PC-1 chain junk, or is it my sprocket?

Quoted message said:

This is one of those times I wished I had a Miche system and could
just flip the dang thing over.

D'oh! Can't flip it over, but I can certainly pedal it in reverse, and
it's equally noisy, thus unlikely to be the cog. I tried relubing with
WL (hey, only use it on cheap SS chains) and it's still sounds like
steam-punk animatronics. I guess I'll just have to get another nickel
plated KMC--cheap and decent.

landotter said:

Maybe 3K on this drivetrain, fixed gear. Measured chain yesterday,
there was 1/16" of stretch, so I grabbed an SRAM PC-1 at the LBS and
swapped it out this morning. There is no tension and no slack--dialed
in perfectly, but it's LOUD when it meshes with the cog.

Could it be that I wore out the cog in 3K?? It doesn't look worn short
of the plating being chipped a little. Also, the SS chain I took off
looks to be a 3/16" model and the PC-1 is a 1/4"--but shouldn't really
matter, should it? Or does this low end chain simply suck?

This is one of those times I wished I had a Miche system and could
just flip the dang thing over.

All fixie systems have a tight, then loose section. None provide the
same chain tension thruout the pedal cycle. I'm suspecting that the
'tight' section is a wee bit too tight, but I can't hear it. PLUS
using an 1/8 inch chain on a 3/32 cog CAN make for some noise as the
chain moves left/right. I would try a 3/32 chain and make sure the
tight section isn't too tight.

Qui si parla Campagnolo-www.vecchios.com said:

landotter said:

Maybe 3K on this drivetrain, fixed gear. Measured chain yesterday,
there was 1/16" of stretch, so I grabbed an SRAM PC-1 at the LBS and
swapped it out this morning. There is no tension and no slack--dialed
in perfectly, but it's LOUD when it meshes with the cog.

Quoted message said:

Could it be that I wore out the cog in 3K?? It doesn't look worn short
of the plating being chipped a little. Also, the SS chain I took off
looks to be a 3/16" model and the PC-1 is a 1/4"--but shouldn't really
matter, should it? Or does this low end chain simply suck?

Quoted message said:

This is one of those times I wished I had a Miche system and could
just flip the dang thing over.

All fixie systems have a tight, then loose section. None provide the
same chain tension thruout the pedal cycle. I'm suspecting that the
'tight' section is a wee bit too tight, but I can't hear it. PLUS
using an 1/8 inch chain on a 3/32 cog CAN make for some noise as the
chain moves left/right. I would try a 3/32 chain and make sure the
tight section isn't too tight.

Yeah, I'm betting it's just the chain width causing slop. The chain is
tensioned on the money, I'm stickler. I tried it a bit slacker than
I'm comfortable with and it made the same noise. Funny, I didn't even
think about checking to see if it was a narrow system.

I'll just pick up a narrow chain next time this one looks filthy. I've
had great luck with nickel KMC bmx chains, despite what people say
about them.

landotter said:

Maybe 3K on this drivetrain, fixed gear. Measured chain yesterday,
there was 1/16" of stretch, so I grabbed an SRAM PC-1 at the LBS and
swapped it out this morning. There is no tension and no slack--dialed
in perfectly, but it's LOUD when it meshes with the cog.

Could it be that I wore out the cog in 3K?? It doesn't look worn short
of the plating being chipped a little. Also, the SS chain I took off
looks to be a 3/16" model and the PC-1 is a 1/4"--but shouldn't really
matter, should it? Or does this low end chain simply suck?

This is one of those times I wished I had a Miche system and could
just flip the dang thing over.

1/2 x 3/16 chain is commonly used on 1/2 x 1/8 standard cogs. That's not
specifically the problem.
If you look at the cog face-on, especially if you have a new cog next to
it, extreme wear should be visible as an asymmetric tooth profile, a
wave form.
Then there are tight links, bent chainring teeth, etc.
Did you oil the new chain? That quiets them too.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

A Muzi said:

Then there are tight links, bent chainring teeth, etc.
Did you oil the new chain? That quiets them too.
--

All the teeth are fine, short of some nickel plate chipped off here or
there. I went ahead and double WL-'ed it, as I like to keep this guy
clean and SS chains are cheap. Quieted a bit. Still pretty annoying. I
usually run those cheapo KMCs and simply wipe out the "cosmoline" from
the outer plates with solvent, then ride for a couple months till it
gets noisy, then a degrease and a WL'ing. (I save the oil for
derailleur bikes ;-))

Thanks, Andrew, I'll just live with it till I can scrounge for a more
appropriate $10 chain. :-P

landotter wrote:
-chain noise-

Quoted message said:

A Muzi said:

Then there are tight links, bent chainring teeth, etc.
Did you oil the new chain? That quiets them too.

landotter said:

All the teeth are fine, short of some nickel plate chipped off here or
there. I went ahead and double WL-'ed it, as I like to keep this guy
clean and SS chains are cheap. Quieted a bit. Still pretty annoying. I
usually run those cheapo KMCs and simply wipe out the "cosmoline" from
the outer plates with solvent, then ride for a couple months till it
gets noisy, then a degrease and a WL'ing. (I save the oil for
derailleur bikes ;-))
Thanks, Andrew, I'll just live with it till I can scrounge for a more
appropriate $10 chain. :-P

We're big on KMC 1/8 chain here, no complaints.
With Nickel, Gold, Blue, Red, Pink, Purple, White, Silver-Black and Navy
Grey, today's trendy fixie riders have elevated chain to a fashion
accessory. Waiting list for new Yellow , btw!
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

A Muzi said:

landotter wrote:

-chain noise-

Quoted message said:

A Muzi said:

Then there are tight links, bent chainring teeth, etc.
Did you oil the new chain? That quiets them too.

landotter said:

All the teeth are fine, short of some nickel plate chipped off here or
there. I went ahead and double WL-'ed it, as I like to keep this guy
clean and SS chains are cheap. Quieted a bit. Still pretty annoying. I
usually run those cheapo KMCs and simply wipe out the "cosmoline" from
the outer plates with solvent, then ride for a couple months till it
gets noisy, then a degrease and a WL'ing. (I save the oil for
derailleur bikes ;-))
Thanks, Andrew, I'll just live with it till I can scrounge for a more
appropriate $10 chain. :-P

We're big on KMC 1/8 chain here, no complaints.
With Nickel, Gold, Blue, Red, Pink, Purple, White, Silver-Black and Navy
Grey, today's trendy fixie riders have elevated chain to a fashion
accessory. Waiting list for new Yellow , btw!

With two brakes, a stem raiser, and full spandex kit still on after my
20 miler--I'm about as far from hip as ya can get. But I probably will
stop by the BMX shop and get the nickel one. They've done me right
forever. I do like the idea of mixed colors as well, as those chains
play nice with a Rivoli.

BTW, the chain "bedded" in on my ride, a lovely mix of pavement and
some wannabe crosser fire road action. I gotta snug it up now, but
it's quiet enough. It's gonna need a good full turn on the tugnuts.
Who'da thunk it?

landotter said:

Maybe 3K on this drivetrain, fixed gear. Measured chain yesterday,
there was 1/16" of stretch, so I grabbed an SRAM PC-1 at the LBS and
swapped it out this morning. There is no tension and no slack--dialed
in perfectly, but it's LOUD when it meshes with the cog.

Could it be that I wore out the cog in 3K??

Doesn't seem likely, but I was having noise problems with one sprocket
on my road bike. I looked at it, and looked at my spare, and could not
see any significant difference. But I put the new one on, anyway, and
it was a huge improvement.

Also, the SS chain I took off

Quoted message said:

looks to be a 3/16" model and the PC-1 is a 1/4"

You mean 3/32" and 1/8" (the PC-1 is a 1/8"😉.

--but shouldn't really

Quoted message said:

matter, should it? Or does this low end chain simply suck?

PC-1 is a pretty good chain. Most 1/8" chains are junk, unless you pay
for Wipperman or some such. But the PC-1 is good quality.

--

David L. Johnson

A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems.
-- Paul Erdos

landotter said:

Quoted message said:

This is one of those times I wished I had a Miche system and could
just flip the dang thing over.

D'oh! Can't flip it over, but I can certainly pedal it in reverse, and
it's equally noisy, thus unlikely to be the cog. I tried relubing with
WL (hey, only use it on cheap SS chains) and it's still sounds like
steam-punk animatronics. I guess I'll just have to get another nickel
plated KMC--cheap and decent.

Did you check the chainline? 1/8" chains are fussier about chainline
than 3/32" chains (which are intended for multi-gear use, so need to
deal with bad chainlines). If it is hugging one side of the chainring,
maybe you need to adjust the chainline.

--

David L. Johnson

A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems.
-- Paul Erdos

A Muzi said:

We're big on KMC 1/8 chain here, no complaints.
With Nickel, Gold, Blue, Red, Pink, Purple, White, Silver-Black and Navy
Grey, today's trendy fixie riders have elevated chain to a fashion
accessory. Waiting list for new Yellow , btw!

There was "chain fashion" way back in the day, too. Remember the Regina
oro? Gold was a lot cooler than plain old silver.

--

David L. Johnson

A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems.
-- Paul Erdos

landotter said:

some wannabe crosser fire road action. I gotta snug it up now, but
it's quiet enough. It's gonna need a good full turn on the tugnuts.
Who'da thunk it?

I never have seen the point of tugnuts. Don't they get in the way more
than anything else?

--

David L. Johnson

A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems.
-- Paul Erdos

On Sep 12, 8:12 pm, "David L. Johnson" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

landotter said:

some wannabe crosser fire road action. I gotta snug it up now, but
it's quiet enough. It's gonna need a good full turn on the tugnuts.
Who'da thunk it?

I never have seen the point of tugnuts.

Then you've never used them to quickly dial in your tension perfectly.
I love 'em.

Quoted message said:

Don't they get in the way more
than anything else?

Er, no.

On Sep 12, 8:08 pm, "David L. Johnson" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

landotter said:

Quoted message said:

This is one of those times I wished I had a Miche system and could
just flip the dang thing over.

Quoted message said:

D'oh! Can't flip it over, but I can certainly pedal it in reverse, and
it's equally noisy, thus unlikely to be the cog. I tried relubing with
WL (hey, only use it on cheap SS chains) and it's still sounds like
steam-punk animatronics. I guess I'll just have to get another nickel
plated KMC--cheap and decent.

Did you check the chainline? 1/8" chains are fussier about chainline
than 3/32" chains (which are intended for multi-gear use, so need to
deal with bad chainlines). If it is hugging one side of the chainring,
maybe you n

eed to adjust the chainline.

Quoted message said:

Chainline is perfect, everything is sorted, back to your cubicles,
folks. It was simply Srams' cheapest chain needing a flogging.

"landotter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Maybe 3K on this drivetrain, fixed gear. Measured chain yesterday,
there was 1/16" of stretch, so I grabbed an SRAM PC-1 at the LBS and
swapped it out this morning. There is no tension and no slack--dialed
in perfectly, but it's LOUD when it meshes with the cog.

Could it be that I wore out the cog in 3K?? It doesn't look worn short
of the plating being chipped a little. Also, the SS chain I took off
looks to be a 3/16" model and the PC-1 is a 1/4"--but shouldn't really
matter, should it? Or does this low end chain simply suck?

PC-1 chains are terrible. But as you've already found out that noise goes
away pretty quickly. I've had it on my bike and heard it on other bikes.
My last PC-1 lasted barely 5 weeks (1000km?) before it was out of spec even
for my steel chainring. It was ridden in pretty muddy conditions but the
subsequent KMC 'kool' 1/8th chain for a little more cash has lasted twice as
long in similair conditions.
Previous PC-1 chains on a 3/32 sprocket were notorious for coming off .
Racing fixed off road does have a tendency to throw chains but the PC-1s
would come off with only the slightest amount of slack. Losing a chain on a
fixie can be very messy...