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As this canard gets trotted out on a regular basis, it's only sporting that I should forgive you for falling for it, and give you a chance to get your slide rule out to calculate the tension on a chain under typical pedalling loads. If you still think your transmission and bearings will suffer more from a little static tension than they do from the huge working load, and furthermore that the damage caused by excessive backlash is of no concern, then do please go on letting your chain adopt a pleasing catenary curve while parked. Chain manufacturers will thank you for your regular custom.

A tight chain feels slow on the workstand, because spinning the cranks with one finger doesn't impose much load, but once you stand on the pedals you'll find the bottom run has plenty of slack.

EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT: Tester dismisses OSCC myth!