Hello folks, first of all, I am new here. BUt I have a chain question.

Before the question, here is a little back ground info. I have a single speed bike, the rear has a ratchet style drive (forgive my lack of technical names for everything). I recently bought a new chain ring for the crank. The chain ring came off of a multi-speed bike, though. I managed to do some hack sawin, grinding, and filing to get it to go on my crank (it is larger than the original ring). I bought the ring (which was still attached to a crank) from a man at a local bike shop. After I got the chain ring on, bearings greased and reinstalled, I called to see if he could sell me some chain. He couldnt' at the time, so I plan to go tomorrow, but he said if I wanted I could go to walmart and buys some. He warned me to NOT get multispeed chain, as it would not work for my application. BUt as far as I Could tell, the only difference in the chain on this paticular bike, and all the multi-speed bikes in my garage, is the width of the chain. the diameter of the rollers is the same, the center to center distance from each roller is the same (I beleive this is called pitch, someone please correect me if I am wrong).

So finally, my question. Why would mutlispeed chain not work?

The main reason I'm asking is that I plan to attempt to convert this to a two speed some time, so I figured knowing more about the types of chains would be some handy knowledge.

Thanks in advance,

Nic

Traditional derailleur bikes used 3/16" wide chain, whereas traditional single-speeders used 1/4" wide chain. The thickness of your sprockets determines whether you can get away with a the narrower chain.

Well, the sprocket I took off mysingle speed fit nicely on a peice of 3/16" chain on 21 speed bike in my garage.... would it hurt to have 1/4" chain on a multi speed, as long as the chain doesn't get stuck in a bind between sprockets?

There are two widths of chain: 3/32" and 1/8". 3/32" is what derailleur setups use, period. Some track setups use it as well, but 1/8" is the traditional. It's also the standard BMX chain width. On top of that, a single speed specific chain will not have plates designed to work with shifting like a 3/32" derailleur-intended chain. It's that last part that he's probably warning you about. It's not usually a problem but there is some chance that putting a multispeed chain on there may allow it to "shift" off into space.

Without knowing any better, you can always fit a 1/8" on though if you have 3/32" components it may be noisier.

Noise is not an issue for me.

But if I put 3/32" chain on, couldn't I probably attach something else to help guide the chain (like a derailluer, except a stationary one), and therefore keep it from "shifting off into space?" (I assume by that you mean derailling the chain from a sprocket, and landing on my crank or something).

Are the multispeed chains just made to handle a little bit more missaligtment, and that's why it could shift off to nothing?

Yes, you could use a chain tensioner, whether it's a derailleur or a purpose-built tensionor like the Surly Singleator. In general it's going to be more cost or effort than it's worth since any shop will have a BMX chain for cheap. That will help a bit but the real issue is that if your chainline is out of 100% straight it might "encourage" a shift.

As for the 2nd question, no multispeed chains are designed to lift free from a spocket or chainring easier than dedicated single speed chains. They're actually designed to mate with the pins and ramps on a multispeed drivetrain but there's a chance that they'll still derail easier than a SS-specific chain in a SS application, handling less misalignment.

That s inside width. Outside width also matters with cogsets.

Why don't you just use the right chain for the application,unless you got a boatload of them free.

Sydney, you have no imagination; anybody can fix something with the correct parts. Fixing something with the wrong parts -- or no parts -- takes ingenuity. Heck, when I was a kid we were so poor I had to keep my bike running with snot and toothpicks.

I'm a cobber too.Sometimes it just makes no sense.

That's my issue, I'm trying to figure out which chain is the right chain, seeing as how I had a wide chain to start with, but my new chain wheel was from a mutispeed bicycle, and thus had the narrower chain.

I'm sure if I fiddled arround with it enough, either one could work, but one would probalby work better.


Alright, that makes sense, I think. Adding to my problem of allowances of chain missalignment, the center-to-center distance from my crank to my rear wheel is qutie short.... so even less tolerance. D'oh!


Nic

True, but this is a single speed application so it doesn't matter.

If you have a wide cog on the back,then you need the wider,inside width, chain for it.

It matters if he has a wide cog on the back and is trying to use a narrow insde witdth chain on it.

Multispeed chains are designed to handle misalignment, or else there would be excessive binding in a multispeed application. that's the whole thought behind modern bushingless chains, they tolerate flex better.

Well, I just put a 1/8" inside width chain on. Fits just fine. I messed with the slack in the chain for about 10 minutes, it seems to be healthy. The front chainring looks like it is just a tad warped (upon spinning it, it wobbles off to one side just a small bit, maybe at the most, the width of the chainwheel it's self)., I may work on that later, but it is still very rideable (and much of a workout!). Front is 49 teeth (unless I was off by one, I only counted once), and rear is 16.

I'll see if I can get some pictures up soonish. I'll also get the calipers out and make an official measurement of the width of my chain rings.

Thanks for the help,

Nic

That's not really true. 1/8" is standard for freestyle, but 3/32" is standard for racing.