Originally Posted by
OjaiYoda
what is the ideal chain stretch?
Chains don't stretch, they sort of "erode" on the inside as you ride. See what Sheldon had to say about this.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chains.html [5th item down the list]
Originally Posted by
psirue
I wouldnt bother with vertical drop outs, unless you're going singlespeed; at which case, I'd run a chain tensioner like a DMR or One-One or Rennen instead of trying to find a magic ratio.
^This is also excellent advice