chain cutting question

rollingscone

Folks,

I'm currently rehabilitating my beater with a proper single speed chainset and chain. The dropouts are pretty horizontal so I didn't think I'd need a chain tensioner but when I cut the chain and fitted the split link it's way too slack.

I tried removing an extra link but it appears as if the excess is only half a link?

NeedMoreGears

I'm not sure what you're saying. Was the chain too short when you removed the extra link?

It may be difficult to find a 1/2 a link of distance over the length of the chain - could you move the rear axle back a bit (assuming there's enough room to be sure the wheel can't fall off)? That would depend on the size of the lugs on the drop out I suppose. Years ago I had a bike where the lugs on the dropout were about 4cm long so you could move the rear axle about a bit to tension the chain. Mind you it did not have QRs, just a 15mm nut on the end of the axle which could tightened quite tight so that the axle couldn't slip forward and loosen the chain. That was the theory. In practice it did slip a bit every now and again.

If it's 1/2 a link between the axle and the crank (rather than over the length of the whole chain) then you might get away with an additional tooth on the front or back. That's worth the 2 x 1/2link (top and bottom of the chain) in terms of length.

Failing that may a tensioner would be an idea

rollingscone

NeedMoreGears wrote: »

I'm not sure what you're saying. Was the chain too short when you removed the extra link?

It may be difficult to find a 1/2 a link of distance over the length of the chain - could you move the rear axle back a bit (assuming there's enough room to be sure the wheel can't fall off)? That would depend on the size of the lugs on the drop out I suppose. Years ago I had a bike where the lugs on the dropout were about 4cm long so you could move the rear axle about a bit to tension the chain. Mind you it did not have QRs, just a 15mm nut on the end of the axle which could tightened quite tight so that the axle couldn't slip forward and loosen the chain. That was the theory. In practice it did slip a bit every now and again.

If it's 1/2 a link between the axle and the crank (rather than over the length of the whole chain) then you might get away with an additional tooth on the front or back. That's worth the 2 x 1/2link (top and bottom of the chain) in terms of length.

Failing that may a tensioner would be an idea

Yeah sorry my words failed me. The chain was indeed too short without the extra link.

The axles (15mm nuts) are all the way back and I'm using the largest sprocket I have (18t).

Ho Hum.

doozerie

You can buy half-links, and it sounds like one may sort you out. They are hard to find though, I got some from www.sjscycles.co.uk in the past.

NeedMoreGears

If the axle was all or part the way forward, could you remove some links to eliminate the slackness.

Otherwise maybe some of Doozerie's magic links it is

rollingscone

NeedMoreGears wrote: »

If the axle was all or part the way forward, could you remove some links to eliminate the slackness.

Otherwise maybe some of Doozerie's magic links it is

I did this earlier during a brief clearing in the clouds of my own stupidity.

Chain is sorted I think. Now my quest for a new back wheel continues...

doozerie

It occurs to me that suggesting someone buy a half-link for a chain sounds a lot like suggesting someone buy sky hooks or a skirting ladder. They are real, they're weird, but real, here is one for a 3/32" chain:



...but if you can get away without having to use one, that is preferable. They're not cheap, for a start.

Idleater

Vaguely related, I ran into the same problem when trying to single speed my old mtb (standard dropouts). One solution that worked for a bit was a ghost ring, but the lbs pointed me in the direction of a track chain made up entirely of half links.
So long story short, I bought a second hand track frameset and run the track chain on that. It's very strong.

Scrappy600

you need a new bike...