can someone make/market a minimal tensioner?

Nashville Kat

Nashville Kat

Well-Known Member
This is an idea after reading stuff here and from experience-

I don't like the kit tensioners- they are big heavy and stupid and generally people are placing them to displace all sorts of chain length pointlessly-

after all, what's usually needed is only to displace less than a chain link length on ONE chain or the other

I have built using multi-speed derailleurs, and the derailleur takes up the pedal chain slack- I just set the motor chain where it tensions- on horizontal dropouts

Now I'm doing a single speed freewheel- and want to set the motor chain first- isn't that more important?

so anyway- what I'd like is something that hangs under the pedal chainstay- just enough to push that chain tense enough- if I need it- cause I'm still not sure i will.

the photo below is just a coaster brake bracket with a pulley wheel- the pulley would not clear the stay- but if it were on a simple slider= not long in length- I could adjust and tighten it.

the top of the bracket could be like a generator light clamp- solid with a set screw to hold it laterally- that would be much less involved than a kit tensioner- and weigh less.

just a thought- any designers or machine shop takers?
 

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Im not just using my tensioner just for a tensioner im also using it as a guide and it works. Its heavy and i added a extra bracket to hold it in place and stop it from moving.
If i took out a link so i wouldnt need the tensioner the chain would be to short and i dont feel like ordering a 1/2 of link and i like my wheel all the way back in the dropouts on both sides so i know the wheel is straight.

On the peddal side i changed the sprocket to a certain size to make the chain the right length.

But i agree either these kits should come with a lighter easier to mount chain guide/tensioner to go on either side or maybe someone will make and sell one.
 
Shown in the photo below is a spring loaded pedal side chain tensioner. It was designed to replace the deraileur on a single speed track cog set-up.

The photo shows it being used on a beach cruiser. I had to make an adapter to mount it, but if your frame originally had a deraileur this tensioner is a direct replacement.

Jim
 

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That one above seems to just be at a compromised angle- wouldn't it be stronger just dropping verticly from the stay?- it looks like a little leverage on a long handled angle would push that one up-

no, it's not a replacement for a derailleur- its just a minimal tensioner to adjust the pedal chain after setting the motor chain WITHOUT one.

here's a comercial job I found on ebay- for a mountain bike I think- and it does fit on a deraileur hanger- but pricey too at over 18 dollars.

Single Speed Chain Tensioner Rigid Fixed 200-003 - eBay (item 220461572308 end time Apr-29-10 13:38:41 PDT)
 
I put the kit tensioner on the pedal side, hanging down from the chain stay. Works for me. You could do the same, after machining the tensioner bracket for better looks, and maybe painting it black or matching color for your frame.
 
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