After sadly moving on my dedicated SS bike (for space reasons) I am planning SS an old Kona for the winter.

I need a tensioner – EBB wont work as using square taper cranks.

Have tried the Surly in the past and found it poor in use (both pushing up and down)

I will be trying for the magic ratio but invariably it wont work 😆

Any suggestions?

Was perhaps planning to mod this (owned since 1999!) 😕

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the best and most reliable tensioner I’ve used is an old medium cage LX mech, chain run beneath both jockey wheels, and using a bit of cable in the barrel adjuster to fine tune the position.

With the chain as tight as possible the derailleur stretches out almost flat and I’ve not dropped a chain once (cue constant chain dropping on next ride…)

I used a half link and a superstar fixed tensioner on my cotic, worked a treat and it could tension upwards aswell which provided loads of chain wrap round the rear sprocket.

The superstar tensioners are only £10 aswell.

Paul Components Melvin.

Very please with mine after going through a fair few.

Why would the Dmr need modding it should work straight away. Not to mention look fairly neat?

Try 36:15 (or maybe 16) that’s the magic ratio on my Kona.

I also have that exact DMR tensioner running on it too, well I did but it bent

I think the best tensioner is slot drop outs.
Buy a new frame!

my superstar one did not last a year befire breaking. that said the chain still stays on despite it having no spring in it. Not brilliant IMHO
That melvin looks beautiful but the price is ridiculous – you sir have a tarty SS I assume
Mine is made up from the parts bin.

my superstar one did not last a year befire breaking. that said the chain still stays on despite it having no spring in it. Not brilliant IMHO

its the unsprung one you want

DMR STS, although it does need to have the roller modified to run a 1/8″ chain.

I tried a Surly Singulator and the old rear mech. trick, but as I needed a lot of slack taking up, the sprung ones just didn’t work for me.

halflink chains work very well for a magic ratio fix, best (least stretchy) I found was one a gusset slink although charge do natty versions in nice colours

which i have now it is broken…dont really know what you mean how can it tension without a spring??

how can it tension without a spring??

The DMR STS just bolts in place. When the chain stretches, slacken the bolt, move it tight, tighten bolt. You don’t need a spring.

Rennen, from the states, very good and good service
http://www.rennendesigngroup.com/products.html