You are reading a single comment by @clubman and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
London Fixed Gear and Single-Speed is a community of predominantly fixed gear and single-speed cyclists in and around London, UK.
This site is supported almost exclusively by donations. Please consider donating a small amount regularly.
@clubman
A Dud Block
Below is a pic of a block which I've kept as an example of what not to buy.
You will notice that the teeth (except the top sprocket) have a curious shape at the rear top edge - I guess this was supposed to aid gear changing, but those little ears are very thin and very fragile and the arrow points to one (the only one on this block) which is slightly chipped. This small defect is enough to cause the chain to jump on that sprocket, which means, unless a spare is available (I don't think they ever were), the block is useless.
Any block with a worn sprocket (and this may be hard to see) is junk unless you can replace it - the chain will jump over it, and nearly always it's the sprocket you want to use.
Nowadays I much prefer straight cut teeth - like those old Reginas above - they're less prone to quick wear and damage than the modern ones with too clever shapes and ramps. They may not change quite so perfectly, but they're more reliable.
As to different makes, I really don't think it matters what brand you have - no one can see once it's fitted. The important thing surely is to have the right sprockets for whatever riding you're intending to do. That Maeda 'Perfect' for £60 - what a useless advert - there's no mention of the numbers of teeth - I certainly wouldn't cough up that sort of money without knowing what I was buying.
With five or fewer sprockets it's really important to have the right ones!
1 Attachment