I'm an Idiot
06-27-07 | 08:25 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,694
Likes: 9
From: Eastern Tennessee.
Bikes: 2012 MotorHouse road bike. No. You can't get one.
I'm an Idiot
Well, for the past couple months (3-4 or more), my bike has had strange noises, clickings, or indiscriminate vibrations. It felt as if something was loose...down there 
I never could pinpoint it. At first, I thought it was my carbon frame cracking. Then, my cassette wasn't on tight enough (it wasn't...but the noises continued). Maybe my rear derailleur was out of alignment (I re-installed and adjusted it tonight). Maybe my entire crankset was loose? (I cleaned and re-installed that a couple weeks ago.)
Last night, the noises got worse. My chain started skipping from the large chainring (53-tooth) to the small (39) and back again, never really staying put. Made for an interesting training race. Maybe a broke a tooth on the chainring, or something is majorly loose down there. So, desperately, I took it in to the LBS tonight.
Chain was worn out...way out...way, way out. New Ultegra 10-sp chain, tested on a local 12-14% hill, no noise, no problems. I'm an idiot. So simple.
(I had been checking for chain wear using the ruler method, but that doesn't work if it's not too precise. I didn't know that. Shop manager put my old chain on floor next to a new one. Older one was a good 1/2-inch longer. . Luckily, my cassette only has about 1,000 miles on it, and I couldn't get any chain-jumping testing it out on that hill. So hopefully, it'll be good to go at Manhattan Beach.)
I never could pinpoint it. At first, I thought it was my carbon frame cracking. Then, my cassette wasn't on tight enough (it wasn't...but the noises continued). Maybe my rear derailleur was out of alignment (I re-installed and adjusted it tonight). Maybe my entire crankset was loose? (I cleaned and re-installed that a couple weeks ago.)Last night, the noises got worse. My chain started skipping from the large chainring (53-tooth) to the small (39) and back again, never really staying put. Made for an interesting training race. Maybe a broke a tooth on the chainring, or something is majorly loose down there. So, desperately, I took it in to the LBS tonight.
Chain was worn out...way out...way, way out. New Ultegra 10-sp chain, tested on a local 12-14% hill, no noise, no problems. I'm an idiot. So simple.
(I had been checking for chain wear using the ruler method, but that doesn't work if it's not too precise. I didn't know that. Shop manager put my old chain on floor next to a new one. Older one was a good 1/2-inch longer.
. Luckily, my cassette only has about 1,000 miles on it, and I couldn't get any chain-jumping testing it out on that hill. So hopefully, it'll be good to go at Manhattan Beach.)
06-27-07 | 09:18 PM
#2
Queen of France
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,799
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
Bikes: Look 565, Trek 2120
It's still not the chain. It really is your frame cracking. Give it to me for further analysis.
what size did you say?
06-27-07 | 10:17 PM
#4
Body by Guinness
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,326
Likes: 0
From: Irvine, CA
Bikes: Specialized Allez Pro; Cervelo P2 SL; Tsunami (Converted to Fixed Gear)
Always good to have another idiot around. Welcome to the club.
__________________
Fredo, you're my older brother and I love you...but don't ever take sides, with anyone, against the family again...ever.
Fredo, you're my older brother and I love you...but don't ever take sides, with anyone, against the family again...ever.
06-27-07 | 10:19 PM
#5
Over the hill
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 24,587
Likes: 1,356
From: Los Angeles, CA
Bikes: Pinarello Nytro, Momentum Transend
All that matters is you found the problem before it caused a problem. I have always used one of those chain guages. I'm sure a ruler is fine, and maybe even more accurate IF you do it properly, but this tool leaves no guessing.
edit: and you're not an idiot. An idiot would have refused to give in and let an LBS look at it, then would be posting a week later "So my chain snapped in the middle of the Manhattan Beach Grand Prix and I took out 20 riders"
edit: and you're not an idiot. An idiot would have refused to give in and let an LBS look at it, then would be posting a week later "So my chain snapped in the middle of the Manhattan Beach Grand Prix and I took out 20 riders"
