Full Chaincase

[graywolf]

OK,

Does anyone know where I could buy a full chaincase that will fit an English 3-Speed bicycle without removable seatstays?

I hear there are modern plastic ones that will work, but I have not found any with a google search.

[roughrider504]

I am no help, but do you want a full chaincase just for the looks? I have a vintage roadster with the chaincase and all the trimmings and I could tell you its a bit of a pain. The newer ones are probably more user friendly, but do you really need one? IMO, if you used a normal chainguard with the Raleigh sports or Raleigh clone design and the paint matched the frame, it would look really good! Maybe its just me though.

[graywolf]

I am no help, but do you want a full chaincase just for the looks? I have a vintage roadster with the chaincase and all the trimmings and I could tell you its a bit of a pain. The newer ones are probably more user friendly, but do you really need one? IMO, if you used a normal chainguard with the Raleigh sports or Raleigh clone design and the paint matched the frame, it would look really good! Maybe its just me though.

Partially to protect the chain, partially to protect my pants, partially for the looks. Partially because I really want an old roadster, but am not in an area where I am likely to find one, and can not afford to buy one off ebay or from England. And one hundred percent because I want one.

Yes, I know they are fiddly, and a pain if you have a flat (notice that I knew the old ones require removable seat stays). I kind of thought that the Utility forum people would be the most likely to know of a source.

[graywolf]

Well, some of it seems to be using different terminology. "Chainglider" came up with this:
http://www.hebie.de/html/en/detail_schuetze.php?id=0350

It will not work on my 46 tooth chain ring unfortunately. I will continue trying to find something that will.

[AllenG]

^^^
The Urbane Cyclist ([http://www.ucycle.com/) out of Toronto (and on the net) carries the Hebie Chainglider as does one of the posters in the Commuting section.

I haven't finished the bike that I'm mounting this one, but here is what they look like.

http://homepage.mac.com/awcg/.Pictures/Bike/Chainglider/Box.jpg
In the box

http://homepage.mac.com/awcg/.Pictures/Bike/Chainglider/Apart.jpg
And apart

[graywolf]

^^^
The Urbane Cyclist (http://%5Bhttp://www.ucycle.com/) out of Toronto (and on the net) carries the Hebie Chainglider as does one of the posters in the Commuting section.



Thanks, I will take a look over on the Commuting Forum. Unfortunately I do not think the Herbie will work with a 46 tooth chain ring. Also I could not find it listed on the http://ucycle.com site, but that is pretty common, very few bike shops list all of their inventory on their website.

[K6-III]

Apparantly Yellow Jersey is selling full chaincases for $50 here:

http://www.yellowjersey.org/mguard.html

Not sure if they will fit a Raleigh 3spd.

[graywolf]

Apparantly Yellow Jersey is selling full chaincases for $50 here:

http://www.yellowjersey.org/mguard.html

Not sure if they will fit a Raleigh 3spd.

Standard Roadster chanincase. They are too long, maybe could be adapted, but the major problem is that they require a removable seat tube.

I see Velo Orange has a half-chaincase on their site, pretty expensive though.
http://yhst-84224226242177.stores.yahoo.net/chpr.html

[K6-III]

Apparantly Hebie also makes this, model 355:

http://www.hebie.de/produktbild/355.jpg
http://www.hebie.de/pdf/0355_E1_EN.pdf

[BikeManDan]

I currently have 38T and 44T Hebie Chaingliders in stock at http://www.bikefront.com

The chainring limitations are kind of a drag but unfortunately it is the nature of the beast. I went as far as changing my front chainring just so I could get a Chainglider to work.

[Tujunga Kid]

Graywolf, you can find a Raleigh chaincase right now on e-bay. They don't come up often. However, be aware that unless your Raleigh has the specific mounting point - a brazed-on screw hole on the r.h. chainstay - the case will be highly problematic. Alignment and tolerances are pretty critical here, so the jury-rigging potential will be limited. (I am currently learning this the hard way, even with the correct frame; hence my crusing this forum.)

[PaulH]

As far as I know, Raleighs did not use full chaincases. One found those on the heavier British roadsters. Consequently, it's going to be a tough search.

I've started to wonder how necessary a full chaincase really is - a good chainguard and front fenders stop most of the crud. For example, my bike has a standard chainguard that covers the chainwheel and top of the chain. I never touch the chain, and I still bet about 5,000 miles between replacements. It protects my clothing perfectly - I'll hop on the bike in a $2,000 suit without hesitation.

The Hebie chainglider is a modern device and much unlike what the roadsters had. If you want the roadster look, maybe you can adapt a case from Pashley, in England. Personally, I'd just get a Raleigh chainguard, restore the bike as a Raleigh, and look for a real roadster from China or India.

Paul

[Tujunga Kid]

The Raleigh DL-1 Roadster, the Superb and Sports, at least, definitely came with chaincases in their earlier days ('30s - '60s). The rh chainstay has a mounting point for the case. It seems that many Raleighs that made it to the States commonly came with a chainguard instead of a chaincase, although the mounting point redundantly remained for several more model-years.

There is a story out there about how US Customs taxed imported bikes based on weight, and deleting the chaincase made the bikes a little cheaper here. I have my doubts about this story, however.

I really like the look of a chaincased city bike, but in my current messing around with my '60 Sports (chaincase model), I have come to agree with PaulH: the full case isn't worth it.

Here's why:

1. It never rains in southern California. And anyway, the Sports is not my rain bike.

2. They're noisy. In my research, People always said the cases are noisy. I thought they meant it was tough to make sure the chain doesn't scrape along the case. Maybe that is part of it, but for me the real noise of the case comes from its intrinsic characteristic of amplifying sound, kind of like an acoustic guitar body. It's kind of a hum as you roll along, and I like my bikes quiet.

3. They make it tough to change out a tire or tube. An obvious puncture can easily be repaired without removal, but otherwise it can be a real hassle while out on the road.

4. Even though I really like the look, I feel a little like a poser Euro wannabe while riding around on it.

So I am going to transfer all the good parts back to my '70 Sports frame (with chainguard) and sell the '60.

It's been a good learning experience.

Mark McClure

[coldfeet]

With the wide variations of bicycle frames, drivetrains, sprocket variations etc
the only way I can see for a lot of people, is custom builds, by someone local.
If you accept the limit of a "top and front" cover, it becomes a little easier.
My own feeling is, that a full wrap around the front sprocket, to just under the
front edge, and carry the top back to as close to the rear hub as possible,
with a projection down the back of the chain to keep the water funneling off
the rear tire, you get most off the advantages of a full case. I still would like a
full case, can't see how to do it on say, a Big Dummy. It would be nice to have
an oil bath, for longevity, but maybe with a good enough "half" cover, one could
use an oil dripper, a' la Rohloff.

On a separate note, I saw a derailleur equipped bike sold by Topeak, it had a top
and front chain cover. I wonder if they plan to sell it separately?

[graywolf]

Nice to see a few more comments here. I am currently on hold with the bicycles, as my SS only covers one hobby at a time, so I kind of rotate; but I have not given up hope.

A comment for those who do not know, you can not easily fit an English style full chaincase on most hockey stick chainguard English bikes because the full chaincase has to go inside the seat stay. The bikes that came fitted with them had removable seat stays for that reason. In the end, probably the best thing to do is find a 50's Roadster that already has a full chaincase and restore it; as you can see from my sig line that is really what I want anyway.

As for noise, I seem to remember that they hum and boom and rattle a bit :D.