Slack chain

[Osho]

After just 120 miles I was a tad surprised to discover that my Kalkoff Tasman had a very slack chain.To the extent that if I pushed it vertically it would touch the bike frame. The wheel was as far back as it could go but before having a link removed I thought that I would ask 50Cycles their opinion and they said that chains, when new, have paint on them and as it comes off so the chain wears but once a link is removed then it would not stretch further.
In my younger days I'd have removed the link myself but perhaps now is the time to make friends with a local bike shop as was suggested to me in an earlier post. Any comments would be appreciated.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

They're right, except is waxy grease rather than paint. Don't get a chain-wear gauge otherwise you'll always be replacing your chains.

 

[JohnCade]

After just 120 miles I was a tad surprised to discover that my Kalkoff Tasman had a very slack chain.To the extent that if I pushed it vertically it would touch the bike frame. The wheel was as far back as it could go but before having a link removed I thought that I would ask 50Cycles their opinion and they said that chains, when new, have paint on them and as it comes off so the chain wears but once a link is removed then it would not stretch further.
In my younger days I'd have removed the link myself but perhaps now is the time to make friends with a local bike shop as was suggested to me in an earlier post. Any comments would be appreciated.

Don’t see why it would stretch that much in such a short time. It must have been too long to begin with if the wheel is as far back as it will go.

 

[RobF]

It can be difficult to keep the right tension with hub gears and limited movement in the drop outs.

Removing a link is fine, although it's a bit of a blunt instrument because you can only remove two at a time, equating to an inch of chain.

There may come a time when the chain is too slack, but removing a link makes it too taught.

The answer is a chain tensioner.

Worth asking the bike shop about it when you take it in, even if you don't have one fitted this time.

 

[oriteroom]

Cannot believe grease/paint between chain pins and rollers would contribute to the amount of stretch Osho is talking about. To suggest this could be a link's worth is unbelievable. Agree with JohnCade that the chain was too long to start with and if the wheel nuts were already as far back as they would go just indicates poor inspection checks at manufacture or workshop checks by distributor before sending the bike out.given chains are only ever going to stretch the wheel nuts should be forward in the dropouts at the start to allow for later adjustment.

 

[oriteroom]

Osho

Very recently I also purchased a Tasman for my wife which is ultimately to replace her 2008 ProConnect which has done 11,000 miles and still going well. Just had look at the Tasman and the wheel nuts are at the front end of the dropout, so there's PLENTY of adjustment available for when the chain stretches. I really do think that your bike was poorly inspected unless you have had to move it back in the dropouts, again something that shouldn't be necessary after relatively few miles. I'm sure that removal of 2 links will do it it (you cannot remove just one as Rob says above). But this shouldn't be your expense. I'd discuss further with 50cycles if I were you, and don't take paint/grease as a reason/answer.On her ProConnect, I only had to remove a couple of links after the chain had done more than 6000 miles, and just before replacing it.

 

[flecc]

I'm sure that removal of 2 links will do it it (you cannot remove just one as Rob says above).

A link is two half inch sections. Also it's often forgotten or not known that there are half links for these single speed chains which enable a single stage to be removed. The complete two section link is removed and the single section half link put in place.
.

 

[Osho]

Thank you all for your comments. I did have a 19 teeth sprocket fitted before delivery but would this account for the slack in the chain? I have phoned round to find a shop who could remove a link or two but they are all very busy at the moment. Halfords though can do it tomorrow for £7.99 which is the middle price of the other two shops I called.

 

[flecc]

I did have a 19 teeth sprocket fitted before delivery but would this account for the slack in the chain?

Yes, any reduced sprocket makes an adjustment back in the slots necessary. It isn't always possible to reduce the chain by a whole link at that point and half links are rarely used.

The added bedding in of the chain and sprokets has pushed the adjustment to the limit
.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Buy yourself a chain-breaker so that you can do it yourself. It's not exactly difficult.

Get one of these and you get the chain-breaker included:

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=171491444886&alt=web

 

[flecc]

And here is an instruction page on how to do it.
.

 

[JohnCade]

Thank you all for your comments. I did have a 19 teeth sprocket fitted before delivery but would this account for the slack in the chain? I have phoned round to find a shop who could remove a link or two but they are all very busy at the moment. Halfords though can do it tomorrow for £7.99 which is the middle price of the other two shops I called.

That explains it. But I agree with oriteroom about the checks. If they changed the sprocket they should have adjusted the chain length too.

 

[oriteroom]

As John said, That explains it ! If 50cycles fitted the sprocket they should have done the chain as well!! As d8veh says it's not hard to remove links. I also noted that my wife's Tasman has a 'split' link fitted which is even easier, altho' I don't use them on my other bikes, just a continuous chain.

 

[oriteroom]

Osho

How did you get on having the links removed? How many did you get removed and where do the wheel nuts now sit in the dropout. I'm interested because I have just got my wife a Tasman, and compared with her ProConnect the gearing is a bit low with the as supplied 38 tooth front chainring and 21 tooth sprocket on the back. I think I shall be changing the rear to a 18 or 19 sprocket. She really needs to come up a couple of gears since as it is cycling beyond about 17/18mph, the cadence is too high to add much additional momentum (e.g. On slight downhills). I see you live in Bournemouth as well, perhaps we shall bump into one another around the area.

Best regards.