The Chainlink

Chain question

My chain is falling off when I go over bumps sometimes. The last time that this was happening to me I made sure that the back wheel was as far back as possible, making the chain tighter. I tried to do this again and the chain still seems to be a little loosey goosey. I haven't changed the back wheel so it seems to me that the chain has gotten longer somehow.

Is this possible?

I guess my next course of action is to remove a link.

Any other suggestions or theroys on this would be helpfull

thanks. 

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Permalink Reply by Moc Artsy on December 10, 2010 at 7:51am

The cost of a nice, new single speed KMC Z chain at Irv's in Pilsen is $9.99, and you won't even need a chain tool to install it because it comes with a master link. The cost of a worn chain to your cog and chainring will be significantly higher. It's one of those little things it doesn't pay to try to troubleshoot. And, yes, you should check your chain line.

Permalink Reply by Michael Perz on December 10, 2010 at 8:30am

No, but don't tell the ladies that.

H3N3 said:

You're a foot doctor?

Michael Perz said:

Absolutely not. I am merciless in my pedantry.

 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Mark Kenseth on December 10, 2010 at 9:45am

Different context: I wanted to get new wheels for my office chair, and my co-worker said, "You mean casters."  I was like, 'fine.' 

 
 
stretch [ strech ]

verb  (past and past participle stretched, present participle stretch·ing, 3rd person present singular stretch·es)

Definition:
 
1. transitive and intransitive verb extend by force: to lengthen, widen, or extend something, or become lengthened, widened, or extended, especially by force
2. intransitive verb expand and regain original shape: to be capable of expanding and returning to the original shape afterward
3. transitive and intransitive verb extend excessively: to extend something excessively so that the shape is permanently altered, or be extended in this way
The sleeves of this sweater have stretched.
4. transitive and intransitive verb extend to full length: to straighten or extend the body or part of it, especially the limbs, to full length
She woke up, yawned, and stretched.
The cat lay stretched out by the fire.
stretched his arms
5. transitive verb strain body part: to strain a part of the body such as a muscle
6. transitive and intransitive verb tauten: to make something taut or tight, or become taut or tight
7. transitive verb suspend something between two points: to suspend something, or make something reach, between two points
8. intransitive verb extend in space: to spread out or extend over an area or in a particular direction
9. transitive and intransitive verb extend over time: to last or continue over a period of time, or prolong something
10. transitive verb make small amount go further: to make limited supplies or resources go further than usual, planned, or expected
11. intransitive verb be enough: to be sufficient to allow something
Will the budget stretch to hiring a temporary assistant?
12. transitive verb exceed limit or break rule: to exceed a limit or break a rule that would usually prohibit something
13. transitive verb push something to limit: to strain or push something to the limit
You're stretching my patience.
14. transitive verb push somebody to limit of ability: to cause somebody to make full use of his or her abilities or intellect, e.g. with challenging or demanding work
15. transitive verb exaggerate something: to make something sound better or worse than it really is, especially in order to make it seem more impressive ( informal )
To call his house a mansion is stretching it a bit.
16. transitive verb knock somebody down: to knock somebody down with a blow ( informal )



noun  (plural stretch·es)

Definition:
 
1. stretching exercise: the straightening and extending of a part of the body, e.g. as an exercise
2. expanse: a large expanse of something, especially land or water
3. period of time: an uninterrupted period of time
4. crime prison term: a term of imprisonment ( slang )

5. elasticity: the ability to expand and return to the original shape afterward
6. difficult challenge: something that is difficult to achieve ( informal )

7. sports straight part of racetrack: the straight part of a racetrack, especially the final section approaching the finishing line
8. final stage: the final stage of an event, task, process, or period of time, especially one that has been difficult or challenging
9. baseball position by pitcher: the position taken by a pitcher in order to hold a runner close to a base
He had so many base runners that he was pitching from the stretch all day.
10. automotive long passenger car: a limousine that has an extended body ( informal )
hired a stretch for the prom


adjective 

Definition:
 
1. elastic: made of or being a material that has great elasticity
wore stretch pants for skiing
2. extended to provide extra space: extended or enlarged in order to provide extra space, e.g. for additional seating
a stretch limousine
[ Old English streccan, probably < Germanic, "rigid"]

stretch·a·bil·i·ty [ strèchə bíllətee ] noun
stretch·a·ble [ stréchəb'l ] adjective

at a stretch 

1. continuously
worked five hours at a stretch 

2. with great difficulty or effort
could get there by six at a stretch
at full stretch using all the energy or resources available
Permalink Reply by Davo on December 10, 2010 at 10:37am

Thanks for all the input and symantical debates.

It seems to me that the best thing to do (in the short term) is to buy a new chain. After watching some of those videos, it also looks like I'll have to inspect and possilbly replace a chain ring and/or cog. But that wont happen till after christmas when I hopefully get some more tools.

Permalink Reply by dan brown on December 10, 2010 at 10:54am

buy a pair of chain tensioners. they work. one even has a built-in beer bottle opener ;-)

Davo said:

Thanks for all the input and symantical debates.

It seems to me that the best thing to do (in the short term) is to buy a new chain. After watching some of those videos, it also looks like I'll have to inspect and possilbly replace a chain ring and/or cog. But that wont happen till after christmas when I hopefully get some more tools.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on December 10, 2010 at 1:10pm

Do you also have a set of sandals that hook into your downhill skis?

 

Using the wrong terminology makes someone sound ignorant, just like using poor grammar or incorrect spelling does.  Don't axe me why...

 

Mark Kenseth said:

Different context: I wanted to get new wheels for my office chair, and my co-worker said, "You mean casters."  I was like, 'fine.'

Permalink Reply by Davo on December 10, 2010 at 1:50pm

Im confused on how that one would work.

dan brown said:

buy a pair of chain tensioners. they work. one even has a built-in beer bottle opener ;-)

Davo said:

Thanks for all the input and symantical debates.

It seems to me that the best thing to do (in the short term) is to buy a new chain. After watching some of those videos, it also looks like I'll have to inspect and possilbly replace a chain ring and/or cog. But that wont happen till after christmas when I hopefully get some more tools.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on December 10, 2010 at 3:03pm

I'm going to repost this right out of Sheldon Brown's instructions on chain length.

 

The standard way to measure chain wear is with a ruler or steel tape measure. This can be done without removing the chain from the bicycle. The normal technique is to measure a one-foot length, placing an inch mark of the ruler exactly in the middle of one rivet, then looking at the corresponding rivet 12 complete links away. On a new, unworn chain, this rivet will also line up exactly with an inch mark. With a worn chain, the rivet will be past the inch mark.

This gives a direct measurement of the wear to the chain, and an indirect measurement of the wear to the sprockets:

  • If the rivet is less than 1/16" past the mark, all is well.
  • If the rivet is 1/16" past the mark, you should replace the chain, but the sprockets are probably undamaged.
  • If the rivet is 1/8" past the mark, you have left it too long, and the sprockets (at least the favorite ones) will be too badly worn. If you replace a chain at the 1/8" point, without replacing the sprockets, it may run OK and not skip, but the worn sprockets will cause the new chain to wear much faster than it should, until it catches up with the wear state of the sprockets.
  • If the rivet is past the 1/8" mark, a new chain will almost certainly skip on the worn sprockets, especially the smaller ones.

 

A new chain on worn sprockets will most surely be quickly destroyed by them.  It might skip and jump too.  In the short term it might get you through but when you go to replace the chainring and cog be sure to also replace the chain once more.  Otherwise you are going to just continue the cycle of damage to the new components.

 

Never put a worn chain on new sprockets or a new chain on worn sprockets as the new product will be chewed up in no time and no longer be new. 

Permalink Reply by Kevin Mulcky on December 10, 2010 at 3:30pm

Check to make sure the freewheel and crank are lined up. If not, there's a few things you can do to fix it, depending on your set-up.

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