Shorten my chain?

E

elg

Member
I can still count on my chain falling off of the front sprocket most every time I ride my Sofrider. It's happened so often that I've learned how to put it back on with my heal while continuing to ride, if all goes well. Still, it's dangerous and annoying.

It seems to have to do with excessive "swing" of the rear derailleur cage. It generally happens when shifting into a higher gear, and you can bet your bottom dollar that shifting to the smallest cog on the rear cassette will cause the chain to drop off.

I'm thinking of shortening the chain to help reduce the swing. I've already increased the tension on the cage to maximum, so I don't see any other way.

So my question is, should I do it? If I do, what would be the optimum length for the chain, and what would be the minimum workable length?
 
Doug Burton

Doug Burton

Zen MBB Master
Lemme understand, the chain drops off the front chainring when you shift the rear derailleur up?

Is this an 8 or 16sp?

Best,

Doug
 
E

elg

Member
That is precisely it, the chain drops off the front chainring when you shift the rear derailleur up. Once it dropped off when I hit a bump.

My Sofrider is an 8 speed.

As near as I can tell, it has something to do with the unsupported part of the chain bouncing and causing the derailleur cage to swing. That takes tension off of the chain, at which point it falls off the front chainring. I does in primarily when the chain is getting looser, that is, when shifting from a larger rear cog to a smaller one. As I say, going to the smallest rear cog almost invariably causes the chain to pop off during the shift.
 
E

elg

Member
The Jump Stop looks to be no good. It only stops the chain from falling to the inside. Mine more often falls outward. Maybe if combined with a chainring guard ring, but I'd rather get it to stop jumping off.
 
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