Chain tensioning-how often?

garage sale GT said:

How often should you need to adjust chain tension?

as often as you need to....if your chain keeps coming loose, check your axle nuts and make sure they're hella tight, fixes put a lot of stress back there.

bwindle83 said:

as often as you need to....if your chain keeps coming loose, check your axle nuts and make sure they're hella tight, fixes put a lot of stress back there.

Thanks much for the reply. I guess I should have asked how often should I have to? I was losing the chain and then tensioning twice a ride.

It's a moot point now. I got rid of the frame. I was not aware if the axle nuts were too narrow or the dropouts too flimsy, if the chain was wearing down that much in one ride, or if braking simply deranged things.

I started carrying a small crescent wrench on rides and would cam the wheel into max tension by wedging something between the BB shell and tire, then center the rim and tighten the axle nuts.

Maybe some of my moly disulfide lube got on the nuts and dropouts. That is an extreme pressure lube. I use it on bike chains because it is both dry and far more smearable than wax, so it can replenish itself.

Correct me if I'm wrong but at it's midpoint between chainwheel and sprocket at it's tightest spot the chain should deflect 1/2 to 1 inch. The fact that you are running "max tension" may be the cause of your problems.

Maybe, but I don't know if the axle nuts would slip so much at once; the force is still less than the force exerted on the axle by road shocks and bumps. I also don't think it would wear so much in one ride, tension or no tension.