Chain slipping

whodafunk

Hi all,

I have a single speed bike with freewheel hub attached. Every now and then the chain will completely slip and it acts as if the chain is off. I've nearly come off the bike a few times as a result!!! I'm guessing it's the actual freewheel hub that is gone or could it be the chain? I gave it a bit of a clean last weekend and some lube but the issue remains.
Also while on this topic with this bike I've gone through about 4/5 chains in 5 years of use. No matter how much I try to maintain and keep the chain clean it appears to loose tension over time and requires replacement - I've tried few different brands also. Any ideas?
Also while on this subject I've seen on single speed bikes what appears to be I will describe like a belt chain. Are these any good or what is the difference compared to regular chain?

thanks in advance.

Alanstrainor

whodafunk wrote: »

Hi all,

I have a single speed bike with freewheel hub attached. Every now and then the chain will completely slip and it acts as if the chain is off. I've nearly come off the bike a few times as a result!!! I'm guessing it's the actual freewheel hub that is gone or could it be the chain? I gave it a bit of a clean last weekend and some lube but the issue remains.
Also while on this topic with this bike I've gone through about 4/5 chains in 5 years of use. No matter how much I try to maintain and keep the chain clean it appears to loose tension over time and requires replacement - I've tried few different brands also. Any ideas?
Also while on this subject I've seen on single speed bikes what appears to be I will describe like a belt chain. Are these any good or what is the difference compared to regular chain?

thanks in advance.

My guess would be the freewheel hub too. They are very easily replaced and quite cheap too. I've had the same happen many times when I used to commute on my single speed. As for the chain, depending on your mileage one a year might not be too bad, but in terms of tension it depends a bit on the bike really. I used to have tensioners on my single speed to keep the chain tight, but mine had horizontal drop outs so really they were required.

Wishbone Ash

That sort of chain replacement seems normal enough to me (though it depends on your mileage). I replace mine about twice per year and have to adjust it every month or so to maintain tension.

magicbastarder

i thought single speed chains lasted much longer, due to being beefier and not having to deal with gear shifts?

rubadub

I think I had the same thing, the chain would be on but not turn the back wheel.

It is meant to happen more in cold weather. I think the oil is stickier

My freehub had 3 pawls on it

It was like this

2 of the pawls were stuck down with dirt so 1 was taking all the load.

I fixed this and soon after the spring broke as it had rusted. I replaced it with a stainless spring and and time I had no trouble since, but if doing anything like replacing the cassette I would take it out and clean and oil the pawls.

A bike mechanic I know said dirt should not have got in that much and wondered if I had been powerhosing it (I had not).

Wishbone Ash

magicbastarder wrote: »

i thought single speed chains lasted much longer, due to being beefier and not having to deal with gear shifts?

Yes and no.

In my experience, they wear (stretch) more quickly than a normal multi-speed chain but they seem to tolerate much greater wear. I've never had a single speed chain break. They possibly wear quicker because they tend to receive less TLC than a more expensive chain/bike.

doozerie

magicbastarder wrote: »

i thought single speed chains lasted much longer, due to being beefier and not having to deal with gear shifts?

"Real" single speed chains are 1/8", they are beefier and heavier, and the matching chainrings and cogs tend to be too.

Modern geared bikes use 3/32" chains/chainrings/cogs. Many people use such components for single speed too, it's often the easiest and cheapest option if converting a derailleur bike to single speed. And as you go from 8sp compatible chain to 9sp compatible chain, and upwards, you are getting an increasingly narrow, and probably lighter, chain, neither of which add to the chain's lifespan.

No matter which chain you use it should last longer on a single speed than when routed through a derailleur (less chain articulation means less stress and wear on the chain) but lifespan will vary depending on choice of chain.

And, of course, chain maintenance plays a huge part too. If you properly clean and lube a chain well, and regularly, it will last a lot longer. I read a figure recently for how much poor maintenance shortens a chain's life, I can't remember the actual figure but it was huge (something like reduces the chain life by 40% or something in that region).

droidus

Could i not just be down to chain tension - especially if youre replacing so often? Does it happen more towards the end of life of the chain?

The belt youre taking about is probably the gates carbon drive system. Highly recommended.

doozerie

whodafunk wrote: »

Also while on this subject I've seen on single speed bikes what appears to be I will describe like a belt chain. Are these any good or what is the difference compared to regular chain?

Sounds like a belt drive, it's a belt that is made from carbon fibre strands. There are various flavours of them but Gates Carbon Drive are perhaps the best known.

The belt is a loop, you can't split and rejoin it like you can with a chain. So you need a frameset where you can split/open the rear triangle to install the belt. You then also need a compatible chainring and a compatible rear cog, these are unique to the belt drive system.

And you'll typically need horizontal dropouts, a concentric rear hub, or a concentric bottom bracket, in order to take up any slack in the belt. I don't think there is a belt equivalent of a conventional chain tensioner, but I could be mistaken.