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What causes this?

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Old 04-18-23, 03:35 PM
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What causes this?

This is from a donated bike so I don't know the history. 1 x 7 schwinn cruiser type bike with the symptom being a "juddery" feeling, present on all rear cogs but progressively worse as you approach the smallest cog. I took the chain guard off to find what is pictured. Chain shows little wear using the chain gauge. I took the chain off and it doesn't have any stiff links. I have checked the RD for alignment and it is OK, and the jockey wheels are running smoothly. I don't have another chain to try; what I think I am feeling is the chain vs. front gear as it leaves the gear. Is this chain shot even though it doesn't show it on the gauge. Thanks!
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Old 04-18-23, 03:55 PM
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What you've taken a photo of there is extreme chain wear. You'll also need to replace the freewheel, and honestly i'd take a good hard look at the chainring too.
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Old 04-18-23, 04:39 PM
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+1 on the extreme chain wear. But in the odd chance it is not...It could be a 1/8 (4/32) chainring being too wide for a 3/32 chain.

In either case, a new proper chain is in order.

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Old 04-18-23, 04:53 PM
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an extremely Low Quality Chain, Lousy chain lube(if any) and obvious Neglect.... with a chance of a bent tooth or chainring... but all that offset pictured leads me to think it's that chain... !

set a new chain around the chainring,,, pull it tight.... then try to pull it outwards from the mid point opposite the end... see if it lifts more than 1/2 a tooth height... if so, then the ring is shot.

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Old 04-18-23, 04:57 PM
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[QUOTE=base2;22864082But in the odd chance it is not...It could be a 1/8 (4/32) chainring being too wide for a 3/32 chain.

In either case, a new proper chain is in order.

Cheers.
[/QUOTE]
Just worn. Observe how the links mesh with the cog at the bottom. If the chain were too narrow, it couldn't have been used long enough to cause elengation, unless, maybe, diabolically, it was worn out on a different bike and then transferred to this one.
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Old 04-19-23, 07:56 AM
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Chain ring is worn if you are sure the chain measures within spec. Perhaps the previous chain was used well beyond time to replace and that wore out the ring and probably some of the rear cogs too.
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Old 04-19-23, 09:37 AM
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Originally Posted by louky
This is from a donated bike so I don't know the history. 1 x 7 schwinn cruiser type bike with the symptom being a "juddery" feeling, present on all rear cogs but progressively worse as you approach the smallest cog. I took the chain guard off to find what is pictured. Chain shows little wear using the chain gauge. I took the chain off and it doesn't have any stiff links. I have checked the RD for alignment and it is OK, and the jockey wheels are running smoothly. I don't have another chain to try; what I think I am feeling is the chain vs. front gear as it leaves the gear. Is this chain shot even though it doesn't show it on the gauge. Thanks!
Clearly a case of a severely worn chain or chain ring. You say the chain is OK by your chain checker. I suggest getting out a ruler and measuring the chain. It should be less than 1/8" elongated in 12" original length (1% elongation). The current spec is actually 0.5% elongation (1/16" in 12") but with these low quality setups, and 7 speed, 1/8" is OK. You have way more issue than that.
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Old 04-19-23, 12:26 PM
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Originally Posted by KerryIrons
Clearly a case of a severely worn chain or chain ring. You say the chain is OK by your chain checker. I suggest getting out a ruler and measuring the chain. It should be less than 1/8" elongated in 12" original length (1% elongation). The current spec is actually 0.5% elongation (1/16" in 12") but with these low quality setups, and 7 speed, 1/8" is OK. You have way more issue than that.
I did as you suggested; the chain is 3/8"+ too long in 12". Maybe I am using gauge improperly?
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Old 04-19-23, 03:34 PM
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Originally Posted by louky
I did as you suggested; the chain is 3/8"+ too long in 12". Maybe I am using gauge improperly?
Perhaps a photo of you use of the chain wear gage? Andy
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Old 04-20-23, 08:41 PM
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Originally Posted by louky
I did as you suggested; the chain is 3/8"+ too long in 12". Maybe I am using gauge improperly?
Extremely worn chains may yield a false "good" because the checker is hitting the roller closer to the "hook" end. I always have a steel rule on hand in addition to the chain checker.

Look this video about the 2:50 mark and will see the tool bouncing off the closer rivet.

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Old 04-21-23, 06:04 AM
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Originally Posted by louky
I did as you suggested; the chain is 3/8"+ too long in 12". Maybe I am using gauge improperly?
Forget the chain gauges and use a humble ruler as shown below:

Bicycle: Measuring Chain Wear using a 12-Inch Ruler

The ruler does not lie!
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Old 04-21-23, 07:23 AM
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Originally Posted by JoeTBM
Extremely worn chains may yield a false "good" because the checker is hitting the roller closer to the "hook" end. I always have a steel rule on hand in addition to the chain checker.

Look this video about the 2:50 mark and will see the tool bouncing off the closer rivet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXd-3UnqoaM
Thanks Joe: That must be what happened to me. The visual really helps in understanding.
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Old 04-21-23, 07:34 AM
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That's an old schwinn, love that Ashtabula crank.
My bad, not a single speed! the front sprocket will be fine, the rear not so much.

Last edited by Schweinhund; 04-21-23 at 07:42 AM.
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Old 04-21-23, 09:48 AM
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Originally Posted by JoeTBM
Extremely worn chains may yield a false "good" because the checker is hitting the roller closer to the "hook" end. I always have a steel rule on hand in addition to the chain checker.

Look this video about the 2:50 mark and will see the tool bouncing off the closer rivet.
That checker isn’t showing a “false good” at all. The “bouncing” of the hook end is because the mechanic is moving the checker to illustrate that the chain is worn beyond 0.75%…well beyond at that. The chain checker in that video shows that the chain is obviously worn. The only way that measurement would show a “false good” is if the person doing the measurement didn’t know how the tool worked. No steel rule is needed to further check the results.
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Old 04-21-23, 11:57 AM
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Originally Posted by cyccommute
That checker isn’t showing a “false good” at all. The “bouncing” of the hook end is because the mechanic is moving the checker to illustrate that the chain is worn beyond 0.75%…well beyond at that. The chain checker in that video shows that the chain is obviously worn. The only way that measurement would show a “false good” is if the person doing the measurement didn’t know how the tool worked. No steel rule is needed to further check the results.
I definitely fell into the category of not knowing how to properly interpret the tool results. A mistake I won't make again! I am getting bikes donated to me to fix and forward to an organization that serves unhoused people. The typical bike I get donated has not had many miles put on it. They are cheap bikes that get ridden until they don't shift or they get a flat or the chain comes off. They then go into the (hopefully) garage or backyard and sit for an number of years until the owner get sick of looking at it. I was too quick in checking the chain without thinking through it, and I think before I took the chain guard off to see how it was acting on the chainring.
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