Out of interest, and thinking what hub to get for my 456 single speed build, tell me how you prefer to single speed. Does anyone prefer the lack of faff of a tensioner over the clean lines of track ends?
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prefered single speed setup?
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Posted 1 year ago #
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Does anyone prefer the lack of faff of a tensioner over the clean lines of track ends?
I prefer both of these things
You'll need a magic BB or hub to do that on the 456 though...
Posted 1 year ago # -
yes.
I ran my 456 with a tenioner, and then with the new chain i managed a perfect length for a bit before going back to the tensioner. If i could have had track ends i would, but I bought an orange P7 instead which made everything even more frustrating.
Posted 1 year ago # -
AS I need to build whatever I decide on, I could just get an eccentric hub for the price of a nice normal hub... are they any good?
Posted 1 year ago # -
I don't know, but think about your rear brake setup too... You might need the White Industries brake adaptor too:
Posted 1 year ago # -
Yup, and a freewheel on top too. bikes are expensive.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Trackends everytime for me. No probs.......
Posted 1 year ago # -
Forwards components BB works really well for frames that are not SS specific.
Posted 1 year ago # -
you could look at an eccentrikizer (sp?) BB - would allow you to use standardised compenents for the rest of the build.
Posted 1 year ago # -
My bodged MTB singlespeed set up, with a cassette hub and med cage derailleur as a tensioner, has been the more trouble free of my two s/s bikes, the horizontal drop cross bike has had all sorts of problems with chains dropping, slightly uneven cranks/chainrings causing tight spots, and aftermarket chain tugs needing severe filing before fitting.
However, when the horizontal drop bike is running well (i.e. I've ditched the SRAM chain in favour of KMC) it sounds and feels much nicer.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Just got a Hope Pro2 SS with the shorter freehub for a nice strong non-dished wheel. Seems to work.
Oh, and buy a frame with sliding dropouts. Its the only sensible and practical way to tension a chain (or belt)
DSC_0407 by ir_bandito, on FlickrPosted 1 year ago # -
ir_bandito...nice. How does it compare to a chain ? Is it quiet ?
Posted 1 year ago # -
Oh, and buy a frame with sliding dropouts. Its the only sensible and practical way to tension a chain (or belt)
says the man with a EBB!
what's your take on the EBB on the peregrine? faffy? noisy?
Posted 1 year ago # -
tensioner,
lighter than an EBB or sliding dropouts.
Easy to get the wheel out of, no where near the faff of track ends.
Larger choice of frames.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Sliding dropouts are the best way to go, but as your stuck with what you've got, a tensioner is the cheapest method. I use a std Deore hub. Seems to last ok, but strip it before use & pack it with grease. Shimano put as little as they can get away with when new.
Not sure whay you'd need any brake adjustment if your staying with your 456's vertical dropouts, but if you went to the trouble of lopping off & having track ends/horizintal dropouts welding on then definteley needed. New dropouts would probably have them on anyway?
Not a fan of them cheap narrow sprockets, dont know why, just think the wider base ones are better. I run the Superstarcomponent ones. Seem ok, but are wearing quicker than the Stainless ChrisKing ones. Rest of my kit is standard, Deore 9spd steel middle up front. Has done two years now. Sram 8spd chain, cheapo 851 I think.
If you go to sliding dropouts ditch the hollow axle & put a solid axle with nuts on it. Being able to tighten them up more negates the need for a chain-tug.Posted 1 year ago # -
I much prefer the tensioner method.
Posted 1 year ago # -
you could look at an eccentrikizer (sp?) BB - would allow you to use standardised compenents for the rest of the build.
I tried the extentricker before getting the Forwards BB. The extentricker kept slipping and harder to adjust. The forwards BB doesn't look like it will hold, but it does and works well.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Belt is lovely. Dead quiet. Slight issue with having to retension it when getting the wheel out/in. But I have some new dropouts on order which will help with that.
EBB in the Singular is a Phil Woods and I've had no trouble with that, but I doubt it could cope with the belt-tension.but yeah, Cheapest and easiest option for you is a Superstar rear hub (I couldn't fit the belt cog on one due to the external locknut, hence the Hope) with a matching cog, and a rear-mech mounted chain tensioner.
Posted 1 year ago # -
the bike is complete, other than a rear wheel, which got donated to the grillfiends tourer (hope XC on 717)
before, i had a tensioner setup i liked, a roller, on a spring loaded (jockey wheel) type arm.
worked beautifully, and i have got a slot dropout on my inbred, which when in single speedery, does have tight point issues without any fiddling.the 456 is setup with 120mm bombers on it, for pure hacking.
IMO they should have come with slot dropouts from the start, the summer seasons.
too much of a "fun" bike for gears.as my hunt for a second hand wheel is coming to no avail, i am now looking at just buying new.
which is where the question came up: worth paying 100quid ish, plus brake adaptor, plus freewheel, for an eccentric hub, or to just stick with what i know, and get a dmr revolver and be done with it (and a bit richer)
seems a bit daft to put a blingy wheel on a tatty summer season too :p
a bit like this, but with a slightly less stupid fork
i also reckon, if i got a 17t cog from superstar, it could be persuaded to play in "push up" on the tensioner, and do away with the roller (or JUST put the roller on)
Posted 1 year ago # -
I tried the extentricker before getting the Forwards BB. The extentricker kept slipping and harder to adjust. The forwards BB doesn't look like it will hold, but it does and works well.
I'd agree with all of that.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Tensioner for me - Thus: (if its visible)
Deals with tight points and chain wear automatically. Also makes getting the wheel out for car portage and commuter wheels easy.
Seems to me those with slidey dropouts are always fiddling.
Posted 1 year ago # -
How come you're running 2 tensioners? you thought of taking a link (or half) out of your chain?
Posted 1 year ago # -
My manly gear and power-thighs used to overcome my non-spring gusset bachelor tensioner every couple of rides. (
... i think) It would skip and then chain was looser afterwards and would skip again on similar gradients/levels of Gurn. EBB frame here now. Whole bike would be about 1.75lbs heavier now than same parts on old silly-light maxlight xc pro hardtail with the tensioner, but that's not really worth losing any sleep over really?
Posted 1 year ago # -
The best tensioner I used was an old mech pulled right forward. looked gash but never had a slip.
On ones jobby was ok if the chain was almost right , but change ratios and it would often slip , usually resulting in chest/ stem interface on steep climbs.
Would like to try the old Alfine type tensioner
Posted 1 year ago # -
I'm tempted to build up a frame I have as a single speed. Which tensioner would you all recommend?
Posted 1 year ago # -
Surly
Posted 1 year ago # -
I'm using a Hope Pro 2 SS/Trials rear hub as pictured above, but mine is the Bolt-in version. It's subtly different to the bolt-through one, but the difference answers one of the criticisms of track ends mentioned above. With bolt-through it can be a faff getting the wheel out because you need to either force the chain off the sprocket, or drift the axle out. With Bolt-on, you whip the bolts out and the wheel comes straight out, no faff, job done.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I've the on-one push down doofer, never had a slip depite the chain being about 3mm out fo line (but CBA to sort it).
Also running;
38t middleburn DH ring
19t groove armada sprocket
8s KMC chainPosted 1 year ago # -
i find my sanderson ebb spot on and very tidy with lovley cowled ritchey dropouts mmmmmmm
Posted 1 year ago # -
With Bolt-on, you whip the bolts out and the wheel comes straight out, no faff, job done.
That's a good point. Would work with my bolt through Pro II as well though. Except I'd only need to undo one side to pull the bolt through and release the wheel. Plus, when reassembling, the bolt through would hold everything in place while I got the nut on the other side. Does bolt-in hold better than bolt through? Do you use chain tugs as well?
Edit: the axel (a Hadley) is snug, but doesn't need to be drifted. I can remove it by hand, admittedly after some minor fettling when new.
Posted 1 year ago # -
If you've got a good bit of tension in your chain then there's a lot of sideways force on your axle, so it can be tricky to extract it. Obviously how tricky depends on the tension and the state of the axle and hub, but I found that just the friction on the frame meant that I needed to drift the axle out.
With bolt-in the bolts are a bit tight to extract and a tiny bit more difficult to put in than an axle, but overall it's less faff.
Don't think there's any difference between the two systems in terms of holding the wheel. I was using chaintugs, but randomly my chain stretched enough that removing a half link left it setup perfect, so , while they're fitted, the tug part isn't being used.
Posted 1 year ago #
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