Originally Posted by
79pmooney
I'd pull the wheel back to get less than 1/4" at the tightest.
Originally Posted by
FBinNY
Your chain is too slack. Pull the wheel back with the chain in the tightest position and take out most of that 1/2" of sag leaving only a vestigial bit, so the chain is never under tension.
I'm really surprised to read this. OP says that when rotating the cranks without load, the chain is silent. But when he mashes the sound appears. That is the exact symptom I have experienced from a too tight chain.
1/4" seems mighty snug to me. That's like up 3mm and down 3mm.
Carry on.