Thanks! now I just hope it's not way too big

Chain keeps falling off my Kilo. I'm using a Shimano 600 crankset to a... BB with a short spindle? Bike shop first said it was because I was mating the wrong chain width to the chainring, and then it was because I wasn't giving enough tension to the chain. Got the appropriate chain, and got rid of the slack. It still comes off when the tension goes. I never had a chain fall off because it was "too" slack in my previous builds. They said the BB looks fine. Thoughts?

A really bad chainline could be the culprit.

New to SS/FG, been running a 16t freewheel for the past couple of weeks, FG side of hub empty (45t chainring). Thinking of putting a 17t cog on the FG side. I've got the dropout space to accommodate the different cogs and I think my reasons for wanting the 17 are sound.


My question: Why would I *not* want to do this?

None. Enjoy.

Hi,

I have a flip flop track hub on my fixie with a 17 tooth fixed cog on one side, and 17 tooth freewheel on the other side. Was thinking about taking the freewheel off and putting a 18 tooth fixed cog on the other side. Will this work? I don't want to ride a suicide hub, but am not sure if there are lockring threads on the freewheel side. Domost flip flop track hubs allow this?

Dave

A lot of hubs only have lockring threads on one side. It's dumb and annoying. You might be able to tell without taking the freewheel off just by taking a close look at that side of the hub.

Can't really tell. If there are lockring threads, they're covered up by the freewheel. I guess my lbs could take it off and save 181g off the total bike weight That's one way to know for sure.

Dave

So I was bored and decided to look at the manual for my Cinelli 1A stem and they say only grease the bolts and simply sandpaper the stem under the insertion line and inside the head tube. What in the fresh hell is this? Why would they say not to grease the stem as you normally would with any quill stem?

For those who don't know the specific stem I am talking about:
https://www.cinelli-usa.com/cinelli-...-bicycle-stem/

Quills don't insert into head tubes.

Look at where the freewheel is threaded onto the hub, is there any gap between the threads on the hub shell and the actual freewheel? If yes than you can probably replace the freewheel with a cog and lock ring. If the threads engage with the freewheel completely then you can install a cog but no lock ring

I'm guessing it won't be possible since just about every wheel sold with a fixed/free hub only allows a cog and lock ring to be installed on one side.

The Sunlite seatpost I bought last November for my English 3-speed has a similarly curious admonition not to use grease:

Maybe it's a liability thing? Like they don't want to be blamed if someone uses a really thick coating of grease and doesn't tighten the bolt enough and crashes?

Whatever, I used grease. I know what I'm doing.

Correct, but I was quoting the instructions if I am not mistaken.

That is odd, I will most likely end up using grease because that is what you do but I will ask folks at work and see there take as well.

There's a certain logic here.

Greasing reduces the friction which keeps the stem aligned with the fork. This is easily compensated for by making it tighter, but that in turn increases the stress on the steerer.

We're in a litigious era, and their advice is safer (for the maker) because it reduces the risk of a ham fisted owner getting carried away and blaming them for any consequences. For my part, I disregard instructions and continue to use the basic tried and proven methods that served for a century or so.

I use a light grease or heavy oil as a corrosion barrier, and tighten "race tight" meaning only enough to reliably stay put in use, but loose enough to slip in a crash.

FWIW - I've seen all too many instances of heavy riders using a stiff grease or anti-seize product on the seat post, and ending up breaking the clamping ears as they try to get it tight enough not to slip. These days, when someone comes to me with a slipping post problem, I clean the post and seat tube to dry bare metal, apply grease to the inside of the seat tube 2" below the top. Slide in the post twisting to spread the grease as I insert it to depth, then align and tighten, being careful not to pull it back up. This yields dry metal or metal contact at the clamping area to prevent slippage, with grease below to prevent seizing.

Found out today the wheel can only have a fixed gear on one side. Bummer :-p

Dave

I have an old Surly double-fixed hub laced to a deep-V. The axle is stripped, and the rim is dented in several places.... would it be more economical to buy a new rear wheel or to have the axle replaced and laced to a new rim by the shop?

I'd probably just get a new wheel, unless you're really attached to that hub. For the cost of the new rim, spokes, and labor, you could probably get a pretty decent wheel.

+1, building a new wheel on a hub is typically more expensive than a new wheel. The added cost may be justified if the hub is special or very high end and pricey, of if you want some kind of special build which isn't easily found.

Given that your hub is garden variety, and needs a new axle to boot, you're definitely a candidate for a new wheel.

I currently have a 45t chainring, and 17t cog. If I go to a 44t chainring and 18t cog, would it be possible to keep the same chain without changing the length? Would the rear wheel stay in the same position too? I don't have a lot of room to move in the rear stay (it's a converted bike, no track ends).

Dave

45 + 17 = 62

44 + 18 = 62

I don't know what you mean by that. When I plug the gear values in for each combination into a gear inches table, I get the following:

45T X 17T = 70 gear inches
44T X 18T = 64 gear inches

Dave

What he was pointing out was that 2 sprockets that add to the same number would use the same chain length.

I didn't know about that, thanks for the clarification. Looks like I reached the same conclusion my own way, didn't know if the logic held. So would this mean the rear wheel would be in the same position in the rear dropout as my current gearing?

Dave

yes, since the the distance between the sprockets is unchanged, and chain used to wrap the outer halves is likewise unchanged, the total length needed is the same.

BUT the sprockets aren't the same size, so the upper and lower loops aren't parallel. As the sprockets change the taper angle changes so the actual distance also changes slightly. If all is right otherwise, that small difference can be accommodated within the range of slack that SS systems have anyway.

Thanks. Sounds like it will work, hopefully there is enough in my horizontal non-track dropouts :-o

Dave