Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Loose chain ring ... WTF?

I've been riding my current set up for about 3 months. Today I was out riding around and, just as I was pulling into my hood, I noticed everything felt a little wonky, like my left crank was about to pop off. I got home and realized that every single one of my chain ring bolts were about to come undone. They are track/bmx bolts, no spacers so I don't think the equipment is the issue. The drive-side crank is an old Sugino and the ring is a new Salsa so there could be a compatibility question but everything seemed fine when I put it together. Do these things just loosen up over time? Is there something I can do to keep this from happening in the future? Is red locktite the answer?

I'm posting this to the ss/fg forum because I have a sense that the extra pressure riding fixed puts on the drive train may make this a particular problem for fg riders and, thus, they may have just the perspective I need. Oh ... and I never go to any of the other forums.

Thanks

Common maintenance issue. Use some of the weaker locktite on chainring bolts.

You should grease the bolts, and torque 'em down really tight. Use the proper tool for holding the rear piece of the bolt, It will help you get a good grip and apply torque.

If this doesn't work, apply a little medium strength loctite... problem solved!

Locktite should be unnecessary. My hub-bound comrade is correct, you want this (http://www.parktool.com/tools/CNW_1.shtml).

When you tighten them, do so in a star-shaped pattern, don't tighten bolts next to eachother consecutively in a circle.

It's happened to me before. Just check them regularly and carry the proper tool when you ride.

now THAT is a nice tool. earlier today i was wondering if such a thing existed. i had a bolt that wouldn't come undone, and i banged my knuckles pretty hard a few times trying to get a screwdriver to stay in those little slots.

And it's cheap, too!

I noticed a little rattling a couple of days ago on my fix and it was the chainring bolts. I tightened up three of them. They seem to work loose periodically.

I always use blue loc-tite. No issues.

wow ... thanks to everyone.

maybe sumone attempted to removed the chainwheel??

OK - I have had this problem many times before. I would NOT put loctite on your bolts.

Grease is the answer. Lube up the bolts, and also apply some grease to where the spider interfaces with the chainring.

I really don't like that Park chainring bolt tool. It doesn't get enough purchase, and tends to round off the edges of the nuts. This Shimano one (http://biketoolsetc.com/index.cgi?id=151185476316&d=single&c=Tools&sc=Chainring&tc=Spanners&item_id=SH-TL-FC20) does a much better job.

grease is the word, is the word, is the word...

maybe its the mechanic? or lack of?

I had a similar problem. I was riding and all of a sudden with each pedal stroke I heard a really nasty creaking noise. I was totally convinced it was my bottom bracket seeing as in my bike's 25 year life its never seen the light of day since it was installed (at least to my knowlege).

So I cruise down to my LBS and have em take a look at it and he looks at it and says...well first off you only have one chainring bolt. WTF? I felt so dumb. But thats what I get allowing vomitron to install my new cranks and chainring with an allen key and a butterknife.