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My SS chain wont fit!!! please HELP!!

784 views 14 replies 9 participants last post by  farrisw1 
#1 ·
Hi

Ive started building my first jumps bike and the wheels come with ss cog on it and ive got a new chain for it but it wont fit, it ends up being either to short or if i put another link on its to long so do i need to get a chain tensioner or something to sort it out??????

Thanks very much
 
#6 ·
farrisw1 said:
try a different chain, I couldn't get an 8 spd chain to work (either too long or too short) on my 1x1 but a SS specific works fine....at least with the ratio I'm running
Surly frames have sliding drop outs thats why you dont have any problems. I suggest a non spring loaded tensioner. When I ran a SS I had both a half link and a Tensioner and I preferred the tensioner.
 
#8 ·
farrisw1 said:
try a different chain, I couldn't get an 8 spd chain to work (either too long or too short) on my 1x1 but a SS specific works fine....at least with the ratio I'm running
Okay, you made me look. How could the width of a chain have anything to do with the length? an 8 speed chain has links 3/32" wide and 1/2 inch from pin to pin (adjustments can be made in 1 inch increments). A SS specific chain has links 1/8" wide, but has the same 1/2 inch from pin to pin. unless you have a half link or a half link chain (a chain made entirely of half links) there is no way a SS (1/8") chain can be made shorter or longer than an 8 sp chain. :confused: :eek: :confused: :eek: :confused: :eek: :confused: :eek: :confused: :eek::confused: :eek: :confused: :eek: :confused: :eek: :confused:
 
#9 ·
aka brad said:
Okay, you made me look. How could the width of a chain have anything to do with the length? an 8 speed chain has links 3/32" wide and 1/2 inch from pin to pin (adjustments can be made in 1 inch increments). A SS specific chain has links 1/8" wide, but has the same 1/2 inch from pin to pin. unless you have a half link or a half link chain (a chain made entirely of half links) there is no way a SS (1/8") chain can be made shorter or longer than an 8 sp chain. :confused: :eek: :confused: :eek: :confused: :eek: :confused: :eek: :confused: :eek::confused: :eek: :confused: :eek: :confused: :eek: :confused:
Dude, i was as confused as you are :confused: I'm not sure what was going on but here's what happened: I've been running a Sram PC-1 on another SS bike with a tensioner and when I built this 1x1 I just moved the chain over to it. The chain was a bit old so I decided to throw a new chain on there for a trip i was taking so I bought another PC-1, bc I like that chain and have never had any problems with it, but I also bought an 8 spd chain bc alot of guys on here swear by em and I wanted to try it out. So, i go to put the 8 spd on first and make it the same length as the old PC-1....but for some reason it's too short, it wont even connect together even with the hub all the way forward in the dropouts.....easy fix right, add a link...but then it's so long that as I pull my wheel back in the dropouts the brake rotor hits the bottom of the caliper before the chain gets tight! So after standing there looking at it for 15 min or so wondering if I'm the stupid one or it's the chain I pull out the new PC-1, cut it dwn, put it on and it works fine, just like the old PC-1. I dunno what was going on or why the PC-1 works and the 8 spd doesn't.....it's strange to me too!!!
 
#10 ·
Vtolds said:
Surly frames have sliding drop outs thats why you dont have any problems. I suggest a non spring loaded tensioner. When I ran a SS I had both a half link and a Tensioner and I preferred the tensioner.
I think you misread my post....I actually DID have problems with the 8 spd chain vs. the SS specific chain. See my response to akabrad below for the explanation
 
#11 ·
farrisw1 said:
I think you misread my post....I actually DID have problems with the 8 spd chain vs. the SS specific chain. See my response to akabrad above for the explanation
I did miss read it when I replied. But it is racking my head why it doesnt work. If you count the links do they come out the same at the same length? I would just stick with the SS specific chain. They are much thicker and stronger than a normal geared bike chain.
 
#12 ·
Vtolds said:
I would just stick with the SS specific chain. They are much thicker and stronger than a normal geared bike chain.
Thicker, yes, but not stronger. The width of a chain has nothing to do with it's strength. Most bike chains will have around 3,300 lbs force until they fail, and the generally superior steel and heat treatment in multispeed chains makes they longer lasting.
 
#13 ·
Vtolds said:
I did miss read it when I replied. But it is racking my head why it doesnt work. If you count the links do they come out the same at the same length? I would just stick with the SS specific chain. They are much thicker and stronger than a normal geared bike chain.
HaHa, I am NOW racking MY brain as to why it doesn't work either. At the time I just needed to get it together so I didn't put much thought into it but now after this thread I'm going to go back and see what the hell the deal is!! They SHOULD fit the same, length wise that is.....
 
#15 ·
robc in wi said:
Maybe it has a Gusset made cog. See my frankenbike roadblock thread for details.
Dunno what cog the OP is running but mine is a Surly...saw your thread, sounds like you just have to run 1/8 chains on their cogs. Both my ring & cog are 3/32 so the 8 spd chain mates with the teeth just fine but thats not really the issue at hand....at least not in this thread.
 
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