Mystery resistance?

Are you towing a pack of dead wallabies behind you?

Festerban not Hippy, recognise username fail

Elyptical chainring? If its not round, the chain tension will be inconsistent.

All chainrings are at least slightly eliptical. (taken from Sheldon)

All chainrings are at least slightly eliptical. (taken from Sheldon)
]

they manifacture proper eliptical chain rings to remove deadspots

Ok, somewhere in my drivetrain there is a really annoying resistance of some sort. I've been riding along and it feels like I am riding through mud to the point that I was unable to ride up Holland Park Ave. even though I was nearly busting a blood vessel trying to do so. So far I have:

Checked tyre pressure, both at 120psi
Taken chain off, BB spins smoothly and freely, wheel spins smoothly and freely
Thoroughly cleaned and relubed chain, cleaned chainring, cleaned sprocket
Checked pedals, both spin smoothly and freely
Tried various chain tensions throughout the day, from tight as fuck to almost falling off slack.

It was doing my head in so much (amongst other things) that I threw my bike in front of a bus that just narrowly avoided running it over. So before I do something else equally silly does anyone have any ideas why it feels like I am cycling through custard with a flat tyre?

ps. tried the htfu method but my knees will explode if I try another 8 hours of riding like that.

Did you spin the wheels after you removed the chain?
if you remove the bolts on the rear wheel this can loosen the cones; these cones could tighten as you cycle which would clamp the bearings and make it very hard to stop?
just an idea. check themm to make sure they are snug with give.
oh and swap out the rear wheel and try again - process of elimintation.

Solved it! Not only is there vertical deviance by about 2 mm for 1/3rd of a turn in my chainring, there is also about 2mm lateral deviance for another 1/4 of a turn so whenever I get near proper chain tension, it promptly fucks up for over half a revolution :(

Roll on student loan, I need you now more than ever. BTW in retrospect i've just realised that this has started since I've learnt to skid i.e. been exerting really high forces in various directions on the chainring, thus bending it.

i knew that

Gravity

more darwinism

or Halotolerance

Festerban, it's just the chainring right? I remember andypancake said he have lots of spare chainring lying around in their warehouse, worth a check maybe?

BTW in retrospect i've just realised that this has started since I've learnt to skid i.e. been exerting really high forces in various directions on the chainring, thus bending it.
Interesting. my BB problems have started since learning to skid. The BB seems a bit loose, and the axel wobbles. It makes a knocking, grinding noise intermittently. Chainring is really worn as well, so I can't be too bothered to get it all fixed, as I'm building up a new bike.

You might just need to tigten the BB cups or the crank bolts, I had exactly the same as what you're describing once and that solved it.

Elyptical chainring? If its not round, the chain tension will be inconsistent.

Thought you said Egyptical when I first read that.

Wind? I would've thought a bit of healthy trumping would get you right up Holland Avenue...

I have this problem too. Tho not to the extent you do. I think it's chainline. Also try and adjust the nuts right by the hub (technical terms here!!)

I've cold set the back (120 axle into 135 spacing!), Put on different BB, moved the chainring round to the other side of the spider like Sheldon says(I've now only got about 3mm between chainring and frame!) but its still about 5mm out.Not too sure what to do. I know I could get a 130 hub from on one but I can't afford nuffink at the moment. I just bought some chainring spacers so hopefully that'll help.

It was so out that after about 6 weeks use it popped a sturdy rack chain out whilst cycling (up and fairly slowly thankfully) the Archway Road!

Solved it! Not only is there vertical deviance by about 2 mm for 1/3rd of a turn in my chainring, there is also about 2mm lateral deviance for another 1/4 of a turn so whenever I get near proper chain tension, it promptly fucks up for over half a revolution :(

Roll on student loan, I need you now more than ever. BTW in retrospect i've just realised that this has started since I've learnt to skid i.e. been exerting really high forces in various directions on the chainring, thus bending it.

Your chainring shouldnt have bent from a little skidding.

You may like to feel that you are putting your bike through immense inhuman stresses by locking up the wheel a bit. But the force of each little skid is no greater than each little pedal push up a hill. These 'really high forces' are nothing. If you find your chainring bending is means your chainline is waaay out.

They are rubbish cranks though, same as these ones...

http://www.movingtargetzine.com/forum/discussion/1168/do-not-buy-fsa-brand-rpm-or-vero-cranks/#Item_9

can you post pics? something isn't right here. a photo of the drive side and a photo from the back of the bike of the looking down the chain line would be helpful just to see what we're working with. I read your description above, but i'm not totally buying it, even if the bike was from a trash bin.

All bikes have an inconsistent tension through the crank's rotation. Thus, when you adjust the tension on your chain, you'll need to settle on a happy medium between the tightest and loosest spots, such that it's a bit tight at the tightest spot and becomes **slightly **lose at the lose spot. There are a number of ways to go about this.

Most of us have experienced setting the tension too high. I usually say fuck it, and ride it out. Takes a few days, but it loosens up. Not the greatest practice.

The chainline does not relate to this type of problem.

can't help I'm afraid but really love the title of this thread - i might start a band

Wind? I would've thought a bit of healthy trumping would get you right up Holland Avenue...

I have this problem too. Tho not to the extent you do. I think it's chainline. Also try and adjust the nuts right by the hub (technical terms here!!)

I've cold set the back (120 axle into 135 spacing!), Put on different BB, moved the chainring round to the other side of the spider like Sheldon says(I've now only got about 3mm between chainring and frame!) but its still about 5mm out.Not too sure what to do. I know I could get a 130 hub from on one but I can't afford nuffink at the moment. I just bought some chainring spacers so hopefully that'll help.

It was so out that after about 6 weeks use it popped a sturdy rack chain out whilst cycling (up and fairly slowly thankfully) the Archway Road!

you can dish the wheel to correct the chainline (I think i grasp what your problem is here)

either way i am going to be a groupy Dom