Chain tightness

Paul Bennett (pab@doc.ic.ac.uk)
Tue, 22 Jun 1993 15:30:29 +0100

So I'm finally the proud owner of a 5'5" giraffe, and contrarary
to all my expectations, I'm getting along just fine riding the thing -
you guys weren't lying when you said it's easier to balance on than
a "normal" uni (can there really be such a thing?) - even to the
point where I couldn't ride my small uni cause I'd got so used to
the girraffe.

Anyway, to the point... my flat-mate, who thinks he knows everything
about *bi*cycles rekons the chain is too tight. Well, I had a look
at the thing, and yes it is very tight - too tight for a bike - but
I got to wondering that maybe it needed that rigidity: surely if I
loosened the chain, I'd introduce more slack, and this would add
some sort of time-lag to my pedaling motion, right?

Well the Q is: "how tight should the chain be?" - anyone have
any suggestions?

BTW, for those who may be searching for a giraffe in the UK,
Boggle in Bath is your best bet if you can't wait for DM. They
seem to have a fairl;y wide range in stock.

pab.

-- 
Paul Bennett                                                     _  onewhe
  pab@doc.ic.ac.uk                                               |  elgood
Under disguise at BT's LEC until September                      /|\ twowhe
  pbennett.lssec.bt.co.uk                                       \_/ elsbad