Posts: 962
Joined: 1/19/2016
Location: Bloomingdale, IL USA
So just out of curiosity.. does having a 13.25 CS even matter if my chain (tightened ) only fits 13.375 (no half link) or 13.1 (with a halflink). I ride 25/9 g3aring.... like seriously.. all these companies wanna make different size rear ends but chains and sprockets are all EXACTLY the SAME size! Which means unless you want a loose chain no matter what the length of your CS you're only gonna have the same 2 or 3 options available.
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Joined: 11/1/2015
Location: GBR
Not everyone rides 25/9 though, and some cs lengths are enough shorter/longer that you can remove/add a full link. I could swap a full link for a half link and slam my back wheel if I wanted to. Although I don't want to, it's nice to have the option as some people might want to
Posts: 962
Joined: 1/19/2016
Location: Bloomingdale, IL USA
I'm aware that you can change up to a link and a half on some frames. I guess if you're riding a 28 sprocket it'll have diff measurements. Good point.
Posts: 962
Joined: 1/19/2016
Location: Bloomingdale, IL USA
I've just seen riders be like omg a
I got this new frame with a 2/10th shorter frame and then run the same drive train setup and seem oblivious to the fact that nothing changed on their actual CS length
Posts: 1687
Joined: 8/5/2011
Location: Los Angeles, CA USA
i know what you mean. when i changed frames i kept the same chain length even though the chainstay was longer by .125". its more something to consider if you like your current length but are getting a frame with a shorter or longer chainstay...or the other way around. chain stretch is another factor as well.
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Joined: 5/23/2008
Location: Royalton, MN USA
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If the old frame and new frame are pretty close in size (usually within a 1/4 or so) you will NOT actually change anything as far as the distance between your rear axle and center of your spindle (because you didn't change gearing) which is your EFFECTIVE chainstay length. It doesn't matter if your old frame was a 13.5 and the new one is a 13.25, if you are not changing chain length OR gearing, you are not changing the effective cs length. You might be further back in the dropouts on the new one though, so slamming the wheel and removing a link would change your effective chainstay length.
I love that kids don't understand that.
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I prefer my Chainstay to not be slammed (done with all that mess these days) but I prefer it to be the way it ought to be. A little closer in than the middle. Enough room to take the wheel off easily but still have a nice length.
I can't really ride anything that sits further in than 13.5. It throws my manuals way off because the longer backend makes them much simpler for me. So no shorter than 13.3 or so for me. But currently i'm on a 13.75 and it's sitting at around 13.9 and I love it. Plenty of balance and pop!
And running it as short as possible is cool if you're a tech guy, but i'm not really big into all that shit anymore. I ran my fun day close to slammed before and it was fun for a little but it's too weird.
I could, however, see how I'd prefer it slammed on a park sort of frame. Like if I rode an S&M dagger now or a colony Sweet tooth, i'd have that shit as far in as necessary. Just to get it whipping and spinning fast. Plus when a lower stand over is introduced it makes the bike feel longer for some reason. (i went from a 9-8 inch stand over with the exact same geo otherwise)
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Joined: 3/27/2014
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