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Best chain for 1/4" difference in chainline??

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Best chain for 1/4" difference in chainline??

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Old 04-23-15 | 09:13 PM
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Best chain for 1/4" difference in chainline??

Have a kids bike that already had 4 to 5 mm difference in chainline. Adding a 13t sprocket to the rear, which won't be "offset" [ in the proper, original direction]... so the chainline will now be 6 to 7 mm from being perfectly straight.

Both sprockets are 1/8" width, but I'm willing to use a grinder on both of them if a 3/32" chain would be best.

To pre-emptively answer some questions...

No, I can't move the front sprocket any farther inward. And I'm fairly certain that I can't move the rear sprocket any farther outward without going back to the original 18t, which I really don't want.

Would a single speed 3/32" chain be better than a multi-speed 3/32" chain? Or should I just stick with the 1/8" chain until i wear it to shreds?
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Old 04-23-15 | 09:41 PM
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Why aren't there any options available other than the ones you mention?

To answer your question about 3/32" chains, a multi-speed chain will be more flexible as it has to handle offset chainlines. The grinder idea is all sorts of wrong in my opinion.
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Old 04-23-15 | 11:29 PM
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A chainline being off by 4-5mm will not "wear your chain to shreds" unless your chain tension is insanely tight.
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Old 04-24-15 | 05:59 PM
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1/8" chain on 3/32 cog and ring. gawd how many times do i have to say this.
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Old 04-24-15 | 06:30 PM
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This many:

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Old 04-25-15 | 08:49 AM
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Originally Posted by sickz
1/8" chain on 3/32 cog and ring. gawd how many times do i have to say this.
Is that positive or negative?
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Old 04-27-15 | 05:04 PM
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Originally Posted by tuxxdk
Is that positive or negative?
it's a positive. compensates for approx 2.5mm of misalignment.
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Old 04-27-15 | 09:56 PM
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Originally Posted by sickz
it's a positive. compensates for approx 2.5mm of misalignment.
Ok great. I run 1/8 chain and cog, but 3/32 ring due to recycling of old parts. Don't know whether I should upgrade the ring to 1/8, but I guess it's no rush then
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Old 04-28-15 | 04:58 AM
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Taras, I already explained why there's nothing I can do. The front chairing cannot be moved any father inward. The frame doesn't permit anything larger or father in, which is where the rear cog is -- inward. It's a kid's bike. Just the way it is.

As for the rear cog, going from 18t to 13t is moving the challenge father inward. I don't know any way to adjust that besides cutting the spindle nuts in half or something.

I'm trying to find out if sickz' stance remains the same -- 1/8" chain on 3/32" sprockets is better than multi-speed 3/32" chain for 1/4" or more of play.... His suggestion only accounts for about 1/16" off an inch (just over 1.5 mm), considering the bike originally came with 1/8" chain. Would'nt a multi-speed chain suit me better?
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Old 04-28-15 | 01:31 PM
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Originally Posted by DoctorBuzz
Taras, I already explained why there's nothing I can do. The front chairing cannot be moved any father inward. The frame doesn't permit anything larger or father in, which is where the rear cog is -- inward. It's a kid's bike. Just the way it is.

As for the rear cog, going from 18t to 13t is moving the challenge father inward. I don't know any way to adjust that besides cutting the spindle nuts in half or something.

I'm trying to find out if sickz' stance remains the same -- 1/8" chain on 3/32" sprockets is better than multi-speed 3/32" chain for 1/4" or more of play.... His suggestion only accounts for about 1/16" off an inch (just over 1.5 mm), considering the bike originally came with 1/8" chain. Would'nt a multi-speed chain suit me better?
3/32 rings with the "too big" 1/8 chain creates some beneficial slop.
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Old 04-28-15 | 04:18 PM
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Originally Posted by SquidPuppet
3/32 rings with the "too big" 1/8 chain creates some beneficial slop.
*too wide. i wouldnt define it as slop as that suggests the presence of backlash.
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Old 04-28-15 | 04:29 PM
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Originally Posted by DoctorBuzz
Taras, I already explained why there's nothing I can do. The front chairing cannot be moved any father inward. The frame doesn't permit anything larger or father in, which is where the rear cog is -- inward. It's a kid's bike. Just the way it is.
Why is the cog not in line with the chainring then? Did you do something to the wheel?
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Old 04-28-15 | 04:56 PM
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Originally Posted by sickz
*too wide. i wouldnt define it as slop as that suggests the presence of backlash.
Side slop, not slack.
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Old 04-28-15 | 05:08 PM
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OP, post a pic of the rear hub. I'm having a really hard time visualizing what you are saying.
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Old 04-29-15 | 08:11 AM
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dish the wheel, and/or space the hub asymmetrically to compensate.
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Old 04-29-15 | 10:16 AM
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I'm sorry but It makes no sense to me for anyone to recommend the tiny difference in putting a 1/8" chain on a 3/32" ring to try helping a way-off chainline. 1/8 chains are meant to be stiff & straight while 3/32 or 7-8-9-speed chains are built to be flexible & solve the very problem OP describes. Hell - are none of you here aware of the wide chainline swings you get with 2-3 front rings & a multi-gear freewheel/cassette? A helluva lot more than 1/4".

Get yourself a 3/32" (or multispeed) ring, cog, & (or 9-speed) chain - problem solved...
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Old 04-30-15 | 01:16 PM
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The original hub was garbage, so I did replace it with a KC hub/wheel... And there's no way I'm about to dish it.

And as far as I could tell, the 13t cogs w/ 3 splines only come in 1/8" width, plus there's a one piece crank with 1/8" chairing that I have no desire to replace... hence, why I said I'll just grind them down.

I think the multi-speed chain is really all I need. Thank you, Sam!
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