first build

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Toothy

New Member
Mar 25, 2014
181
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0
San Diego
Well here she is....thanks again for the help folks. BTW....my bicycle chain is really loose but it looks like removing one link will be too tight. Cant get my head around it.



 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
63
Littleton, Colorado
Toothy,
I can't tell from your photos but do you have adjustment in your drop-outs to tighten the pedal chain? Does the bike have a derailer? If it is a single speed bike there should be a way to adjust the pedal chain tension. I see you're using a tensioner on the engine side so you have adjustment there.
Nice build, by the way. Congratulations.

Tom
 

Toothy

New Member
Mar 25, 2014
181
1
0
San Diego
Hey Tom,
The wheel is pushed all the way up in the drop outs. I guess in need to lower the wheel, remove a link and then push back up till tight?
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
63
Littleton, Colorado
Hey Tom,
The wheel is pushed all the way up in the drop outs. I guess in need to lower the wheel, remove a link and then push back up till tight?
If the drop-outs are horizontal then moving the axle 'back' will tighten the chain. If the chain is the original one I'm not clear on why it should be loose.
Is it a single speed bike or does it have external gears (multiple rear sprockets) or a cassette? If it has a multi-speed hub, internal gears, then the chain tension should be adjustable by moving the wheel back.

Tom

EDIT: Just thought about this. Could the frame have been for gears and have drop-outs that are not horizontal and you have installed a single speed or internally geared hub? Bikes with derailers and cassettes usually don't have horizontal drop-outs because the derailer takes up the chain slack.
 
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mapbike

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2010
5,502
109
63
Central Area of Texas
Some people set the engine drive chain up so that a tensioner isn't needed and then use the tensioner on the peddle side chain since it is only used for peddle starting engine and for applying the rear coaster brake if the wheel has one.

Just another idea that could be a fix for you.

Map
 

Toothy

New Member
Mar 25, 2014
181
1
0
San Diego
We'll I had a major scare and not sure if I've damaged the engine. I had the chain bind up in the clutch / drive sprocket and lock up the back tire while underway. I left about a 10 ft skid mark and was happy not to hit the dirt. I had a long walk home and was super bummed. It turns out that after shortening the peddle chain and adjusting the wheel in the frame it worked itself loose dropping out of position and creating excess slack. The chain got caught around the sprocket and scared the life out of me. I may need to add a tensioner to the other side too. I guess the chain stretched as I've heard they do. I hope the clutch is not damaged.
 
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GearNut

Active Member
Aug 19, 2009
5,104
11
38
San Diego, Kaliforgnia
Yeah, that will give you a oh *&^% moment!
The good news is that the sprocket, clutch and crankshaft gear are all located by a soft metal key.... for this exact reason. If anything in the drive line locks up unexpectedly the soft keys are designed to shear rather than have something strip or snap.
 

Toothy

New Member
Mar 25, 2014
181
1
0
San Diego
Yeah, that will give you a oh *&^% moment!
The good news is that the sprocket, clutch and crankshaft gear are all located by a soft metal key.... for this exact reason. If anything in the drive line locks up unexpectedly the soft keys are designed to shear rather than have something strip or snap.
Thanks Gnut,
Should I just get it set up and test it out or pull stuff apart.....don't want to do that or course.
 

GearNut

Active Member
Aug 19, 2009
5,104
11
38
San Diego, Kaliforgnia
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Get the chain unbound and tensioned properly and try to ride it. If something did get whacked internally you will know, then fix it.

Also, be careful with that chain tensioner. They have a nasty reputation of getting pushed inwards and into the rear wheel's spokes.

Here is a thread concerning tensioners that are much safer. I linked to the style that I made for my Atlas build, but I recommend reading the whole thread.
http://motorbicycling.com/showpost.php?p=355603&postcount=41

Also, I HIGHLY recommend NOT drilling any holes in the frame as some have suggested. A hole creates a weak spot that can easily propagate into a cracked frame.

Here is the whole thread http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=2063