This is a new one to me. My Redline 925 fixed gear I got this fall has been a delight, a virtual Frigidaire of a bike. I've put around a thousand miles on it. Here's the weirdness: the drivetrain was slightly noisy when I got it, but has gotten quieter and quieter, and is now virtually silent. There's still some meshing noise when I fixie brake a bit, but not much. Not done anything but lube a couple or three times with White Lightning (usually an oil guy, but got a bottle for cheep). I've dialed in the chain tension to spot on of course, it's just almost binding in the tight spot of the rotation.
What gives? Did KMC make the chain just a bit tight and it broke in? What? It's very palpable, especially when standing. Now I can stand and rip and there's no drivetrain noise.
This is a new one to me. My Redline 925 fixed gear I got this fall has been a delight, a virtual Frigidaire of a bike. I've put around a thousand miles on it. Here's the weirdness: the drivetrain was slightly noisy when I got it, but has gotten quieter and quieter, and is now virtually silent. There's still some meshing noise when I fixie brake a bit, but not much. Not done anything but lube a couple or three times with White Lightning (usually an oil guy, but got a bottle for cheep). I've dialed in the chain tension to spot on of course, it's just almost binding in the tight spot of the rotation.
What gives? Did KMC make the chain just a bit tight and it broke in? What? It's very palpable, especially when standing. Now I can stand and rip and there's no drivetrain noise.
Not like I'm complainin', it's just odd!
"Almost binding" is pretty tight. Maybe too tight. Rapid wear would have turned down the volume at 1000 miles.
On Fri, 2 Feb 2007 06:41:01 +0100 (CET), landotter
may have said:
This is a new one to me. My Redline 925 fixed gear I got this fall has been a delight, a virtual Frigidaire of a bike. I've put around a thousand miles on it. Here's the weirdness: the drivetrain was slightly noisy when I got it, but has gotten quieter and quieter, and is now virtually silent. There's still some meshing noise when I fixie brake a bit, but not much. Not done anything but lube a couple or three times with White Lightning (usually an oil guy, but got a bottle for cheep). I've dialed in the chain tension to spot on of course, it's just almost binding in the tight spot of the rotation.
What gives? Did KMC make the chain just a bit tight and it broke in? What? It's very palpable, especially when standing. Now I can stand and rip and there's no drivetrain noise.
Not like I'm complainin', it's just odd!
I think it's the sprockets that have worn in, not the chain. I'd check the chain for wear just to be safe, though.
-- My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail. Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature. Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.
This is a new one to me. My Redline 925 fixed gear I got this fall has been a delight, a virtual Frigidaire of a bike. I've put around a thousand miles on it. Here's the weirdness: the drivetrain was slightly noisy when I got it, but has gotten quieter and quieter, and is now virtually silent. There's still some meshing noise when I fixie brake a bit, but not much. Not done anything but lube a couple or three times with White Lightning (usually an oil guy, but got a bottle for cheep). I've dialed in the chain tension to spot on of course, it's just almost binding in the tight spot of the rotation.
What gives? Did KMC make the chain just a bit tight and it broke in? What? It's very palpable, especially when standing. Now I can stand and rip and there's no drivetrain noise.
Not like I'm complainin', it's just odd!
I've found that the "goop" that they put on chains doesn't keep them very quiet. I had some gear noise on the Campy 'cross bike I built until I lubed it the first time. Then it was totally silent. I would imagine White Lightning would take longer to reach the point where the chain goes silent.
This is a new one to me. My Redline 925 fixed gear I got this fall has been a delight, a virtual Frigidaire of a bike. I've put around a thousand miles on it. Here's the weirdness: the drivetrain was slightly noisy when I got it, but has gotten quieter and quieter, and is now virtually silent. There's still some meshing noise when I fixie brake a bit, but not much. Not done anything but lube a couple or three times with White Lightning (usually an oil guy, but got a bottle for cheep). I've dialed in the chain tension to spot on of course, it's just almost binding in the tight spot of the rotation.
What gives? Did KMC make the chain just a bit tight and it broke in? What? It's very palpable, especially when standing. Now I can stand and rip and there's no drivetrain noise.
I'm betting that at the 'tight spot' it was too tight and it has stretched to now being not too tight.
On Feb 2, 7:34 am, "Qui si parla Campagnolo" <[email hidden]>
Quoted message said:
I'm betting that at the 'tight spot' it was too tight and it has stretched to now being not too tight.
I'm betting you're wrong. There never was a "tight spot" only the spot with less slack. Been riding fix and single speed for years and years, and I'm rather obsessive about chain tension and centering the chainring and such. Even in the tightest spot of rotation, I'll never ever have a chain under any tension, at the loosest spot, you could probably derail it...with a screwdriver. All three of my LBS's, on the other hand, insist that a fixed gear bike should have the chain *under tension*, which just goes against common sense.
I'm gonna write this one off as a "lube and polish" issue. The White Lightning, for all its warts, is doing a better job than the initial lube, and the machining on the chainring contact surfaces has gotten worn in.
This is a new one to me. My Redline 925 fixed gear I got this fall has been a delight, a virtual Frigidaire of a bike. I've put around a thousand miles on it. Here's the weirdness: the drivetrain was slightly noisy when I got it, but has gotten quieter and quieter, and is now virtually silent. There's still some meshing noise when I fixie brake a bit, but not much. Not done anything but lube a couple or three times with White Lightning (usually an oil guy, but got a bottle for cheep). I've dialed in the chain tension to spot on of course, it's just almost binding in the tight spot of the rotation.
What gives? Did KMC make the chain just a bit tight and it broke in? What? It's very palpable, especially when standing. Now I can stand and rip and there's no drivetrain noise.
Not like I'm complainin', it's just odd!
The sprocket wears, and you'll probably find a new chain is quieter than the old one was to begin with. Some sprockets start much quieter than others; EAI are the best I've tried.
I don't know how a new fixie setup with perfect chainline and even a bushingless chain can be noisier than a derailleur setup, but it often is.
I don't know how a new fixie setup with perfect chainline and even a bushingless chain can be noisier than a derailleur setup, but it often is.
I've noticed that as well. Could the lateral stiffness of a SS chain be an issue with the noise? One of my single speeds has an 8 speed chain on it, and it's really quiet compared to the SS chains I've used on it.
No worries really, I'm being silly and complaining that I don't have a complaint. Even my 30 y/o women's Sports, which has a vintage bushing'ed chain, has a silent drivetrain. Good stuff.
I'm glad as I was considering springing for a nicer cog to silence the thing.
On Feb 2, 7:34 am, "Qui si parla Campagnolo" <[email hidden]>
Quoted message said:
I'm betting that at the 'tight spot' it was too tight and it has stretched to now being not too tight.
I'm betting you're wrong. There never was a "tight spot" only the spot with less slack. Been riding fix and single speed for years and years, and I'm rather obsessive about chain tension and centering the chainring and such.
OK, easy there, be sure to write Andy also, he also thought it 'might' be too tight.
Even in the tightest spot of rotation, I'll never
Quoted message said:
ever have a chain under any tension, at the loosest spot, you could probably derail it...with a screwdriver. All three of my LBS's, on the other hand, insist that a fixed gear bike should have the chain *under tension*, which just goes against common sense.
I'm gonna write this one off as a "lube and polish" issue. The White Lightning, for all its warts, is doing a better job than the initial lube, and the machining on the chainring contact surfaces has gotten worn in.
I'm betting that at the 'tight spot' it was too tight and it has stretched to now being not too tight.
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
I'm betting you're wrong. There never was a "tight spot" only the spot with less slack. Been riding fix and single speed for years and years, and I'm rather obsessive about chain tension and centering the chainring and such.
Qui si parla Campagnolo said:
OK, easy there, be sure to write Andy also, he also thought it 'might' be too tight.
Quoted message said:
<[email hidden]> wrote: Even in the tightest spot of rotation, I'll never
Quoted message said:
ever have a chain under any tension, at the loosest spot, you could probably derail it...with a screwdriver. All three of my LBS's, on the other hand, insist that a fixed gear bike should have the chain *under tension*, which just goes against common sense. I'm gonna write this one off as a "lube and polish" issue. The White Lightning, for all its warts, is doing a better job than the initial lube, and the machining on the chainring contact surfaces has gotten worn in.
Not seeing the bike, I still think it was the most reasonable explanation. Of course we aren't there, either.
-- Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971
