New chain a *bit* too tight, should I bother to loosen?

**Spuds1234** · 24th February 2007, 16:43

What happens if your chain is to loose?

Reason why I ask is that I recently bought a new chain, with the right amount of links in it, and it is pretty much unable to be adjusted to make it any tighter. Right after buying it it really needed to have a link or two taken out.

Right now its seemingly loose. Should I be worried?

**beyond** · 25th February 2007, 09:04

You don't want them too tight and you don't want them too loose either.
If they are too loose your gear changes can get sloppy with lash back and when powering off and back on again you get some nasty chain snatch which isn't the best for your gear box and sprockets etc.

In a worst case the chain can come off the sprockets which is something you don't want when in the middle of nowhere.

**Roj** · 26th February 2007, 10:22

Originally Posted by Spuds1234

What happens if your chain is to loose?

Reason why I ask is that I recently bought a new chain, with the right amount of links in it, and it is pretty much unable to be adjusted to make it any tighter. Right after buying it it really needed to have a link or two taken out.

Right now its seemingly loose. Should I be worried?

How did you determine the "right amount of links", if it was as per specs and your bike has non-standard sprockets, it may have been wrong