Chain tension/creaking?

Dunston_checks_in
Dunston_checks_in Posts: 78
edited August 2012 in Workshop
Ok. I have a problem with a creak on my bike that doesn't seem amenable to the usual fixes. I have stripped/greased everything I can possibly think of from the chainring bolts to the headset to the track ends (it's a Pearson singlespeed) to the saddle rails to the BB and well... everything. But the creak is still there and it's driving me bananas. Now, after all this, I THINK I have tracked the noise down to the chain, and specifically to tension in the chain. The reason I say this is because of all fixes I've tried, the thing that seemed to make the most difference was when I refitted the chain slightly tighter than usual and the noise actually got worse.

The obvious answer would seem to be to slacken off the tension on the chain (which admittedly does seem to help with the creak). However, I run the bike on a White Industries ENO freewheel which seems to have really shallow teeth. I find that unless I run the chain tight (and I mean really tight) there's a risk of it shedding when peddling hard over bumpy-ish ground (which has actually happened to me twice in traffic - squeaky bum time ).

SO, two related questions:
1) Any bright ideas on how to fix the (apparent) chain creak?
2) Any bright ideas about chain tension on an ENO freehub? My gut feeling is that my chain is still too tight but I don't want to risk it shedding under pressure again.
The user previously known as Sea_Green_Incorruptible.

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Comments

  • sark716
    sark716 Posts: 45
    I had a similiar creaking on my old Raleigh Pro-Race.

    Turned out to be loose spokes in on the wheels.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    chain tension. about 1/2" of vertical movement in the center of one of the runs of chain.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
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