Whatever happened to chain suck?

noodleman
noodleman Posts: 852
edited March 2012 in Workshop
Thinking back to my early cycling days. I remember buying my first mountain bike, a Raleigh blue ridge or something.
Had it a few days before the dreaded chain suck dragged the chain onto the chain stay and tried to eat it. Same thing happened to my first roadbike.
Haven't had this happen for over twenty years now. Were bikes just crap quality back then or have I just been lucky of late?
argon 18 e116 2013 Vision Metron 80
Bianchi Oltre XR Sram Red E-tap, Fulcrum racing speed xlr
De Rosa SK pininfarina disc
S Works Tarmac e-tap 2017
Rose pro sl disc

Comments

  • estampida
    estampida Posts: 1,008
    where do I start

    the main changes are the chain in profile of chaining, they have shift pins and cutaways that do not increase the chance of Chain Suck (CS) in the old days the were just stuck on anywhere

    although cassettes are getting bigger (10 - 11 sp?) people tend to run a 2 ring set up, again the chain line is not at the extreme for CS

    people have learnt not to drop on to the granny ring half way up a steep climb and expect the gears to actually change

    main spring tension on rear mechs is far greater than it was 20 years ago

    bike chains are way better than they were 20 years ago, as with the rest of the drive chain modern computer design has helped iron out issues, 10 speed chains are certainly very flexable

    short cage front mechs are no longer for sale they probably caused some of the issues

    but most carbon frames and some alloy (like my mates tomac) still have
    protection plates down behind the granny ring just in case, so it must still happen,
    but what those people have done to their drive train to cause it feck knows,
    but I bet they sprint uphill and change down gears, then wonder what has happened........... :D

    i could go on...........
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,392
    Get yourself a worn drivetrain and you ll find it again, alternatively by a Middleburn chainring and ride it for 30 seconds - that ll wear it out and you ll get some.

    More common on MTB's as they wear much faster, and often more unevenly...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver

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