I removed a link in my chain last night and slammed the wheel up against the seat post. I've read that this can improve handling and make it more nimble. Did I do a good thing? Are there draw backs other then changing a tire? ...and how does my chain slack look?

Chain is too slack. Makes no difference in changing a tire, as that the wheel is removed either way.

You will experience MASSIVE reductions in air resistance. Palpable improvements to performace!

You probably will gain like 5mph easy.
Your chain is too tight. Add a couple links.
I'd definitely switch a more aero tire.

I c wat u did there an ha

but seriously....

My chain breaker is cheap chinese ebay pos. I can't tell you how frustrating it was removing that one link. Nothing else happens to my chain until I buy a new tool

You know, your bike has these things called "track ends" and they're there to give you a means of tensioning your chain (aside from removing links of course).


Use them. Stop being silly and worrying about some meaningless street cred factor. An inch between your tire and seat tube means nothing.

Also, buy a better chain breaker.

Removing a link will be too much. Just pull the wheel back.

OP if you get anything from the tread, do this^

If for some reason you really have to be more aerodynamic, and the only way to do it is to reduce the drag from your low end high spoke count rear wheel: get a regular old water bottle and cage on your downtube. In one well shared test you save almost 1 minute over 40km.

Half-link ftw.

So you're saying I need more slack?

Maybe. That chain has real thick plates so I'm not sure how well a half-link will fit.

He needs to let some air out of his tire so it can get slammed more, duh.

-1 + 1/2 = -1/2

this is still happening on the internet?

They're messing witcha. They sensed blood in the water and struck.

Less slack than you have, just not totally taught.

I'm always glad when I can provide some entertainment. the reason I got inspired to do that was to try to get rid of the creaking sound when I pedal. tightened the crank arms so I'm guessing it's the bottom bracket.

How on earth did you think the creak was coming from the space between your tire and seat tube...?


What the **** did I just read.

Creaking can be anything. Could be it was because the chain was too tight, but that's just a matter of adjusting it properly (ie, half inch of slack). If the creak's still there, oil the poor chain. If it's still there, make sure you bolts holding the chainring to the crank spider are tight. When that doesn't work, see if you've got some play in the crank arms - leaning over the bike, pull and push on both cranks simultaneously - just pulling the bolts tight won't fix this if you've worn the spline and a crank is jammed slightly off centre.

Thing is, although you need to do all this, the creak is probably somewhere else. Saddles are notorious - with Brooks it's compulsory (but of chain oil under the adjusting nut fixes that one). Seat posts can creak, as can head sets if not adjusted properly or tight. Just about anything on a bike can creak, including some things that aren't supposed to like frame tubes ... when a crack is developing or other such imminent disaster. More often than not though, the source of the creak will be the last thing you think of and it will be either simple to fix or ridiculously difficult. What it is NOT going to be, is your bottom bracket, despite that being a popular place to point fingers (cue a dozen people all telling us how their bottom bracket was making all the noise).

Basically, your bike as shown in the photo is not set up properly. Why? Because the chain is too slack. Adjust it. Oil it. Then ride it and work out what's happening. Does it creak when you pedal hard and stop when you're merely rolling the pedals over (assuming it's fixed gear, coast if it's freewheel). Does it still do it when you're standing (if not, it's the seat or seat post). Does it do it when you pull on the handlebars. Geddit? Look for the circumstance and then look for the cause.

Now we can all go back to having fun ... can't we?

Or a pedal.

KMC makes a half link for specific use with K710 chains.

But would you buy 120 of the things to make a half link chain?

What ^