Bicycle Mechanics - Track Bike Loud Chain

Hi hey hello,

I got an 80s/90s(?) Bianchi Pista tonight, and I want to ride it tomorrow. It makes quite a bit more noise than my single speed does. Chain tension seems good. It seems to have some lubricant on it, but my hand is certainly not very greasy when I touch the chain. Perhaps it's some sort of wax like lube... Anyway, I'm not quite sure what makes this noise. It could be part of the hub, rear sprocket, chain, or chainwheel. It's kind of like the noise a derailleur makes but louder. Help would be awesome! I want to ride this to work tomorrow morning and I don't want to worry! Thanks!

Assuming the chainline is straight and all components in check, try slackening the chain just a bit. This usually quiets drivetrain noise quite a bit. Also, try applying some wet lube to see if that'll make any diff.

Sometimes a combination of unmatched components can lead to the noise. Such as a 3/32 chain or possibly a combination of narrower 9speed chainrings with a 1/8 chain.

I have an inkling of what it may be. When I was getting my toe clips on going downhill down my driveway (I'm a noob at toe clips, esp. on fixed), I was resisting one footed to slow myself down as I entered the street. Then all the sudden snap! My fixed is now free? Turns out the rear cog came off and I believe this may have been caused by a nut that snapped in half. Dunno if I bought it like that. But maybe the rear cog was already unthreading as I was riding it. How do you properly put it back on anyway? I just stuck a small wrench in there and torqued it clockwise for the time being, and that turned it somewhat tight. I still have to get a replacement nut. Chain looks 1/8 in and the cog is also 1/8 in I believe. It seems to have something weird on the chain I noticed. I hope it's wax and not dirt, but I can't really tell... I think I'll just clean the chain up and relube it, as well as clean the rear hub and skewer up.

If the cog spun off while you were backpedalling, you should make sure the threads for the cog and lockring aren't damaged. I destroyed the fixed side of a Suzue basic skidding once...

If the threads aren't damaged, you should apply grease to the threads of the cog and the lockring and then use a chain whip to tighten the cog on tight (really, really tight - the grease will allow you to tighten it sufficiently) and then use a (surprise) lockring wrench to tighten the lockring on (remember it's left-hand threaded), also really tight. Then you should go out and try to slip the cog to make sure it's secure. Skid, backpedal really hard, etc. If nothing slips, it's ready to ride.

I do believe it may not have had a lockring in the first place..... I'll go to a shop today and verify this. Man that guy who sold me the bike was cool as hell but I think it's kind of funny he sent me on a deathmachine! :D :rolleyes: :p

No lockring? Wow. Time to find a new bikeshop. Who would be that incompetent?

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