How far forward can I go?

[sjbraun]

Just put a new chain on my fixed gear bike this evening. The frame has forward facing horizontal drops. The wheel sits pretty far forward in the drops, though the wheel axle is still behind the end of the dropout. I have the bolts tightened down pretty firmly and I've never caused a fixed gear wheel to pull forward in the drops before, but I have to wonder if I'm setting myself up for problems by not having the wheel further back in the dropouts.
Any ideas for a not very mechanically inclined cyclist?

Steve

[David Kirk]

If the lock nut area of the axle is fully supported by the dropout you are good to go and there would be no advantage to going further back

dave

[Ray]

What Dave said, for sure. But, if all you changed was the chain, it shouldn't be notably further forward in the drops than it was with the last one - they don't stretch THAT much. Did you leave it a link short? Or did you change the cog or chainring too?

-Ray

[RPS]

Playing Devil's advocate: :rolleyes:

What Dave said is correct in that the amount of available friction is not improved by moving the wheel back.

However, there is one thing I would take into account if it were my bike. Static friction is normally much higher than dynamic (i.e. – once surfaces start to slide there is less grip), so we can reasonably expect that once a wheel starts to slip it can easily continue to slip until something stops it from moving further. This could happen whether you start from the back or the front of the dropouts.

Since slip would likely be on the drive side, I’d want to make sure that if the wheel slipped to the point that the tire hit the non-drive chainstay that the axle couldn’t disengage from the drive-side dropout. That’s the main advantage I see to having the wheel further back in the dropout.

[dvancleve]

Steve,

Is it safe to assume that adding a full link puts the axle too far back to tension the chain? If yes, half links are available in both 1/8" and 3/32". I have a 3/32" that I never used, PM me if want to try it out.

Doug

Just put a new chain on my fixed gear bike this evening. The frame has forward facing horizontal drops. The wheel sits pretty far forward in the drops, though the wheel axle is still behind the end of the dropout. I have the bolts tightened down pretty firmly and I've never caused a fixed gear wheel to pull forward in the drops before, but I have to wonder if I'm setting myself up for problems by not having the wheel further back in the dropouts.
Any ideas for a not very mechanically inclined cyclist?

Steve

[Tobias]

Steve,

Is it safe to assume that adding a full link puts the axle too far back to tension the chain? If yes, half links are available in both 1/8" and 3/32". I have a 3/32" that I never used, PM me if want to try it out.

Doug+ 1 Easy solution.

Either that or reduce chainring / cog combination by a tooth or two as needed.