Really annoying chain slap..

J_Hale

Just a quick question..

How in the hell do I stop my chain etc making such a racket out on the trails? Ive got a neoprene chain guard thing but it still slaps all over the place when getting abit spirited downhill, mine makes so much more noise than anyone else's.

Any advice?

nicklouse

bike is a?

The Rookie

Put it in the biggest ring at the front to lit the chain away from the stay and ad a little tension via the rear mech.

Ouija

And if your a religious non cross chainer who never attempst to go to the big/big combinations then you can simply shorten the chain a little.

I never set my chain length so the derailleur is correct in the big/big combo (like your supposed to) but set it so it's correct in the big front and 4th from biggest cassette ring at the back as i'd never try and climb past this point before jumping to the middle ring at the front (used to cross chain when i was a noob, but i learned my lesson after wearing out too many chains and cassettes prematurely over the years). The end result is a slightly shorter, tighter chain that doesn't jump about and slap things and gives more reliable shifting.

Wouldn't let my friends ride my mountain bike though, as they do cross chain and would end up ripping my derailleur off.

rockmonkeysc

Use an old innertube instead of a neoprene chain stay protector, much more effective.
You could use a Bionicon chain guide or if you have 10 speed fit a mech with a clutch.

whitey161

get a rear derraileur with a clutch. So a SRAM type 2 or Shimano shadow+.
Ive been using my brothers bike while mine is being sprayed and it doesnt have a clucth mech, mine does. God did i notice how loud it was!! sounds like the thing is going to rattle to bits!!!

Chunkers1980

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Use an old innertube instead of a neoprene chain stay protector, much more effective.

You think? :?

lostboysaint

For the sake of £20 you can get a decent mech with a clutch on it. (Assuming you run Shimano)

The Rookie

Chunkers1980 wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Use an old innertube instead of a neoprene chain stay protector, much more effective.

You think? :?

In that you don't hear a noise when it slaps, yes!

rockmonkeysc

lostboysaint wrote:

For the sake of £20 you can get a decent mech with a clutch on it. (Assuming you run Shimano)

SRAM have clutch mechs as well as Shimano but you need 10 speed to run Shimano or SRAM.

neilus

Found this while trying to eliminate chain slap:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS1jQ9qJ_uQ
I made one but never used it, slipping into big front chainring seems to quieten things down and i dont really notice it anymore!

rockmonkeysc

Big chain rings are the work of satan. I don't think I have had one in five years now. Wouldn't ever go back to more than one front chain ring.
Getting in the big doesn't really help when you need to crank out of tight turns or get up short, sharp uphill sections in the middle of a descent.
A lot of the chain noise usually comes from the chain rattling on the front mech.

Lewis A

The Rookie wrote:

Chunkers1980 wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Use an old innertube instead of a neoprene chain stay protector, much more effective.

You think? :?

In that you don't hear a noise when it slaps, yes!

They're good, but it isn't pleasant to take them off after more than a year, muddy/sh*tty water gets in and smells bad.

lbalony

Get some 15mm pipe from plumb centre, comes in 3 metre lengths. Put it in the two biggest rings. Measure in 1cm in from where the chain meets the teeth so get the upper length. Then the same with the bottom. Break the chain with a chain tool. Thread the tubes onto the chain and reconnect. Jobs a good un. Chain tubes.

rockmonkeysc

Lewis A wrote:

The Rookie wrote:

Chunkers1980 wrote:

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Use an old innertube instead of a neoprene chain stay protector, much more effective.

You think? :?

In that you don't hear a noise when it slaps, yes!

They're good, but it isn't pleasant to take them off after more than a year, muddy/sh*tty water gets in and smells bad.

I have never had that problem. Wrap it tight and water shouldn't get in.

J_Hale

Thanks for all the advice!

I'll whack an inner tube around my frame, keep the bugger on the big ring and probably invest in a clutched mech!

I've been thinking of going 1x10 aswell, would I need a chain guide/tensioner to keep things running smooth?

paul.skibum

J_Hale wrote:

Thanks for all the advice!

I'll whack an inner tube around my frame, keep the bugger on the big ring and probably invest in a clutched mech!

I've been thinking of going 1x10 aswell, would I need a chain guide/tensioner to keep things running smooth?

No if you get a NW ring and a clutch mech - to be honest I run mine with the clutch off most of the time and it still stays on fine. Noise wise, some bikes are just louder than others - my Bronson was a pretty quiet bike on rough stuff even with 3x10 - with 1x10 its whisper quiet vs the blood pounding in my ears anyway!

Angus Young

paul.skibum wrote:

I run mine with the clutch off most of the time and it still stays on fine.

Is there some advantage to running with the clutch off?

rockmonkeysc

Angus Young wrote:

paul.skibum wrote:

I run mine with the clutch off most of the time and it still stays on fine.

Is there some advantage to running with the clutch off?

I have found that it shifts just as well with the clutch on or off. The only disadvantage to having the clutch on is it does have a minor effect on the rear suspension because my bike has a lot of chain growth on full compression.

Chunkers1980

Wrong post!

paul.skibum

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Angus Young wrote:

paul.skibum wrote:

I run mine with the clutch off most of the time and it still stays on fine.

Is there some advantage to running with the clutch off?

I have found that it shifts just as well with the clutch on or off. The only disadvantage to having the clutch on is it does have a minor effect on the rear suspension because my bike has a lot of chain growth on full compression.

I find mine shifts slicker with the clutch off - so was trying it off and didn't have any issues. In theory it doesnt effect shifting and may have been in my head but definitely seemed easier going through the replacement 16t and 42t on my range expanded cassette.

Ulysses

I run a N/W - thick/thin chain ring with clutched rear mech (wide ratio Zee) and even with the clutch on it shifts on the button every time. Its all in the head and the thumb ... with the clutch on you have to press a little harder to move the mech is all.
Since going clutched mech there is hardly any chain slap, theres still a little in the two high gears where the chain sits so close to the chain stay but a rubber protector does its job there and keeps the noise down.

So, a clutched rear mech and a soft/rubber protector will make things nice and quiet