Thinking of running an Alfine 11 on a vertical drop out frame. I could run a dedicated tensioner in place of a rear mech but, TBH, that seems a bit counter-intuitive to one of the benefits of such set ups i.e. no rear mechs to mash.

So, I was idly wondering if anyone had run this sort of set up but using a tensioner like a Blackspire Stinger on the chainset? Alternatively, anyone know if/why it might be a bad idea (will I crash and die 😉 ).

I suppose the other hope is striking a magic ratio / chain length with half links. Failing all that it’s a dedicated tensioner off the rear but it’s my least favourite.

Random speculations, informed opinions or practical experiences welcome 😎

if you’re worried about mashing mechs get a double pulley trials tensioner. They’re designed to be run right up underneat the chainstay so are more difficult to catc

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a111/matchybaby/IMG00181-20100915-1457.jpg

I’d go for one of these:

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=408510

mate uses a stinger on his SS successfully as a tensioner, but does have iscg mounts – if you don’t have them it might be a little less reliable mounted around the bb.
as the cog on an alfine is significantly larger you’ll need less adjustment range and have to adjust less regularly too i’d expect.

I quite like the look of that Yess thing but it’s $60 plus shipping and whatever import etc duties I might get stung for.

A Stinger’s c£23 and I could run 2 rings up front if the desire took me.

Cheers for the suggestions though, all useful stuff 😎

I use the standard alfine 11 tensioner On my alfine’d fullsus.
It sits much higher than a regular 2 jockey wheel rear mech. And is unsprung.
I have mine pushing the chain down put you could set it so it pushes the chain up – if you prefer.
Although you ‘could’ use a blackspire stinger, it would be tough to get the tension set up right as it is positioned with the crankset removed.

I couldnt get the chain to fit quite right when it was all freshly fitted, now I’ve done a 100k or so it’s loosened up a little and I might now becable to lose a half link and get rid of the tensioner…

Btw if you intend to use 2rings up front you’ll need a sprung rear mech to pick up the slack when you change down on the front chainrings – this will kinda negate the plan you had to make the rear mech secure.

Poss better to get a planetary front chainwheel solution like a SRAM Hammerschmidt?
I was considering this at the weekend for my bike but havnt seen the unit in the flesh to decide how realistic is is as a solution.

D’oh, you’re right about the dual ring set up of course, ta.

However, parting with the cash for the 11 was enough, never mind fighting the urge to build it up with something nice, rim-wise like a flow (yet more cash). Hammerschmidt definitely out of the picture 😉 Talk of a double was just pipe dream / random (daft) speculation.

Is your tensioner one of these:

or one of these:

The latter. Which incidentally has a locating lug, replaces the blue (?) locking nut and locks the axle so might only work on a vertical drop out.
Oh if you get one, dissemble the jockey and locktight the screw – shimano don’t do that, but fortunately we found all the bits on the trail 🙄

Although you ‘could’ use a blackspire stinger, it would be tough to get the tension set up right as it is positioned with the crankset removed.

no. the iscg one can be fitted loose and adjusted when everything is assembled. you can probably also ease the bb off enough on a bb mounted one, so that you can adjusted it even with the cranks fitted too, i’d imagine, but have never tried this. certainly you’d be able to fit the DS crank and chain and get it very close without fitting the NDS crank.

I have a bb one on another bike and my lad has a iscg on a summer season. I don’t see how either can be effectively positioned after the drive chain is installed. Unless you are talking about putting them in place “finger tight” and adjusting with a mallet?

That said, I haven’t bothered trying to overcome obvious obstacles and the bb tool I have for HT11 cranks and bb is a ring spanner not a c spanner.

the bolts on the iscg one can be accessed through the chainset IME. maybe your chainset prevents that?
the bb one i would assemble the DS crank onto the bike and fit the chain, position the stinger, and tighten the BB cup. you can then drop the chain off, pull the crank, and remove your ring spanner.

It’s my SS Del is on about, its running slx cranks and a Surly SS ring. The stinger bolts can easily be accessed with the cranks fully secured in place and there’s plenty of adjustment to tension everything.

It’s quite a neat solution compared to the rear tensioner i used on a previous frame.