Cycling UK Forum

Can you post a picture of the crankset showing the rings?
Shimano MTB triple front recommended chainline is 47.5-50mm with 47.5mm as preferred. Some setups are very finicky about chainline. What was it with the Biopace set?
If it's 1.2mm further out now that may mean you'd be better with a 2-3mm shorter bottom bracket spindle. Worth a try at least.

Those Biostrong rings must be ancient! Where did you get them from? Chainsuck is associated with worn chainring teeth and/or a filthy worn chain or faulty chainline.
If the Biostrong rings are new old stock (NOS) did you change just the rings or the whole crankset? If the whole crankset did you also ensure you have the correct length bottom bracket to ensure the correct chainline?
Post a picture of the setup as that will help us to help you.

Yes, there's a significant difference grinding up a hill in a 28t sprocket compared to spinning up in a 34t. It's a change well worth doing. It'll be much kinder to your knees and may well be faster if it means you can spin up in comfort rather than be on the limit grinding up or walking.
Check that you have at least a medium cage rear derailleur (SGS or GS rather than SS) because a short cage won't take the larger cassette. You'll also need a longer chain (depending how generously sized your current one is between 2 and 4 links longer).
Weight loss helps significantly too so doing both will be doubly beneficial (and increase your enjoyment so you'll want to cycle more and further). Good luck. Go for it!

Brucey wrote: ↑9 Mar 2025, 11:51am I looked and found specialized turbo vado 4.0 SL. Tredz list it as having a praxis NW chainring with a RH chainguard, a KMC 11s chain/missing link, and a sun race 11-42 cassette. Not awful, but a bit of a hotch-potch. 13 recharge cycles probably equates to 1000-2000 miles and you wouldn't be the first person to have worn their 11s e-bike transmission in this sort of mileage.

The OP lists the mileage as 586. So barely run in.
A similar model had an identical problem posted on this forum last year- viewtopic.php?t=159676
One potential issue is that a thick-thin toothed 1x chainring is supposed to be specified for the Vado 4 but some seem to have been supplied with plain chainrings. If the OP does have a thick-thin toothed ring then another possibility is the chain being fitted out of sync with the teeth. Thick teeth go to the gap in outer chain plates, thin teeth to the smaller inner plate gap.

A cheap ANT+ or BLE aware cycle computer would do it. Just set up a screen showing HR in one big number field. A bargain device that punches above its price is the Coospo CS500. Currently available under £70.

Potentially curable by fitting a 'Dog Fang' chain catcher. There are many copies of this plastic gadget that fits on the seat tube with the 'fang' strategically positioned to deflect the chain back onto the chain ring. Can be had for a few £.

Brucey wrote: ↑3 Mar 2025, 3:04pm

Stradageek wrote: ↑3 Mar 2025, 7:10am

Brucey wrote: ↑2 Mar 2025, 1:35pm if the emulsion is thicker, that almost certainly means there is more wax and less water. Bargain!

My experience from the food industry is that thicker means they've added a tiny amount of an artificial thickener to make it seem thicker (creamier in the food world) to try and fool you that there's more wax

I take it you are not exactly a fan of guar gum etc.?

I'm not a fan of lubing my chain with water. It does seem to work for many if mixed with a bit of wax though. There must be other additives to stop it rusting surely? Squirt is very coy about its commercial secret ingredients.
Still on the Silca Synergetic myself.

axel_knutt wrote: ↑1 Mar 2025, 4:01pm

Cyclothesist wrote: ↑1 Mar 2025, 3:31pm Maybe some of this would make more sense if the correct units are used? Energy units, watt-hours, Joules, even ampere-hours is fine if the voltage is specified.

Indeed, I was tempted to ask what he thinks he's measuring in amps per day.

Maybe he found one that goes up to 11

From the Squirt website:

When Squirt is applied to a chain, it may sometimes look more viscous (thicker) than other times. This is primarily because wax emulsions are temperature sensitive and a few degrees up or down can have a notable effect on viscosity. Also, Squirt shares similar characteristics with non-Newtonian fluids and like ketchup, you have to shake them to get them more fluid. The action of shaking the bottle together with the shear forces that the moving components in the chain has on the lube (while rotating the cranks backwards just after application) reduces the viscosity and ensures proper penetration into the chain.

I can recommend the Tortec Expedition rack. It's a rugged aluminium tubed rack good for up to 35Kg of luggage.
The Transalp Rack is similar but has standoffs if you have the sort of disk brakes that interfere with rear rack mounts. It's good for a max 25Kg load.

Maybe some of this would make more sense if the correct units are used? Energy units, watt-hours, Joules, even ampere-hours is fine if the voltage is specified.

biker38109 wrote: ↑1 Mar 2025, 8:59am

pwa wrote: ↑1 Mar 2025, 8:30am Presta rim's fit presta valves, so that is what your spare tube needs to be. The hole for a presta valve is smaller. I am a bit surprised you didn't know that. Just get the correct spare tube.

I have used both presta and car type valves and have no issues with either. I think you just need to get used to presta. They are no trouble when you are used to them.

I will just drill it out to accept schrader so I don't have to carry equipment for 2 types of valve.

My front wheel is schrader and back presta so I will choose schrader for both as that is what I prefer.

I think your rage against presta is really a bit of projected self flagellation for running 2 incompatible tyre valve standards on 1 bike without the means to deal with a punctured presta tube. We've all done some maddening cycling-related thing infuriatingly self inflicted so I feel your angst!

Nothing much wrong with presta valves, or schrader.
A lot wrong mixing both on a wheelset if you're just going to carry 1 spare tube. But you've had a nice walk to contemplate that .
There's nice weather on the horizon .

Jim77 wrote: ↑22 Feb 2025, 6:13pm

Brucey wrote: ↑22 Feb 2025, 5:06pm shimano usually make their rear hubs (with a 10mm axle) so that providing the axle is still through the hub, it is not possible to misplace or lose any ball bearings. This normally allows you to unscrew everything on the left a bit, before sliding the axle rightwards, giving good access to the RHS cone/locknut. Having determined the correct axle protrusion it isn't a bad idea to more permanently lock this adjustment on the RHS, eg. using permanent threadlock. Use the LHS parts for bearing adjustment; if they precess in use, it won't kill the hub whereas if the RHS parts precess, it probably will.

Good idea re-threadlock, but what happens if the the RHS cone needs replacing!

Hence threadlock and not super glue.
If you want to even up the axle: count the number of axle threads on each side of the axle to the locknut. Add the 2 counts together and divide by 2. That tells you how many protruding threads you should have on each side in a symmetrically placed axle.
It does assume the axle bearings are optimally adjusted before you start counting.

Nice. Only a test will tell you that there's sufficient rigidity in the catcher to prevent chain drop. You can probably get a good idea with the rear wheel raised by temporarily adjusting the FD low stop to allow an inwards overshift and seeing if the catcher keeps the chain on while you turn the cranks and try to overshift the small ring. Better to find out in the warm and dry.

Brucey wrote: ↑18 Feb 2025, 10:34am it is very easy to do, takes a few seconds and near enough doubles the life of the part; what is not to like, exactly? 'Rescued' QLs like this are ideal to carry as spares for roadside repairs. It is very easy to knock something you have never tried for yourself......

^^ Very much this.
Old quick links go in the tool roll for field repairs.