Originally Posted by
FBinNY
If this is a single speed the chain should NEVER be under under tension. Perhaps this is your problem.
Chainrings, especially steel cottered crank chainrings are always a bit eccentric. That means that the tension will vary as you pedal. The correct adjustment is that whereby the chain still is slightly slack at the tightest position.
Rotate the cranks with a finger pushing the the middle of lower loop up slightly and feel where that the chain is tightest (most straight against finger pressure). At that point the there should be enough slack for the middle of the lower loop to freely move up or down 1/8" or so (min,). Or you can test for chain slack by rocking the crank back and forth a few degrees and you should be able to see the transfer of slack between the lower and upper loops.
Again, since slack will vary, do all measurements where it is least.
The chain is not currently tight in any sense. Just looking at it you can see the slack. This is what leads me to believe it could afford to be a bit tighter.
I'm thinking maybe the chain might be dirty and is creaking but I wonder if it would even be possible for a chain to only squeak at the same point of rotation. It seems less likely of the wheels being the problem. They're only a few months old and the previous wheels were s rough that I think I learned every possible way a wheel could make noise. Ha.
I've actually considered that perhaps the pedal is the culprit. Part of me feels like this happened once before but I can't recall what I would have done to fix it.