Track chain, bushing or non-bushing
almost fast
let it fall off while riding...
John Dacey
wrote:
>Where can I buy a bushing style track chain? I want to be sure not to
>let it fall off while riding...
You should avoid throwing the chain on a track bike regardless of its
construction.
Counting finish options, you'll find a selection of six chain models
with full bushings supporting their rollers on the "components" page
of the track section of our website. The manufacturers include HKK,
Izumi and Wippermann. All of them are in stock.
Take the scenic route through the website from the URL in the
signature lines below, or go direct to the track section of the site
at
http://www.businesscycles.com/track.htm, then "components",
then "chains".
-------------------------------
http://www.businesscycles.com
John Dacey
Business Cycles, Miami, Florida
305-273-4440
Now in our twentieth year.
Our catalog of track equipment: seventh year online
-------------------------------
almost fast
on (chain line, full tooth forms, tension). Bushing chains seem
stiffer, which I think also helps. What else?
Should I consider bushless chains if I get the rest right? The SRAM
PC1 I have seems awfully flexible and sloppy compared to an old
5-speed 3/32 chain I installed.
John Dacey <jda...@businesscycles.com> wrote in message news:<safobv41tljf5qt8v...@4ax.com>...
John Dacey
wrote:
>I know of a few ways to help improve the chances of keeping my chain
>on (chain line, full tooth forms, tension). Bushing chains seem
>stiffer, which I think also helps. What else?
>
>Should I consider bushless chains if I get the rest right? The SRAM
>PC1 I have seems awfully flexible and sloppy compared to an old
>5-speed 3/32 chain I installed.
Lateral chain stiffness has been a quality long prized by track
riders. I've given this subject some thought and, although it may be
heretical to suggest, I'm not so sure anymore that lateral stiffness
is by itself a significant virtue. In fact, in situations where the
bike's chainline is compromised, a laterally flexible chain may
actually tolerate the resulting deflection better than a chain whose
lack of compliance expects and demands that the chainline be straight.
There are other considerations, however, that militates in favor of
chains that are resistant to side-to-side flex where the chainline
*is* accurate. However, the lateral stiffness may be less a desirable
trait in itself than the result of other characteristics that make the
chain stiff. Since Sheldon has made it "Latin Month" on r.b.t., beware
of the fallacious logic of "ad hoc, ergo propter hoc" reasoning.
The rollers of chains that are supported by full bushings will
generally have higher load carrying capabilities than bushingless
chains whose rollers are borne by bulges stamped into their inner link
plates. Since many track events put large peak loads on the chain
(standing-start time trials, sprinting, etc.), fully bushed chains
should ordinarily be more capable of dealing with those loads than
bushingless ones in these circumstances. The bushings will minimize
the lateral flexibility of the chain.
Additionally, most modern bushingless chains designed for multi-speed
use have had their link plates bulged, bevelled, chamfered, contoured,
cut away and otherwise shaped to actually make it easier for the chain
to slide off the gear to which it's currently engaged. That's
obviously not a welcome feature in a track bike. The ideal link
profile for a track chain will be a shape that helps keep the links
captive on the sprockets they engage (rather than to facilitate
shifting), and the resulting generous link proportions may also
restrict side flex in the chain. That there are limited choices of
3/32" chains that fit this description any more and that have fully
bushed roller support is what likely keeps 1/8" drivetrain parts the
predominant format chosen by track riders.
ant
> I know of a few ways to help improve the chances of keeping my chain
> on (chain line, full tooth forms, tension). Bushing chains seem
> stiffer, which I think also helps. What else?
>
> Should I consider bushless chains if I get the rest right? The SRAM
> PC1 I have seems awfully flexible and sloppy compared to an old
> 5-speed 3/32 chain I installed.
if you used google to check the ng, yould see this link from the
previous thread of the same name
http://www.damonrinard.com/chain_stiffness.htm
speaks to all your questions, i think.
cheers
anthony
almost fast
Thanks! That looks like good info.
Wonder how modern track chains compare? I can measure the ones I've
got (SRAM and a few others). Can anyone measure ones I might consider
buying? HKK? IZUMI? Wippermann?
TIA!
almost fast
So, just to make sure I understand, you're recommending several chain
features for a track bike chain, and if the chainline is good, you're
also recommending a stiff chain, right?
Any chance you could measure some of the chains you sell as in that
link? Sorry, I don't have the URL at hand right now...
John Dacey <jda...@businesscycles.com> wrote in message news:<qgrqbv0gam9jn0lli...@4ax.com>...
John Dacey
wrote:
>Thanks for the info.
>
>So, just to make sure I understand, you're recommending several chain
>features for a track bike chain, and if the chainline is good, you're
>also recommending a stiff chain, right?
In a properly aligned frame where the combination of crank, bottom
bracket and hub work in concert to provide a straight chainline, I
suggest that you use a chain with precision rollers running on full
bushings and that has link plates whose shapes haven't been
manipulated to facilitate shifting. In general, if you find a chain
that satisfies these two characteristics, it will likely also be
relatively resistant to lateral flex. That the chain is stiff isn't
necessarily an intrinsic virtue (and may be counterproductive if the
chainline is off), but rather just a result of other features (bushed
design, full link plate shapes) that are desirable in a track chain.
For what it's worth, I ordinarily also encourage people to stick with
chainrings, sprockets and chains whose nominal width specifications
are all the same (all 1/8" or all 3/32").
The Latin phrase I butchered in my first reply should have read "cum
hoc, ergo propter hoc"* (with this, therefore because of this). If a
rider fits a stiff chain on his track bike and finds it works better
than the one it replaced, he might erroneously think that the
stiffness alone made the improvement, rather than properly attributing
the changes to full bushings for the rollers and/or improved shape of
the link plates compared to his old one.
>Any chance you could measure some of the chains you sell as in that
>link? Sorry, I don't have the URL at hand right now...
I assume you're referring to the Damon Rinard pages. None whatsoever.
As noted above, I don't find stiffness alone to be the meaningful
measure of a track chain's usefulness.
* - Funny how my spellchekcer didn't catch this. Anybody else find it
curious that Sheldon B can apparently speak Latin like a native
despite his protests that he's not actually one of the gods?
>John Dacey <jda...@businesscycles.com> wrote...
>> On 10 May 2003 08:09:56 -0700, almos...@yahoo.com
http://www.businesscycles.com
John Dacey
Business Cycles
Miami, Florida
305-273-4440
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Now in our twentieth year.
Our catalogue of track equipment: seventh year online