Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Plastic Chain - Tensile Strength

I've lately looking at plastic chains, but the problem is they are ment for light loads.
At this website they have a 1/4plastic chain (size of the chain is called "pitch" 1/4"=.25")
https://sdp-si.com/eStore/

The particular ones I am looking at have a tensile load of 65 pounds. Now, the question is does anyone have any clue how much force is being applied to the chain? I'm sure its more a lot than 65.
They go up to 173 pounds but thats for 1/2''

The thing is the chain will only end up being around $10 (100 links), so just testing it would be fun, see how fast it breaks. No Lubrication is a plus.

well, at a minimum, if you're sprinting out of the saddle, the force on the chain is gonna be your bodyweight, plus a whole bunch.

i'm a pretty light guy, but i've got 65 pounds beat by a factor of two.

hmmm...that gives me a great idea: make chainrings and cogs out of cookies. Licorice handlebars! Pedals made from brownies! Oh my god - A GINGERBREAD BIKE!

be careful Serbaside...run two brakes if you're gonna test that thing. I wouldn't even mess with it. Call me an old-fashioned moron, but I prefer to use metal. Greasing it and cleaning it is fine by me. Less environmental impact too than using a plastic POS. I'd love to stay and discuss this more, but my pretzel frameset is almost done baking. ;)

oo, I just found this
http://www.putnamprecisionmolding.com/putnam2.htm
the #35 chain (3/16") out of "Delrin" (some kind of plastic) broke at 136 Ibs

I was wrong about "Pitch" its the distance from pin to pin

']hmmm...that gives me a great idea: make chainrings and cogs out of cookies. Licorice handlebars! Pedals made from brownies! Oh my god - A GINGERBREAD BIKE!

be careful Serbaside...run two brakes if you're gonna test that thing. I wouldn't even mess with it. Call me an old-fashioned moron, but I prefer to use metal. Greasing it and cleaning it is fine by me. Less environmental impact too than using a plastic POS. I'd love to stay and discuss this more, but my pretzel frameset is almost done baking. ;)

Haha, ya I ride brakeless normaly
Plastic just is not substitute for metal (at least for now).

Why would you do such a thing?

It also elongates under load, fun!

It also elongates under load, fun!

Are we still talking about chains here?

I've lately looking at plastic chains, but the problem is they are ment for light loads.
At this website they have a 1/4plastic chain (size of the chain is called "pitch" 1/4"=.25")
https://sdp-si.com/eStore/

The particular ones I am looking at have a tensile load of 65 pounds. Now, the question is does anyone have any clue how much force is being applied to the chain? I'm sure its more a lot than 65.
They go up to 173 pounds but thats for 1/2''

The thing is the chain will only end up being around $10 (100 links), so just testing it would be fun, see how fast it breaks. No Lubrication is a plus.

Let's say you weigh 160. If your crank arm is twice as long as the radius of your chainring and you stand on one pedal to start on a hill then your tension is 320 lbs. for the instant before you start to move. Then there is the stretch and the wear rate. I'd stick to steel.

There are belt drive bikes, though. Not fixies AFAIK.

Are we still talking about chains here?
Haha, You got me! :eek:

i am sure that no one has thought of using plastic chains, tried them, and realized via horrible experiences that they are a bad idea.

that was sarcasm.

Plastic Chain? It sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

So did a cloth frame until someone made the first carbon fiber bike. Well maybe the 2nd or 3rd, because that first one probably cracked or delaminated and just about killed the test pilot.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a non-metal chain in a few years that can be successfully used for race applications. I expect it will also be expensive and probably not as durable as steel--that's just the way these things go. But it'll be lighter, maybe shift better. That's what the weight weenies need.

you'd have to use the 1/2" pitch as thats the pitch of cogs and rings excepting shimano's 10mm and 1" old block chain.
i don't understand why you would want a plastic chain...
steel suits me just fine

So did a cloth frame until someone made the first carbon fiber bike. Well maybe the 2nd or 3rd, because that first one probably cracked or delaminated and just about killed the test pilot.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a non-metal chain in a few years that can be successfully used for race applications. I expect it will also be expensive and probably not as durable as steel--that's just the way these things go. But it'll be lighter, maybe shift better. That's what the weight weenies need.

I think Zipp makes a wheel with ceramic ball bearings that are lighter, better tolerance, and more durable than steel. I thought one other bearing part was ceramic too.?