LFGSS
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.
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.
Standard, #40(1/2" pitch), industrial, power transmission chain is three times wider than a 3/32" bicycle chain and has bushings for the rollers to pivot on. It is made this way because it is designed for single chainline (like an SS or fix) applications where it is subjected to far greater loads than a bicycle could ever generate and is expected to have a very long service life.
1/8" track chain (with bushings) is basically a narrower version of this kind of chain and is the best chain for a single chainline bicycle drivetrain.
3/32" bushingless bicycle chain was designed to be cheaper to manufacture (without the bushings) and more laterally flexible to enable it to shift from cog to cog without breaking or wearing rapidly with multiple chainline drivetrains (bikes with derailers).
Unfortunately this means that quality 1/8" chains with bushings and sprockets / cogs are getting harder and harder to come by but they are out there and when set up properly will outlast a 3/32" system on a SS or fix.