Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - drive train build-up

Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.



PDA

View Full Version : drive train build-up

teiaperigosa
11-04-05, 12:34 PM
I'm converting. It seems from what I've read that 1/8 is the preffered chain size. I prob should get a new chain anyways (as my old one, has years and years under its belt). I see that some people will leave their road chainring on (3/32?)and use it with the track/MB chain and cog size, and that this works. It makes more sense to me though to stick to one size.
I'm gonna have to cop a cog asap. Should I just stick with road size (3/32 or somethinglike that?). If I go to 1/8th, I don't want to have to spend like 75 dollars for a chainring. Can I go to a bike shop and get a run of the mill BMX chainring (as I've heard that run of the mill BMX chains are good)?...will that be a lot cheaper?

Also, on my old Peugeot road frame that I'm using, I have 1 inch of space in my dropouts. Should I not have any problem fitting most gear combinations with this amount of spacing. I'd like to figure out a combination without having to do much trial and error (aka..buying **** I can't use).

thanksk

LóFarkas
11-04-05, 01:06 PM
I am one of those who run a skinny road ring with a 1/8 chain. No problem, smooth and silent. I think it's even beneficial if your chainline is not spot on, as the chain can find a more straight route to the cog. I wouldn't use a 3/32 cog with a 1/8 chain, though.
If you don't want to mix, just go 3/32, but I'd mix.
socaljoe
11-04-05, 10:52 PM
I was originally going to go 3/32" on my first conversion, but my LBS didn't have any 3/32" cogs or chainrings in that size, and I didn't want to wait, so I bought all new 1/8" parts. I simply assumed that I would want the chainring/cog/chain to be all of the same width. It never occured to me to mix and match.


I am one of those who run a skinny road ring with a 1/8 chain. No problem... [deleted] ...I wouldn't use a 3/32 cog with a 1/8 chain, though.

What's the reasoning behind saying that it's okay to have a skinny chainring as compared to your chain, but not so of the cog?

LóFarkas
11-05-05, 01:28 AM
The cog has a far lower tooth count, so the chain can move around on it more. The same 1mm play can create a wider angle, possibly getting rattly or even throwing the chain off if it's loose. I'm not absolutely sure it'd be problematic, but I gather this is the consensus.
About the chainring, pretty much everyone agrees there's no drawback to mixing except aesthetics or really anal perfectionism.