Temperature and chain breaks
10-26-05, 05:21 PM
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Lepper Rocks
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Temperature and chain breaks
Hi, I'm not sure if this forum has dealt with temperature impact on singlespeed and fixed gear chains, although a search on "temperature" and "chain breaks" didn't yield anything. This year is the first time I'll be riding my fixie in winter. I like my chain really tight and it worked well throughout the summer. This week, with the temperature going down by about 20 degrees F, I had my first chain break. I'm wondering if the two events are related. If so I guess I'll move the back axle a smidgen to accommodate for chain contraction. Does anyone have a similar experience? Thanks!
10-26-05, 07:49 PM
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I've never had any problems with that. I wonder...... seems to me that your chain would actually stay warmish what with all the friction, but that's only once you get started, so I dunno.
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10-26-05, 08:04 PM
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I don't think temperature had anything to do with it. I think you tightened your chain too tight. People have ridden single speed bikes in the Iditabike race up in Alaska and although I could be mistaken, I don't think broken chains were much of an issue. Besides, you said temperatures dropped 20 degrees - that is insignificant from a metallurgy standpoint.
10-26-05, 08:59 PM
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temp could probably drop 120 with little effect on the metal. The lube is another story, but I strongly doubt temp. has anything to do with your chain breaking.
10-27-05, 07:16 AM
#6
aka mattio
Originally Posted by treechunk
I've never had any problems with that. I wonder...... seems to me that your chain would actually stay warmish what with all the friction, but that's only once you get started, so I dunno.
lube tries to make friction go away. you wanna approach mu-sub-naught equals zero, you know what i'm sayin?
i'm sayin that there's not enough friciton to get that chain warm.
