Chain problem...

[Ivona]

So I went for a ride on the weekend with my gal on the back, probably a couple hours in total. She's by no means a huge girl, maybe 115-120 pounds, and im 180.

So the problem I'm having is when I drive the bike, particularly at low speeds, I can hear like a rythmatic click coming from the back, as though whenever it hits a certain spot or something on the chain it makes the sound... any of you guys have any idea what could be causing this/should i be really worried?

thanks

[HS2020]

Chain is loose. When you put a passenger on the rear it affects the travel of the chain and the slack of it.

[thetable]

Sounds like one of a couple things...

Sprocket is not perfectly round, or is off center creating a tight spot during it's revolution, shown be the extra weight on the bike which causes the chain to be tighter than it usually is. This also probably means that the chain is too tight. 1" of play IIRC. Find your fattest friend and put them on the bike and bounce up and down, the chain should never get "tight."

Chain has a bad link, it could just be binding, it could have one link worn more than the rest, but regardless it needs to be replaced. Stiff links are easiest to see after they come off the front sprocket while rotating the tire backwards. You will see one link that doesn't follow where the rest of the chain is. Kind of a little hill look on an otherwise straight chain. The other with one exceptionally worn link, you will see it trying to climb on top of the rear sprocket.

[Ivona]

thanks alot hs...gonna give her a tightening when i get home.

Thanks again dude.