Originally Posted by
FBinNY
Actually, this isn't strong enough. I needs slack at all times. Since sprockets are eccentric a tight chain can bend axles since it has no give. The ideal "tension" is no tension, with a bit of slack in the tightest position of the eccentric sprockets.
OTOH- if there's any tension as the chain runs (not counting driving tension in the upper loop), the chain will wear faster and establish the slack it needs in short order -- hopefully not by bending the axle.
so whats a folky way of checking chain tension? like the equivalent of plucking spokes? im not yanking on the wheel extremely tight when its in the drop outs. im just aligning it and then pulling tight enough for there to be no sag in the top of the chain line. if i bounce the wheel the chain dips down and then back into place. thats good enough right? i see some dude rolling around town with a really droopy chains, but they usually look like scruffy hipsters on beat up peugeot conversions...