Too Risky to Ride?

Hi all, first post and I am asking some advice!
I have now got my bike built up pretty much as I want- much time and head scratching was spent on chain line, which I think is now pretty much spot on.

The issue now is that even though the chain looks straight when the bike is in the stand and I turn the pedals the chain "grumbles" as if it wants to shift to another gear- which is an issue as it only has the one...

The setup is a Surly flip flop hub, 13 tooth Dura-Ace track sprocket, Truvativ Isoflow cranks with a 38 tooth ring, and a SRAM 1/8th inch chain.
Ideally I'd like to ride it into work tomorrow, but as this is the first fixed gear that I have a) built, and b) ridden I would like that noise to go away before I do!

when I build bikes to start with I go a little ways, then a little ways further, I build up my speed very slowly

I have a new bike I built up in February and I am still getting used to how it feels and I am still dialing it in

the chain should sit dead center on the front ring if it doesn't it will be noisy

bikes that go Whooosh sound much nicer...;)

1) I'd check that the chainline actually is straight before doing anything else. Measure it with a ruler. Sheldon Brown's has more info: http://sheldonbrown.com/chainline.html

2) How's your chain tension? About 1/2 inch of vertical play

3) Lubed up properly?

4) Is the wheel straight in the dropouts? Cog could be at an angle.

5) If you can't get the chain tension even, take off the chain ring, check it's flat on a flat surface. Bend it carefully if it isn't. Put it back on again. If it's still binding, i.e. tight in places, loosen chainring bolts, tighten them up evenly again.

Is the chain a bit tight? When they bind, they make cracking noises.

the-smiling-buddha when I build bikes to start with I go a little ways, then a little ways further, I build up my speed very slowly

yeah it's good advice...

my first bike i built: i was so keen to get it together, which led me to bodge things, in turn costing me more money and headaches.

Edit: Remembered another thing - if you still can't sort it out, check you haven't got a stiff link where you broke the chain to put it on.

The chain is sitting slightly to one side on the chain ring but I put that down to it being a nine speed width chain ring with a 1/8th inch chain, plus the bash ring doubtless is not helping!

The grumbling noise is coming from the rear sprocket, not the front, which is why I am confused.

The cranks and chain ring need to be changed anyway, but first I need to find a 104bcd 38 tooth 1/8th inch chain ring- any ideas?!
I quite fancy Shimano Saint cranks, more for the incongruity of them on the bike than anything else...

Dammit The chain is sitting slightly to one side on the chain ring but I put that down to it being a nine speed width chain ring with a 1/8th inch chain, plus the bash ring doubtless is not helping!

Well, yeah, it isn't going to help. If you want a virtually silent drive chain you need to change cog, chainring and chain all at once and for it all to be either 3/32 or 1/8.

The grumbling noise is coming from the rear sprocket, not the front, which is why I am confused.

Well if the chain is coming off the chain ring towards the cog at a funny angle it's going to hit the cog incorrectly = noise.

The cranks and chain ring need to be changed anyway, but first I need to find a 104bcd 38 tooth 1/8th inch chain ring- any ideas?!
I quite fancy Shimano Saint cranks, more for the incongruity of them on the bike than anything else...[/quote]

Google, eBay, just try all the usual places. St John's St Cycle have loads chainrings on their website if i remember rightly.

..

eeehhhh 1) I'd check that the chainline actually is straight before doing anything else. Measure it with a ruler. Sheldon Brown's has more info: http://sheldonbrown.com/chainline.html

I have used Sheldon as my main reference work, and according to the ruler the chain line is spot on

2) How's your chain tension? About 1/2 inch of vertical play

Check

3) Lubed up properly?

Brand new chain, covered in factory lube- reckon it needs more?

4) Is the wheel straight in the dropouts? Cog could be at an angle.

Dead straight- vertical dropouts on this bike

5) If you can't get the chain tension even, take off the chain ring, check it's flat on a flat surface. Bend it carefully if it isn't. Put it back on again. If it's still binding, i.e. tight in places, loosen chainring bolts, tighten them up evenly again.

Might have to do this- not sure that it is binding though, it does not seem to have any tight spots in the pedal cycle?

Well if the chain is coming off the chain ring towards the cog at a funny angle it's going to hit the cog incorrectly = noise.

sounds like it

Reckon just cycle into work slowly tomorrow then, with a 1/8th chainring ordered?

I used to ride 39x13 and it's damn high! 38x13 is not good either - try to get a slightly bigger sprocket if you can...

It's either the 13 tooth Dura Ace or the 18 tooth Surly, and 38/13 is a lot closer to the 48/18 that I wanted in the first place, but could not have due to chain stay issues....

Dammit [quote]eeehhhh 1) I'd check that the chainline actually is straight before doing anything else. Measure it with a ruler. Sheldon Brown's has more info: http://sheldonbrown.com/chainline.html

I have used Sheldon as my main reference work, and according to the ruler the chain line is spot on

2) How's your chain tension? About 1/2 inch of vertical play

Check

3) Lubed up properly?

Brand new chain, covered in factory lube- reckon it needs more?

4) Is the wheel straight in the dropouts? Cog could be at an angle.

Dead straight- vertical dropouts on this bike

5) If you can't get the chain tension even, take off the chain ring, check it's flat on a flat surface. Bend it carefully if it isn't. Put it back on again. If it's still binding, i.e. tight in places, loosen chainring bolts, tighten them up evenly again.

Might have to do this- not sure that it is binding though, it does not seem to have any tight spots in the pedal cycle?

[/quote]

Well if it's not any of them, and you don't think it's binding, it's most likely to be what's already been said.

the-smiling-buddha Well if the chain is coming off the chain ring towards the cog at a funny angle it's going to hit the cog incorrectly = noise.

sounds like it

get the right size chainring

Will order a chainring today- probably a middleburn tandem ring, as that seems to be the only one that fits the bill.

Survived the ride in this morning- learning to ride fixed is going to be a challenge!