Chain tension and tensioning a chain

Lose the screws, they are no use to you.

Put a rolled up tea towel or tennis ball or something like that between your rear wheel and seat tube to tension the wheel while tightening the bolts.

Take the rolled up tea towel (for instance) and put it at above the point where your rear wheel is closest to your seat tube, then roll the bike forward whilst pushing the tea towel down to jam into the gap and get some decent tension - adjust your tea towel thickness to taste.

Tighten each nut a little at a time.

Use a track nut with built in washer to stop the nuts 'rolling' forward as you tighten them.

Lose the screws, they are no use to you.

but you didn't mention the weight that would be saved

slipping, t.....

thanks for the advice chaps. I don't really get Sheldon's way, but i've muddled through - not perfect but is much better, hopefully I'll improve with practice. Getting rid of those screws was a good move. think a night ride might be in order now. thanks again.

but you didn't mention the weight that would be saved

slipping, t.....

Fuck! I will get a M.R.I scan first thing Monday.

adjust your tea towel thickness to taste.

Funnily enough I didn't expect to read a phrase like that today.

try saying that five time in a row.

tea towel thickness to taste.

You want about 1/2" play in the chain, grab the top bit and move up/down... might be wise to make it a bit tighter if you've got track shy testers 3/32 chain...

lol
4C.

So is the 1/2" inch the total movement up and down or movement up from the horizontal? And yeah I've got a softy-boy 3/32 chain

Just fitted new chain tugs myself.

5mm to 8mm movement either way from the horizontal at half way along the chainline is what you should be looking for.

Too tight and you'll fuck your bearings.

Sheldon Brown recommends 3/32 doesn't he? But what did he know?

I use 3/32.. so it must be right. Oh wait, I swapped those cranks..

another tip... make sure your chainring is mounted centrally on your cranks, then you wont have any slack or tight spots.

anyone know the technique for getting good tension without tugs? that guy in BLB did mine in about 2 seconds with some ninja shit and a 15 mil spanner - undid the nuts, hit the chain a couple of times, did the nuts up again and hey presto no slack. i mean wtf?!

tennis balls

check out Tynan's post in this topic;

http://www.londonfgss.com/thread11499.html

i don't think you really need tugs to get good tension As long as your chainline is good, just pull the wheel as far back as you can with your hands (centering it in the stays), and tighten the wheel evenly with a spanner.

if your chainline isn't that good or you just more tension, get the wheel as far back in the stays as it will go, then bend the wheel to the right whilst simultaneously tightening up the right nut. Then, after the right side of the axle is tight, re-centre the wheel in the stays whilst tightening up the left side. Chain tension should be fine now.

^yep tennis balls are good, i just always forgot to carry them with me everywhere :/

so i need ninja AND voodoo skills then....

can't believe i'm fucking around with this at 2 in the morning (slightly pissed)... that's enough fixie madness for one day....

since my chain fell off because the wheel slipped forward, i always use chaintugs. no going back, plus on of them has a bottle opener, perfect!

^yep tennis balls are good, i just always forgot to carry them with me everywhere :/

You can use an orange.

Apparently in London you are never more that six feet from an orange.

Actually that might be 'rats'.

but you can use those too, so it's OK

ride your chain slack like freddie mercury's arse

you just more tension, get the wheel as far back in the stays as it will go, then bend the wheel to the right whilst simultaneously tightening up the right nut. Then, after the right side of the axle is tight, re-centre the wheel in the stays whilst tightening up the left side. Chain tension should be fine now.[/QUOTE]

alrighht, way to go! that's how you do it :)

thanx fella

a cheap plastic or rubber door wedge does it for me. i keep one with my puncture tool kit in my bag. my flyer has those little 3mm hex screws to hold position rather than a tug but they're not ideal they can shake loose and allow some forward movement. i'm sure the hex bit will strip before too long and force me to get a surly tugnut.

I loosen the drive side nut and grab the front of the wheel and push it towards the frame and tighten. Then loosen the other side and pull the wheel towards the center and tighten the nut on that side. I usually get it too tight doing it this way.