Ocassionally, you still see a bike with 1" pitch chain at your local velodrome. When you do, it's on an old bike that's still being raced in sprint events or points races. These would be old Cinellis, Paramounts or something similar.
As far as being strong enough to break an 1/2" pitch chain...
no one on this list is strong enough to do that to a properly
maintained, undamaged chain. Of course if the rivet hasn't
been properly set while assembling the chain, it's another
story entirely.
Well, perhaps there are a couple of CR list members who are
even more powerful than Florian Rousseau and Marty Nothstein
combined, but an 1/8" thickness 1/2" pitch chain is _really_
strong and you can get special heavy duty versions. Just watch
your chain-line...
Cheers :-D
Fred Rednor - Arlington, Virginia (USA)
> Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 15:35:11 +0000
> From: j.mccoin@comcast.net
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Subject: [CR] Inch pitch?
>
> Greetings, this answer is probably way too esoteric, but I've
> just had my first
> coffee so here goes. That type of chain, also known as block
> chain goes back to
> the 18th century, possibly earlier, some early trucks and
> automobiles used a
> chain as part of the connection from the transmission to the
> rear wheels. It's
> only natural that it was used on bicycles, how else you gona
> do it. As
> manufacturing and the want to have more gears evolved the
> half inch pitch
> evolved, easier to go up and down a freewheel.
>
> Oscar Juner always said that half inch pitch chain did not
> belong on the track,
> not strong enough, although I did break one in a sprint.
>
> Take care
>
> Jim McCoin
> Fremont Ca.
>
> Hi Jim:
> Block chain is a type of chain, not a size, FWIW. The typical
> block chain for bicycles has solid inner links that are
> literally machined from a block of steel, hence the name.
> Block chains were eventually replaced by the roller chain
> (which, if I recall correctly was invented by Renolds in
> England, not sure of the specific year - Hilary or others in
> the UK may know).
> Inch-pitch is a size of chain - they are 1" in pitch (funny
> enough) by 3/16" in width, typically. But one pitch does not
> consist of two half-inch sections like on a half-inch chain.
> Rather, it consists of an inner section that is .400" long
> and an outer that is .600" long.
> Inch-pitch chains and their corresponding chainwheels and
> rear sprockets are quite stiff and responsive, due primarily
> to the additional width over a 1/8" wide setup. Inch-pitch
> track drivetrains were still widely used up to perhaps 1970
> or so. Some still use them today on the track, although I
> would imagine that it's pretty rare now to see a bike with
> inch-pitch out on the track. Trackies, what's the scoop on
> that?
> Greg Parker
> Dexter, Michigan
> http://www.bicycleclassics.com
>
> _______________________________________________
>
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