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chain suck


udxcob

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I think I suffered from chain suck yesterday in the mud, riding in very muddy conditions my chain (kmc x9) seemed to stick to the middel ring and get stuck between derailer and frme behind the bb, how do I stop this happening again?

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Lube, lube and more lube...

Try that Chain-L No.5 stuff supplied by Aapskommel - supposed to work magic in the wet and muddy.
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Chainsuck is a function of dirt and hooks.

 

The chainring has developed the tinyest little hooks on its teeth in the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions with the cranks horizontal.

 

Combine the hooks with enough mud and the chain will suck. I am of the opinion that under really dirty conditions lubrication doesn't help anymore since it gets overwhelmed by mud and clay. Others differ and say it is a three-way function of lack of lube, hooks and dirt.

 

A brand new chainring will suck less than an older one but given the right conditions, they all suck. It happens less with the big chainring since the chain articulates considerably less with big rings.

 

There is no way of avoiding it but you can improve it by filing the chainring's hooks away and of course, avoiding mud.  Most of us have developed a technique for pedaling gingerly so that we quickly arrest chainsuck before it destroys the drivetrain. However, forceful riding uphil is always a risk if your chain has already given notice that it wants to suck.

 

 

 

 

 
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Thanks guys, i had white lightning clean ride on my chain, i will switch to something else.

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So riding with a new chain  and chainring and lots of lube like the pros is the only solution then.

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So riding with a new chain? and chainring and lots of lube like the pros is the only solution then.

 

 

 

no, just make sure your gear is on good condition. Files away any sharp edges on the chain rings. With 5000km on the MTB and 25000km on the road I have never experienced it.

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The chainring has developed the tinyest little hooks on its teeth in the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions with the cranks horizontal.

 

 

Question out of interest. Would that be because that is where most power is created in the pedal stroke?

 

 
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Switching oil is not going to help' date=' but I guess you want to discover that for yourself.[/quote']

Ai johan, i have switched lube, taken a link out aswell so lets see what happens, there are no burs or edges on the chainring, i did find it helped to drop down to the small chainring though (go figure)
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The chainring has developed the tinyest little hooks on its teeth in the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions with the cranks horizontal.

 

 

Question out of interest. Would that be because that is where most power is created in the pedal stroke?

 

 

 

Yes. And that is why chainsuck always starts at exactly the same point of the pedal stroke. It just so happens to also be at the point where you are at your most vulnerable while delivering the most power.

 

 
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if it happens out on the trail and you cant clean it, swich to the big ring, cant suck there...

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Switching oil is not going to help' date=' but I guess you want to discover that for yourself.[/quote']

Ai johan, i have switched lube, taken a link out aswell so lets see what happens, there are no burs or edges on the chainring, i did find it helped to drop down to the small chainring though (go figure)

 

With the exception of riding in thick clay, if you have chainsuck, you have wear on your chainring. It may not be perceptible to the untrained eye, but it is there. Not on all teeth, just the powerstroke ones.

 

The very fact that you didn't have chainsuck in the smaller chainring shows that the middle one is worn. This is because smaller chainrings by definition should suck more, since the chain articulates more on smaller rings.

 

Taking a link out won't help either. The increase in derailer tension from a slightly smaller chain is negligible.

 

In the overall scheme of things, the type of oil is irrelevant. Oil is completely overwhelmed by dirt and its claimed properties completely lost in the mess.

 

 

 

 
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Get new chainrings.  Had the same problem after replacing my chain.  Chainsuck on middle ring.  Decided best way not to worry about cainsuck is to replace chainrings.

 

Is it true:  new chain with old chain ring, higher chance of chainsuck?
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surely you dont need to change the ring's on the front if you only get a chain suck once? I mean you have to have a lot of mud to get s(t)uck right?

 

Can you rinse the chain with a (wee) bit of water and off you go ?
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surely you dont need to change the ring's on the front if you only get a chain suck once? I mean you have to have a lot of mud to get s(t)uck right?

 

Can you rinse the chain with a (wee) bit of water and off you go ?

 

I started getting chainsuck on regular basis (even with not so dirty rings). 

 

On my previous experience with chainsuck on small chainring (> 1 year ago), damaged,scratch my MTB frame.  Decided not worthwhile going through that again.
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