School me on single speeding

[Lewis Moon]

OK, I just got an SSCX specific frame, now I need to set it up. I'm using road wheels for the time being. What I really need to know is how much tension on the chain and whether I should to use a wider eight speed chain.

Any good resources out there for info?

[p nut]

Common misconception that wider chains are stronger. Simply not the case. I typically use SRAM 9xx, but 8xx chains have also worked well.

Tension - not too tight, not too loose. :) Best/fastest way to tension (if you have track ends) is to hold the bike up, get behind the bike, put your hand in between the seat tube and the wheel and push back gently, then tighten the nuts down with your other hand. There will be loose and tight spots so spin the wheel to make sure it spins freely. If not, center the chainring and/or loosen the tension.

And perhaps the more important thing is to get the chainline right.

http://forums.mtbr.com/singlespeed/chainline-math-738755.html

[Schmed]

I run my SS 29er chain looser than a guitar string, but tighter than a wet noodle. It should give just a bit, but not enough to sag sideways.

By the way, I ran the Sram PC-1 chain for a while, and that thing STRETCHED a lot. I switched to KMC (710) and it barely stretches at all.

[Lewis Moon]

I'm figuring on using an 8 speed chain to address any small chain line issues. I'll also be using QRs because the work fine so it'll be easier to tension the chain.

[Lewis Moon]

I run my SS 29er chain looser than a guitar string, but tighter than a wet noodle. It should give just a bit, but not enough to sag sideways.

By the way, I ran the Sram PC-1 chain for a while, and that thing STRETCHED a lot. I switched to KMC (710) and it barely stretches at all.

KMCs have been my go to chain for years.

[illuminaught]

It's easy to get track end chain tensioners to ensure slip protection... But its usually not necessary with properly cleaned ends and decent skewers.
Tight enough to not slap around but to so tight as to cause friction.

[11.4]

You really want to get your chain line right. With all the junk you pick up on your chain, don't count on avoiding a derailment by using a more flexible chain. If anything, I'd go with a traditional single-speed 1/8" chain just to protect against derailing. It's correct that a 1/8" chain isn't necessarily stronger than a 8-9 speed narrower chain -- in straight line drive -- but there is a lot more pin available to protect against twisted links on the 1/8" chain and in my experience fielding a lot of cross racers, the 1/8" chain does actually do better. On 3/32" up to 11 speed chainrings, it also leaves more room around the chainring teeth to eject crud and not jam up.

Chain tension should give you about 3/4" up and down movement mid-span in the chain. Less and you wear out your freewheel fast (plus everything else). You may be able to do looser, which also tolerates more crud in the system and (at least to trackies) feels smoother, but the basic test is to rotate the crank slowly and use a wrench or something like that to try and push the chain off the chainring. If you can't derail it with that, you won't have it do it on its own.

I wouldn't recommend using track chain tensioners. If you have to change wheels fast, they are painfully slow. They also collect more mud at the stay ends.

[beeatnik]

40mile hammerheadz ride with this set up:
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7467/16305368882_c2c2aa9988_b.jpg

Less tension than usual but as 11.4 mentions more souplesse! The chain is Sramz PC-1. I mean, why not, the suckers are about 2 bucks each.

[11.4]

40mile hammerheadz ride with this set up:
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7467/16305368882_c2c2aa9988_b.jpg

Less tension than usual but as 11.4 mentions more souplesse! The chain is Sramz PC-1. I mean, why not, the suckers are about 2 bucks each.

Nothing wrong with that chain tension. As I said in my post, you can go lower than the basic rule, as long as you can't derail the chain with a wrench or other device. Personally I go very loose. Like this bike, or even a bit more.

Let me add, by the way, that if you want to use a 3/32" class chain, Shimano track mechanics will tell you that the best chain they ever found for 3/32" track setups was the Shimano Hyperglide HG-51. I've used them and have set them up for a number of riders who wanted to ride 3/32, and yes ... they last forever, they never break, and they have a slightly different roller configuration that makes them amazingly smooth. They aren't dirt cheap but worth it if you don't want a 1/8" chain. However, for cross, I'd still recommend a 1/8" chain on 3/32" cogs -- it's a bit noisy but it clears dirt a lot better and you aren't as likely to jam and break stuff on a single speed like with a newer 10 or 11 speed chain.