Start Time 12:39
Moving Time: 0:56:57
Elevation(Ft): 86
Avg Speed(MPH): 9.5
Max Speed(MPH): 25.9
Avg Cadence:
Avg HR:
Max HR:
Temp Out: 60
Temp In: 62
A cool sunny day. I took a lap around home the headed to Luckie Park and on around the block. When I got back to my home with a few laps left to ride I decided to stop and check the chain tension because yesterday the rear wheel had slipped back as far as the chain would let it go. I had re-tensioned the chain and tightened the rear wheel tighter but had my doubts about it. Sure enough the chain was taut again. My idea of removing the derailleur hanger nut that fills the frame dropout and limits the wheel travel did not work out. When I hit a big bump especially with my 220 pounds of lard on the back wheel it causes it to move regardless of axle nut tightness. I loosened the wheel and put the hanger nut and bolt back in but could not get it set up properly so I got out my mountain bike and finished the ride on that. I will deal with the problem after I have had some R&R time.
Update 9:30 PM: I spent a couple of frustrating hours this evening dealing with the single speed rear dropout and derailleur hanger problem. I first straightened the dropout and hanger as best as I could but the wheel would not go on straight. I finally used a large fender washer from my homemade headset puller as a workaround to keep the wheel from pulling completely through the drive side frame dropout which is larger than the slot on the hanger when tightened.
Drive side of dropout, hanger and wheel with large washer showing:
Source of washer:
I also spend significant time experimenting with the chain tensioner. I tried moving it to the rear near the cassette as I saw on a bike on a web site. It takes up more slack in that spot but the axle for the tensioner wheel is very close to the spokes and I can just imagine the mess that would ensue if something caused it to get into the spokes so I moved it back to the front and adjusted it as far as it will go without the chain hitting the tensioner body.
The fiasco with the wheel moving the last two days stretched the chain considerably. The tensioner is no longer able to take up most of the slack. The chain is just a touch too short to take another link out of it. I will ride it as is and after it stretches a bit more I can remove another link. I also explored the possibility of moving down to the next smaller cog and removing 2 links but the required length would require removing 1 1/2 links which is not possible.
The bottom line is that fantasies I have been harboring about updating this bike are probably not worth pursuing. I could easily put $2-300 more into this bike and still have a junker because of the frame. I looked at building a single speeed from scratch at it looks like a $500 project using the cheapest frame and components available. Nothing on this bike is usable except the $15 seat. Although I really enjoy building bikes I can buy a decent complete bike new for about $200 or a good used one on Craig's list for $1-200. If I come across another discarded bike with a more modern frame it might be feasible to upgrade it. In the meantime I will stick to my original plan and use this bike to ride to the mailbox and around the neighborhood. It is fun to ride even as it is.
Chain tensioner and sagging chain:
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