How much HP can be sent thru the bike chain?

Pro, He's right, the cassette is your weak link in the drive train. Look at modern MB's. That's the reason for gear boxes! They wouldn't have spent all of that money developing them for no reason!

As for the chain, I used to pedal 20+ miles a day for 10yrs! Never broke one! Had 2 cassettes Karp in that time tho!
 
The main reason my bike chains break is because they jump off and snag between the frame, chainring retaining bolts and the chainring sprocket.:geek:
 
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Well this has been a productive post. I am glad I asked. I think I will pass on a higher powered bike using the derailer. Thanks for the info guys.
 
Did I mention that if the derailleur is out of adjustment, the chain will jam, locking the wheel and throwing you off the bike at 25mph?

Ask me how I know that.:whistle:
 
It’s not so much the HP as it is the torque Pro. Would make an interesting project, and I know you if anybody could do it! I would seriously baby it tho and remember not to stress it too much…

Besides you'd be the only kid on the block w/one!
 
okies, i finally actually snapped my original chain!

and i mean...snapped! ive never had a chain shear thrugh a plate like that before...and thats with 15 odd years riding motos...

so i decided to try a heavy duty BMX chain.

tip.... try and get over 100 links(if available? iunno...)what i got was 98. just one more link!!!!!!

i had to find a new rear sprocket, all i had was a 36... down from 44 is a huge difference! no bottom end!

anyway. pack says will take 1300kgf, whatever that means, while typical chain is 850kgf... 250 kgf pin power... so, im still confused. whats a kg...f?

anyway, it takes it quite well, except...

certain speeds it gets some nasty side to side vibration happening... mostly when the engine fourstrokes... so it maynt hold up terribly long becuse of the fatigue it just normally wouldnt experience? iunno. shall see. runs a lot smoother than the old 420 moto chain though :)

maybe an extra idler wheel on the drive side to stop the vibration? maybe...
 
hi Headsmess the kf is a bit confusing using metric and imperial at the same time, 550 foot per pounds per second = one horse power

doing a rough calculation the 1300kgf chain is good for 5.2HP
i use www.chain-guide.com a lot as they have a lots of info on chain dynamics, strengths etc
the international standard is ISO 9633 /2001 and it will give you the minimum strength for a bicycle chain
 
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hi Headsmess the kf is a bit confusing using metric and imperial at the same time, 550 foot per pounds per second = one horse power

doing a rough calculation the 1300kgf chain is good for 5.2HP
i use www.chain-guide.com a lot as they have a lots of info on chain dynamics, strengths etc
the international standard is ISO 9633 /2001 and it will give you the minimum strength for a bicycle chain

aye, that it is....but i dont think it is an imperial/metric thing. the strain is measured as static loading, just tension. theres no time factor, so therefore, no power factor. (power is torque(strain/pressure) * time)

im thinking the f is more just "force" a strange word to use though. meaning i could lift 1300kg with this chain? maybe i should test this!

kpa psi bar kg/cm, arrrrgh!
 
You should be asking how much torque you can put through bicycle chain. HP is relative to rpm and torque.

A 200 hundred pound person could stand on a pedal crank that is one foot long and apply 200 lbs ft torque to the chain, as long as its not moving there is 0 (zero hp) but a lot of force on the chain.

Conversely, at typical two stroke ped engine makes less than 2 lbs ft torque at about 8000 rpm or equal to 2.5 hp.

Which will break the chain first?
 
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