather than a few rides.
