How to have a PERFECT FIXED GEAR CHAIN TENSION? My magic trick
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- This is probably one of the top questions about fixed gear bikes: how to get a perfect chain tension?
Well, today I try to answer this question and also give you a magic trick.
Don't forget to sub!
Always find the tightest point of the chain ( midway along it's length). By moving the pedals slowly until you find it. This is the place that it must stay while you tension or you will over tighten the chain every time. Even brand new chains will have a tightest point.
It's worth spinning the crank through several revolutions whilst doing this, because the tight spot isn't necessarily an aspect of chain manufacture: it can be due to sprocket eccentricity. The point at which the two sprockets' eccentricities make the chain tightest might not only occur once every few crank revolutions.
And if you subscribe to the school of thought that required each of your sprockets to have a prime number of teeth, you might be turning that crank for hours to find the tight spot 😉
Great video! I don't know if my method is a magic trick or a terrible hack. I sit behind the bike and use two wrenches at the same time. I pull the wheel as far back as I can, and start tightening both nuts at the same time, while making sure that the wheel stays straight. The chain sometimes ends up slightly more loose than I wish. Then I try again, pulling the wheel back with a bit more force. I should probably try your method :D
Honestly, as long as it works it’s a good method 😁😁😁😁
I love the video inside the frame 😄
Chainrings and cogs are never perfectly round.. You have to adjust the tension to be perfectly slack in the area of rotation that creates the most tension... If that makes sense...
You’re right. Didn’t wanted to enter in so many details.
Could have gone all the way with roundness, co-centric chainring, etc
Hi. Can you find the area of rotation that creates the most tension by rotating the pedal counterclockwise? Hope for your kind reply. Thanks.
@@temiongcecilio the gear is fixed, so yes... You'll find the adjustment easily going forward or backwards..
Its no great mechanical mystery. Also listen to the chain as you adjust it. It has a natural inclination to be quieter in the sweet spot. Its easy once you find it. A nice aha moment. 😍
@@victorfixienerd 😍
Très bon tuto bon je préfère sans tendeur plus simple surtout maintenant que je flip flop en pf en fonction du terrain.
Par contre ce qui peut être chiant c'est quand ton plateau est parfaitement rond, faut bien chercher le point de tension le plus important pour le réglage.
Et sinon gaffe au doigt quand sa tourne surtout sur un pied d'atelier. Sa ma coûté un mois d'arrêt, de la chirurgie et j'ai failli perdre mon doigt.😅
Howcome you still dont have billlion subscribers? Keep it up, good videos!
Thank you 💪 it's a long journey to get there 😁 and I just wanna share my passion for now so let's see in a few years 😁😁
Best method for finding proper chain tension I've seen is to stick a rubber door wedge between the wheel and the seat stay.
Also its important to check the tension at different positions of the pedals, as the cogs are not perfectly round at least on regular bikes.
100% true 👌
Honestly forgot this as I am always doing the tension on the tight spot of the chain 😅
Only way to have perfect chain tension is to use a drive side chain tensioner set to not bind at the tightest part of the chain. That way you tighten the drive side 1st and the wheel will be perfectly straight in the dropouts. Doing it this way the wheel will be in a random spot every time, doesn't matter much for brakeless but if you run rear brakes it's annoying.
That being said if you aren't going to do it the pro track way with the drive side tensioner this is probably the best option #2.
I just put my thumbs on the ends of the dropouts, fingers around the ends of the axle, and push/pull, centre between chainstays, and then finger tighten both nuts at the same time. Then carefully tighten with the wrench alternating sides at first (or just use two if at home). Pulling basically as hard as you can in that awkward position seems to give a pretty good tension and this method is very quick.
That indeed works well too 👌
Flybikes make a tool to do this on a bmx, its like a wedge thing that goes between the frame and wheel. Dont know if it would work on a fixie cos of frame clearance but someone should make one that does
Handy tricks and tips. Thanks bruh 👌
Happy that you liked it 💪
How much torque in Nm recommended to lock the bolt rear wheel?
I know there is a real number, but most of the time I apply this method: tighten it as much as I am dumb 😁😁
Good stuff, can you do a short video and cover importance of finding tight spot in chain by rotating cranks/pedals.
I dont understand importance or what to consider once this tightness is discovered, it may be my not understanding comments fron one.
Hey John, thanks for your feedback.
It's indeed a very subtle difference. I will try to amend this video soon.
Cheers ;-)
can I put one only chain tensioner on my bike? or 2 chain tensioner is better?
I always put only one on the drive side.
You can put 2 but not needed ;-)
What tensioner are you using?
does having the chain too tight will make it to hard from skidding?
Hey, not sure I totally get your question 😅 but if you mean chain tight=hard to skid, not really honestly.
It's more a durability issue than anything.
A chain that is too tight is slower and wears faster. Tighten your chain fully and then spin the wheel and watch how fast it slows down to get an idea of why proper tension is so important. Most street fixed gear riders err on the too tight side. The sweet spot is called "track slack" with more play than a tight chain.
I need a beer after this.
🍻
is that a trek ?
Nope it's a Darkside 😎