Chain keeps slipping off single speed...

[DavidE373]

So I decided I'd ride my new (second hand) Giant Simple Single to gym and back yesterday afternoon.

 

It's roughly 5km in each direction.

 

No issues heading to gym but coming home the chain slipped of the rear sprocket 3 times, it's a real pain considering it's my brake as well!

First time was going over a bump, so I didn't think much of it. Second and third times it happened when cornering, both were right hand turns, no real speed as I had to come to a stop on both occassions.

 

Anyone have any idea why it's slipping off?

[BogusOne]

Too much slack in the chain maybe?

[Jewbacca]

Slack in the chain or dodgy chain line.

 

If it happens while free wheeling it is the slack, if while pedaling it is the chain line...

[DavidE373]

Too much slack in the chain maybe?

 

I thought about that but I'm assuming it's the original chain on the bike now...

 

Will have to nip it off to the local bike shop, I'm clueless...

[DavidE373]

Slack in the chain or dodgy chain line.

 

If it happens while free wheeling it is the slack, if while pedaling it is the chain line...

 

It happened while pedalling, so must be the chain line?

[shaper]

+1 on the chainline, see if you can get a long piece of wood with a flat edge to check that cog and chainring are perfectly inline, sometimes by eye is not good enough

 

You using a tensioner to take up any slack in the chain?

Edited March 27, 2014 by shaper

[DavidE373]

+1 on the chainline, see if you can get a long piece of wood with a flat edge to check that cog and chainring are perfectly inline, sometimes by eye is not good enough

 

You using a tensioner to take up any slack in the chain?

 

Err... Tensioner... Would that be the odd looking silver thing attached to the wheel and the frame... Told you, I'm clueless, give me gears and I can see the issue, take them away aaaaaannnnddddd.... not so much.

[Jewbacca]

Does it have traditional slider drop outs?

 

If so also check that the rear wheel is in straight. If it happens while pedalling it is most likely the chain line.

I would check it with a flat edge or use the 'stick' method described by divernick on SSafrica website.

 

Either way it should be easy enough to fix

[DavidE373]

Does it have traditional slider drop outs?

 

If so also check that the rear wheel is in straight. If it happens while pedalling it is most likely the chain line.

I would check it with a flat edge or use the 'stick' method described by divernick on SSafrica website.

 

Either way it should be easy enough to fix

 

Yup, traditional drop outs.

 

Thanks for the tips, will have a look-see this arvie when I get home.

[shaper]

Err... Tensioner... Would that be the odd looking silver thing attached to the wheel and the frame... Told you, I'm clueless, give me gears and I can see the issue, take them away aaaaaannnnddddd.... not so much.

 

If in doubt google is your friend, images of SS tensioner and set up https://www.google.co.za/search?q=single+speed+tensioner&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=XBo0U4HmM8XE7AavooDICg&sqi=2&ved=0CDEQsAQ&biw=1600&bih=754#imgdii=_

 

On a normal geared frame unless you have the magic gear you will require a tensioner to ensure that the chain is tight around the chainring and rear cog.

[Flowta]

+1 on the chainline, see if you can get a long piece of wood with a flat edge to check that cog and chainring are perfectly inline, sometimes by eye is not good enough

 

You using a tensioner to take up any slack in the chain?

 

AFAIK it's a dedicated single speed with horizontal dropouts, so shouldn't need a tensioner.

[DavidE373]

No such thing on my machine! I'll try take pics and post them tomorrow, that may help shed some light on the issue.

[shaper]

AFAIK it's a dedicated single speed with horizontal dropouts, so shouldn't need a tensioner.

oh, ok...

[Tumbleweed]

AFAIK it's a dedicated single speed with horizontal dropouts, so shouldn't need a tensioner.

 

Maybe the old-style tensioners which circle the axles and have a bolt which hold a plate over the rear of the drop-outs would help. Had to use them on my trick bike recently on my - no amount of tightening the axle nuts would keep the wheel straight - and before that on my Silverback Zero which, like the OP's Simple Seven, had a coaster brake.

Edited March 29, 2014 by Tumbleweed

[goya-goya]

Get gears... My chain never falls off... Technology has come a long way ...

[droo]

Weedmod, those are called chaintugs. And they do exactly what it says on the box.

 

OP, check that the wheel's straight in the frame, the chain has enough tension, and the wheel nuts (I assume it's not QR) are tight. I doubt that you'll be having issues with chain line on an OEM singlespeed. If the above steps don't work, chaintugs are your next step.