[boomn]

I switched to 32x18 on my Inbred, but I found that this ratio would have perfect tension either all the way forward in the dropout or further back with an extra link in the chain. I decided to try it all the way forward in the dropout. But... the wheel slides in from the rear and I normally push the wheel all the way forward to get enough slack to put the chain on and then pull it back to tension.

What do I do if there is no room for slack? Are there any helpful tricks for this?

I used brute force by getting a few links on the chainring and then forcing the crank around to pull the rest on as well. I am worried about bending or otherwise damaging my Surly chainring, but should I be?

 

[w00t!]

unrelated to your dilemma, but is this a 29er or 26er?

 

[boomn]

unrelated to your dilemma, but is this a 29er or 26er?

29er. I tried 32x18 (equivalent to 32x16 on a 26er I think) up the North Rim sat. morning and it felt like i was doing slow lunges for an hour. Man that left me sore!

 

[axcxnj]

yeah i made the mistake of setting up my brothers inbred with the wheel all the way foward in the drop out..i had to break the chain to change the tire. its better just to have the extra links and center it in the dropout

 

[scooter916]

add a half link

 

[boomn]

add a half link

I've had enough problems in the past and I don't want to use those again.

The proper solution seems to be just using a longer chain and tensioning it properly, so thats what i'll do next time

 

[Ebo]

I use half links without a problem to get a better fit. Gene at Spicer Cycles makes a good one or even KMC via Jenson. You could also use a half link chain to get a sweet fit. http://www.jensonusa.com/search/?s=half+link p.s......I switched my 29r to a 20t and all was good again.

 

[ShadowsCast]

What I'm getting from this thread is the idea that derailing the chain off the side of the chainring can cause damage? I simply figured that's how it was done when you have track ends and chain tensioners (a la the Jabberwocky). do you have to losen the tensioners every time you remove the wheel? That seems like a hassle. Obviously if this hassle is keeping me from replacing parts before their time, I'm all for it, but I had just assumed that you could simply derail the chain and remove the wheel. Say you're changing a tire, you could put the wheel back on, realign the chain and off you ride, no tensioning retensioning required...

Some one let me know if I'm doing this wrong...

 

[boomn]

What I'm getting from this thread is the idea that derailing the chain off the side of the chainring can cause damage? I simply figured that's how it was done when you have track ends and chain tensioners (a la the Jabberwocky). do you have to losen the tensioners every time you remove the wheel? That seems like a hassle. Obviously if this hassle is keeping me from replacing parts before their time, I'm all for it, but I had just assumed that you could simply derail the chain and remove the wheel. Say you're changing a tire, you could put the wheel back on, realign the chain and off you ride, no tensioning retensioning required...

Some one let me know if I'm doing this wrong...

No, I don't change my tensioners to remove the wheel. I loosen the QR (same for bolts) enough that I can shift the tensioner to the side so that its not in the frame anymore. Then I can move the wheel to create the slack. No retensioning required when reinstalling.

The situation I was asking about in my first post involved getting the chain installed when the cog is already in the right position for full chain tension. Now that I do have it installed I'm not even sure I could derail the chain without significant sideways force (it took a lot to get on). I don't see how that can be a good thing for a chain or chainring.

Edit: I just realized the Jabber has those screw tensioner things in the front of the dropout, in which case I have no idea. Maybe its fine if the chain tension is good enough to run but not really tight. Thats exactly why I started this thread: I'm new to SS and want to know the right way to do some things

 

[ShadowsCast]

No, I don't change my tensioners to remove the wheel. I loosen the QR (same for bolts) enough that I can shift the tensioner to the side so that its not in the frame anymore. Then I can move the wheel to create the slack. No retensioning required when reinstalling.

I'm assuming that you're talking about tensioners like a Surly Tuggnut

Where as I'm talking about tensioners like this...

I could be wrong, but then I don't understand what you mean. If you had built in tensioners like the second example, do you think it's necessary to loosen them every time?

 

[boomn]

I'm assuming that you're talking about tensioners like a Surly Tuggnut

Yep, thats why I added to my post when I realized you were talking about a Jabber. There are lots of people here who use (and love) those bike, so there must be a good way to do it. You could always remove the screws and use a tuggnut with that frame, but that seems silly when it already had tensioners built in

 

[ShadowsCast]

Yeah I didn't see your edit in my search for usable pictures. I've pulled the chain off my fixie without loosening the bolts before, I stuck a knife or a screwdriver on the edge of the chain ring tooth so the chain hit it and deflected enough derail. This did raise the chain tension quite a bit for a few degrees of rotation, but after a few links the chain had gone loose. On my fixie, I guess it's whatever, but on my new Jabber, I don't want to break a tooth off my Uno chainring...