Have recently gone singlespeed on my Salsa Selma 29er, and fitted a new singlespeed cog/spacer kit on the rear wheel, and a new chain, a singlespeed-specific KMC Z610HX. It’s 3/32 so should be the right size.

However, having taken it for a test ride round the block, there is a horrible grinding noise coming from, I think, front chainring, which is an old 34T middle ring one, which I previously used as part of my Alfine set-up.

The chain line is as straight as a die as far as I can see. The tension, adjusted via the EBB, is such that you pinch the chain with your fingers and there is just a small amount of slack in it.

Is the grinding noise something that will settle down over time or do I need a singlespeed specific front chainring? or is there some other elementary D’uh! thing that I have neglected to do?

Thanks in advance for any advice…

My KMC chain was noisy for a bit and settled down, after 40 miles or so if I recall correctly

Was noisy when I was hoiking out of the saddle, mostly. I took it out in some Chilterns mud to punish it and it soon got the message.

Try chain tension with cranks in a variety of positions – rings can be way out of true. Could be tight in one place.

^^

What do you mean exactly, wwaswas? If I was adjusting the tension using the EBB, does it make a difference if the cranks are at, say, 12 o’clock as opposed to 9 o’clock in relation to it?

new chain, old worn ring – I reckon it’ll grumble til your chain wears to better fit the ring

It can do – the chainring can be off centre and cause the chain to be too tight at various points but fine elsewhere.

What scaredypants said.

I know a thing or two about old, worn rings 😐

(actually, your worn middle ring is also more likely to ship the chain than a “proper” ss one, as well as prematurely wearing the chain – on-one are doing 33t steel rings for 15 quid currently)