Clump, pulp, et al.
 

So here:

I experience a 'clumpy' sort of feeling when I'm pedaling; it varies with chain tension... right now I have mine within the recommended (1/4-1/2") area, with minimal (but existent) play in the cranks. If I go tighter, the problem is worse... any looser and well, the chain's loose.

The noise/feeling is not the clicking associated with loose pedals. It's something I can feel through my shoes, intermittent enough to be annoying, more present when I'm really laying into it. A pulpy feeling that disrupts the smoothness of the stroke.

Several bike mechanics have told me that's just part of the ride, effectively saying that a smooth pedal rotation all the time isn't going to happen. The odd thing is, this happens on my newish Pista, but didn't occur on the beat up schwinn conversion I started out on.

Since at least some of you seem to share my perfectionistic neuroses, I was wondering: is this something you all 'live with'? Does it get worse for you when you run the chain so tightly that there isn't any play in the cranks whatsoever?

I plan on replacing my chainring, chain, and sprocket very soon, so perhaps that will solve it, if it is indeed solvable..

thanks

chain-ring bolts loose maybe? or chain-ring is not true?

#2, id say.

Part of the ride? Bull.

It's probably a case of your ring not being round enough or being off center. Get your bike up on the stand (or however it is you get the wheels off the ground to work on it) and slowly rotate your cranks. I'll bet you find that at one or two positions the chain is really tight. That feeling you're getting is actually a combination of the chain binding and the chain fluttering as it hits/leaves the tightest-most part of the rotation.

So to attain the smooth rotation/playless pedals combo, a new chainring is probably the best bet, eh?
The inconsistent tightness is definitely there... but it's a pain to have to compromise solid-feeling cranks (and run a looser chain) to avoid this.

Consult with Lord Sheldon. You may have some luck adjusting the centeredness of your ring as detailed near the bottom of http://www.sheldonbrown.com/singlespeed.html .

You may want to back off the chain just enough that at the tightest there is ever so little play in the chain. Enough that it's not binding. If it's not too loose at it's loosest, see how it feels when you get up on it.

Otherwise you could always get a high quality track ring which are manufactured to higher standards.