Chain Suck - It Sucks

stumpyjon

Had bad chain suck today, doesn't happen very often. Managed to hold the pedals on one of the occaisions it happened to find the chain was about to wrap around on itself on the small front sprocket.

What causes chain suck? I''ve got a new chain (SRAM PC991 hollow pin), new XT cassette, and XT crank & sprockets (not new 12 months old, 500 miles).

I don't usually suffer from it, only thing I can think of is that I didn't clean and lube the chain after the last ride (which I normally do but didn't seem worth it last as the chain was pretty clean). Really pissed me off today, every time I was spinnig fast on a steep uphill the chained jammed and stopped me.

Thoughts?

nicklouse

worn chain or chain rings.

teacherman

Not always nick.

Have had it on a brand new bike! Shifting into granny ring. Try lubing the cables etc.

skyliner

Burrs on the granny ring and dirt are combining to lock the new chain onto one of the teeth.
New granny, and possibly middle ring. Go for steel. Cheaper & long lasting.

nicklouse

teacherman wrote:

Not always nick.

Have had it on a brand new bike! Shifting into granny ring. Try lubing the cables etc.

Ok rephrase it teeth patterns/profiles that are not up to spec.
Oh and damaged chains as well.

cunning-stunt

Or,to throw another spanner in the mix,just that one small particle of grit that attaches itself to your drivetrain..

Clean thoroughly..

stumpyjon

Cheers guys. That confirms it my my mind, lack of chain cleaning from the last ride coupled with wet trails and lots of grit (with a bit of worn chain ring thrown in for good measure). I cleaned it all properly after the last ride, I'll see if it happens next time I go out, if it happens again I'm going to have to convince the missus I need new chain rings (on top of a new chain, rear cassette, forks service and replacement shifter cables already paid for this winter), not looking forward to that , she already thinks my one year old bike is costing more to keep on the road than the car. I can hear it now, you never replaced anything on your old bike and you had that for ten years, so much for the new 'expensive' bike (difference is that I've actually ridden the new bike in the last year, nearly all off road in drivetrain destroying environments, wish me luck!).

At least I can show her this thread.

cheers.

dave_hill

Dear Mrs Stumpy Jon

Please let Jon have some new bits for his bike. If you don't, you may find that he's hanging around the house looking lost and getting under your feet. This is because he can't play out with those other strange thirty-something blokes who feel the need to go out in the hills and roll around in the muck at weekends.

I realise that you may feel that all this spending is not necessary, but at least if he's spending it on the bike he's not spending it in the pub or the bookies.

Oh, and we said he could anyway.

Dave ;-)

artillerydave

nice one, my wife thinks all bike parts are £9.99, never ever take them to a bike shop, and always do your bike mag reading in the toilet (only place you won't be disturbed) that way they won't see the review of the £9.99 new suspension forks you bought that actually cost £349 !!!!!

stumpyjon

but at least if he's spending it on the bike he's not spending it in the pub or the bookies.

Yeah, I've used that one a few times, a new set of chains rings will probably cost less than the average night on the lash (especially now I'm a gold customer on Wiggle with 5% discount , just got to work up to the platinum level for a 10% discount, if I just spend a bit more think of all the money I could save with 10% off ).

dave_hill

stumpyjon wrote:

Yeah, I've used that one a few times, a new set of chains rings will probably cost less than the average night on the lash

Exactly! Where can you go for a decent knees-up for £9.99? AND it will still seem like a good idea the morning after!

europeandy

show her this thread, but for fecks sake dont let her see your sig

stumpyjon

Well Nick was right :oops: , went out again yesterday and as soon as it got muddy the bl**dy chain started to mate with itself on the small sprocket. Got a new one today, only cost £13.99 so it was nearly the proverbial £ 9.99 (just snuck in a bottle of Hope Sh1t shifter, crank bolt wrench and a Park hollowtech bottom bracket tool so it actually came to nearer £ 40, and the missus was with me ).

litwardle

I just don't tell my missus. She doesn't know the difference between one bike part and another. I did a frame swap a few mothes age, it sat in the dining room for a week before she said "Have you painted your bike?"

Lee

The Big Cheese

litwardle wrote:

I just don't tell my missus. She doesn't know the difference between one bike part and another. I did a frame swap a few mothes age, it sat in the dining room for a week before she said "Have you painted your bike?"

Lee

LMAO - legend