My unknown make trike was a Skip-tooth. I replaced it with a smaller sprocket for lower gears (PA hills!). After viewing this board I think I wanna build a boardtracker. Is the Skip-tooth a defining look for a bike of this period? Or is it just a cool looking sprocket that everyone digs??
Whats all the Hubbub about skip-tooths?
- Thread starter Floyd
- Start date
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i had an old early 50's 20" hawthorne boys bike with a skiptooth drivetrain that i quickly changed out for a conventional set up, but now looking back on it, i really likes the skip tooth. for me, i guess its one of those things that you don't see them do on bike anymore (and for a long time since), that looks really cool.
Having used them on my last three bike builds I found some reasons that they changed ,in my opinion. If you put the back wheel all the way forward in the chain stays and stick the chain on the sprockets ...it never fits. So once you put the master link in and start to tighten it up you will have to go way back in the slot to get it tight. Your normal chain breaker wont fit that size chain ,so when you add a few links you have to really mess with it to get it back together. If you find an old greasy one and then clean it up you will be a long way through the cleaning process before you find alot of the links are cracked ,and the chain you paid alot for is toast. You may find the masterlink you got on ebay for $7 plus $4 shipping is too narrow and wont work. Other that that they have a coolness factor. :roll:
I have never owned a skip tooth bike but I think it is like building an old car with a flathead V8 instead of a modern motor. It is just cool to some people and they want to keep the original running gear.
