Loose chain.....

Nvreloader

1 mW
Joined
Mar 5, 2022
Messages
19
Location
Western NV
I spend 95% of my riding time Off Road = on Cow/Wild horse/game trails,
up & down dry sandy/rocky creek beds and any other trails I can find.

I carry all the tools/extra equipment to do repairs, I hope, and have tire liners, Flat out installed, extra tube/tire, and the required tire repair equipment on the bike, also have survival gear. The nearest help is 10 to 50 miles away and have very spotty to NO C ph service.

Seeing that the back derailleur hangs down and will be caught (has been) by brush/rocks, from previous rides, I know it's just a matter of time before I crash and burn the derailleur, given what I like to do.

I think I have figured out a good possible solutions, when that derailleur goes down, and or the motor quits, but I can still pedal out to the nearest road to get home etc.
here is the spec's on my bike:
https://bikonit.com/products/bikonit-warthog-md750-ebike

I bought a new long length chain that fits my Wart Hog along with several quick links, and I'll will be using any one of the 15t-22t-26t-34t back gears with the 44t main gear, depending on the riding conditions.

I can cut the chain to fit all of these gears, (WITHOUT using the derailleur), it will direct drive emergency use only, 1 gear to get me home, but I don't like all the extra slop of the chain when using the smaller gears.
The chain will be cut/fitted to the 34T gear and then moved to the smaller toothed gear as needed, by hand changing, for riding conditions to get home etc.

I am afraid of the sloppiness of the chain will create a bigger problems,
when using the smaller gears, and don't want to add/remove quick links/chain when changing to whatever gear I may need, and don't want to be locked into a single gear for all the conditions getting home from where I ride etc.

Is there some way, I can get rid of the sloppy extra chain length for all the smaller toothed gears 15/22/26t when I drop down from the 34t back gear?

Your thoughts and suggestions.......

Tia,
Don
 
You could try a chain tensioner, but I don’t know if that’ll be enough for all the slack once you drop to the smaller gears. The derailer does a much better job of keeping the proper chain tension but yeah they sure get in the way with gnarly terrain.
 
Nvreloader said:
Seeing that the back derailleur hangs down and will be caught (has been) by brush/rocks, from previous rides, I know it's just a matter of time before I crash and burn the derailleur, given what I like to do.
Seems to me the easiest thing would be to carry a spare (same model) derailleur. Maybe two, if it is a common occurance. Swapping out a derailleur HAS to be easier than removing it, replacing with a chain tensioner, changing chain/cutting out links/changing gear by hand (pinched/greasy fingers!)!
 
I only ever use a single gear, so have been using a cheapo chain guide: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GC858GP

Works good. Never had a chain slip off since. You could keep one mounted and just run your emergency chain through it.
 
Here is an UPDATE for the single gear emergency use solution,
Remember there is NO DERAILLIER, it has been destroyed and can't be used,
this is single gear EMERGENCY fix/use to get home.

When using the 15T rear cassette gear to the 44T main drive gear,
I need 116 links of chain,
Going up to the 20T gear, I need 118-119 links of chain,
Stepping up to the 26T gear, I need 121-122 links,
At the largest 34T gear, I need 125-126 links.

The difference between the 34T to 15T gear is about 10 links, or about 5"- 7" of chain length.
Remembering that the thick and thin chain links only fit in certain spots
of the front drive gear, to mesh properly.

Note: Added a photo of the chain tensioner I am using, that fit the square frame of the Wart Hog MD 750,


It is the break down DUE TO the riding conditions, like tearing off/breaking the back derailleur because of sage brush/rocks strikes, that I am concerned about.

With that piece of equipment out of order, you are very limited on what you can do, the motor or pedal power still work, so the choices you are left with are limited.

Depending on where you are at, around here it may be anywhere from 10 to 50+ miles to the nearest help, and there is VERY limited/spotty cell phone access.

1. Leave the bike and walk out to the nearest road and hope someone comes by,
you'll be lucky to see 3-4 vehicles per day on the county roads, except during hunting season, then it's like the LA 405 during rush hour.......LOL

2. Remove the broken derailleur and change to a single speed option, for getting home, (my first choice), and the reasons for this post.

I have tested these chain options out and it works, with the minor problem on how to fix the chain looseness slop when going down to the other lower back tooth gears.

If or when this derailleur goes down, (just a matter of time before it happens),
I'll break the chain and remove the derailleur, (1 bolt), the OEM chain is trapped via the derailleur on the boogie wheels, so it will have to be removed and then I can go to the 1 chain length option.

If possible, I would like or wanted the choice of other gears options due to my riding conditions, which can range from rock crawling thru a boulder field/garden, to riding in soft sand washes, or along a Cow/horse trail on the steep side hills, all in the same ride/trip, and or riding out to the gravel county roads, I use pedal power over 95% of the time, very little thumb power.

I am hoping I can find a way to change into other gear option to best fit the conditions
I am riding in via a hand changed gear/chain length change, to the next possible gear
without having to stop and add or remove chain lengths due to prevailing conditions, if possible, in other words = KISS = for me etc.

My big concern I have, is the sloppiness of the extra links, when hand changing between the gear options I may need due to the riding conditions to get out and home, of the 34T down to the 15T gearing.

There is approximately 3/4" of adjustment for the chain adjustment, at the rear end as close as I can measure it, (just like the photo shows).

The big headache is finding a adjustable chain tensioner device that fit the square frame of my Wart Hog bike, I am researching motor cycle chain tensioners.
I may have to build one to fit etc.

Your thoughts and suggestions........
Tia,
Don
 
Last edited:
AussieJester built a chain tensioner using an old v-brake arm with a jockey wheel from a derailer attached with a brake-arm bolt to the arm where the cable-clamp would've been.

IIRC he welded the brake boss cut off a frame or fork to his custom-made frame to bolt the arm itself to, but you could cut one off a frame or fork along with a long enough section of the tubing itself (cut in half lengthwise to make a long "cup") to allow hose-clamping the assembly to your frame in the correct place. Then use the spring already in the arm, and one of the three holes in the boss's plate to set it's tension. Depending on whether you need the tension to go "up" or "down" you could mount the tubing section on your frame above or below the frame, or possibly modify the arm to use the spring from the other arm (to push the opposite direction).

His images no longer exist, but you can see the basic idea here
https://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12500&p=955999&hilit=rear+brake#p955999
of the frame-section with brake boss still on it, in my case tack-welded to the frame prior to fully welding it (instead of hoseclamping like you'd probably do), though I was actually doing this to add rear brakes, so your positioning and angle will be different than mine, and you'll have a jockey wheel or sprocket on there instead of the cable-securing bolt.
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