Singlespeed Chain – will it stretch?

Long shot, managed to get my half-link SS chain on, with no tugs, rear wheel in the track forks up to the stops and it’s just a bit too tight. Probably got 1.4″ inch of side-to-side play in the chain and you can feel the resistance to movement when you turn the cranks.

What are the chances of the chain stretching enough that it all loosens up, or will I have to put a half-link back in and fit tugs?

Ta.

they dont really stretch they wear iirc
Will get a bit looser/more flexible but I doubt it will stretch much

It will stretch/wear loads, but if its too tight it will knacker your bearings over time.

Its essential to have it correctly adjusted.

it will stretch and stretch and stretch some more, if you’re using skewers you’ll need the tug again.

I’ll take the middle ground. It might stretch :O)

Paul its also worth checking the chain tension in a few places as you rotate the crank, as not all setups are 100% true.

My vote: no stretch. I run a magic ratio on my commuter and stretch is not a problem.

What do you mean by not 100% true?

Actually, I just remembered that I need to reattach the chainring with some longer bolts as it’s not quite central on the spider, that might make a difference.

Bought some tugs that look like they’ll be ok, but hard to be sure until they arrive. Can’t find anyone that can sell me the proper ones without shiping them from America for lots of cash.

Will be a pain putting that half-link back in!

Mine did loads (1/8″ KMC). After a year of offroading, it had stretched/worn 3/4″. The new one was a tocuh tight, but then perfect after a ride.

by not 100% true he means that often the chainring and rear cog are not always perfectly round, so at some points in the rotation there will be more slack but the chain will feel tighter at others. think of them as being ever so slightly ovalised. chain definitely losens up a touch after a ride or two in my experience, so you might be alright…depends how much additional resistance the chain is giving now!

if its tight it will wreck the bearings
make sure the chainring is well centred
the chain will stretch/wear, moreso if its overtight to begin with

Everlasting chains LOL111

All chains stretch you muppets.

EDIT: For the pedantic tards on STW, all chains wear or also known as stretch.

You muppets.

Assuming you’re using horizontal dropouts, tried these?

http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/product/surlytugnutchaintensioner.aspx?&id=6892

On one normally have plenty in stock as well, work very well but not as nice looking as the Surly ones.

All chains stretch you muppets.

well all chains ‘wear’…. rubber bands stretch…

My perfect chain tension (with a half link) lasted about 3 rides on all new components. I was amazed when the chain first snapped into place, and then heartily disappointed when I had to put the tensioner on.

FFS. chains don’t stretch they wear.

It’s known as stretch as well but you know that, don’t you.

According to the OED: Stretch (v) “be made or be capable of being made longer or wider without tearing or breaking”.

Is a worn chain longer than an unworn chain? So with that in mind would it be fair to say it had stretched?

i thought when they wear the round bits in the links wear out from conrtact with rings /cassette nso the chain is worn but it is not actually any longer is that no the case ?
ie the gap has “stretched” but each link is still the same size

I said it’s known as stretch, not that they do stretch.

FFS this place, full of tards.

So, in conclusion and in answer to the OP: the chain probably won’t stretch enough to loosen up your drivetrain sufficiently.

the chain probably won’t stretch enough to loosen up your drivetrain sufficiently.

but it will wear enough over time to do just that 😉

It will wear and look / be slack.

EDIT: Beaten to it by wwaswas.

Fit gears and the derallier will sort out more than just the stretch/wear problem.

It’s known as stretch as well but you know that, don’t you.

i know i know, but it is one of terms people use that is just wrong….

and sure some folks really do think they stretch.. and use of such terms does nothing to help…

anyhow i’ll get over it 😆

They dont stretch, they elongate.

hmmm. Not just wear I think. When I hung a new chain next to my old chain, at 100 links the 2 were over a whole link and a bit “out of phase”. Wear of the pins/rollers cannot explain this – the plates must have become longer.

Seemed unlikely to me too – but that is what I saw. I should have taken a photo.

back under your bridge wrongun.

I never understand why a tight chain is supposed to knacker the bearings but 16 stone of me pushing down through the bottom bracket and wheel bearings is OK.

And yes. it will loosen off a bit after a couple of rides.

But you will knacker your bearings. 🙄

It’s true.. I promise. Either that or there are some serious QC issues with the chain! It represented a “stretch” of just over 1%

And it must be true. Because if you do some calcs based on the rollers and chainring/sproket wearing, you can’t account for the adjustment needed at the dropout.

rear wheel in the track forks

d’you mean track ends? if so why do you care if the chain stretches? just take the slack out by moving the wheel. Side to side tension makes no difference (unless the chain line is out of whack) but feeling it throught the chainset won’t make that make difference, this time of year the mud and shit will do more damage to bearings than a slightly tight chain

I care because it’s slightly too tight now, if it isn’t going to loosen then I need to add a half link back into the chain, if it is then I might be ok. Though I will ruin my bearings.

If you can just feel the chain rumble as you circle the cranks it’ll be fine, if you’re having to use quite a bit of pressure when you hand crank, it probably won’t be fine for very long.

Stretch or wear,does it really matter ? Either way they will get longer…

What you saw was what I saw when comparing chains. I believe the cause is the holes of the side plates becoming ovalised, not the plates elongating (stretching). This ovalised hole means the pin to pin length is ever so slightly larger, duplicated on every link makes the chain actually longer. Its just that nothing ‘stretches’ in the conventional sense, but overall the chain stretches as the length increases. This is my take on it, but I’m ready to be corrected.

Yeah it will stretch.
We do the kmc hx chains that are stretch proof. But in reality they just stretch less than others. Can use them with a half link too.
Tensioners are good, use one if you need to. No shame in a singleator.

sheldon speaks