I broke mine on my old kona cindercone converted SS and I am despereate to fix it and get out on it again…

best one to buy and where from?

and is it easy to fit?

do I tension down or up?

bump

Up is supposedly better, as it gives more chain wrap, but is a little more fiddly getting the wheel on and off, I found.

I use a Surly, but I wouldn’t recommend it. I bust the ‘up’ spring, by over tensioning it (only way to keep the chain sufficiently taut), and managed to bend the ‘down’ spring in the same way. Seems the springs I got weren’t really up to the job, or I did something wrong.

The DMR Tension Seeker 2 looks a bit better designed, and less fiddly to set up. I may buy one, soon.

Of course, an old road mech is the true ‘ghetto’ way. You can adjust the chainline with either the stop screw, or by using a tiny short bit of cable, and using the adjuster to fine-tune it. Worked for over 2 years, on my hack SS.

Tension up does seem to work better. If you want to swap cogs with the same chain you may need to tension "up" on big cogs and then down on smaller ones to take up the greater slack. Personally I prefer fixed tensioners to spring ones, I like the gusset bachelor, especially if you are using bmx type chains

On-one doofer.

The Rholoff like on my Pace. ( see pic in other thread ) It`s great.

the gusset one (from charlie bike monger) is very good fixed tensioner.

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I have a Rohloff DH, which is very good, but have now fitted a Rennen Rollenlager to my ti456, fantastic bit of kit available direct from Rennen in the states, very robust, strenghens the mech hanger, excellent roller wheel that will take any size chain, easily adjusted chainline, no springs

Phil

I have used the tension seeker & tension seeker II from DMR, the Surly one and the Gusset one.

They were all shit, worst was the DMR II. In the end I bought a SS frame.

Have heard good things about the doofer though.

sc-xc; why is the DMR TS2 so bad? I thought it looked like a decent design. Be interested to hear what’s wrong with it.

The 2 I had both lost tension in the little metal arm – it bent under pressure. Dissapointing, because it looked the coolest.

I use one of these. You get a full wrap around the rear cog and the chain never comes off!

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=2307%5B/url%5D

Don’t know how to make the link thing work.

But what you need is one of these. A DMR chain reactorMK11

Works a treat

for this…

Hey Aw,

its kinda weird but I have almost the same setup as you, well okay the frames different and so is the rest of the bike lol but its similar, anyway..your last post was 2 months ago…so did you decide on anything? I’ve got the same problem. Looked at many different variations, the Gusset looks promising mostly cos its the cheapest and I’ve heard a lot of bad things about the DMR tension seeker 1..though number two is better considerably.

There’s one called NC-17 Stinger Single Speed Tensioner, which is around £55 but can be found cheaper.. but bloody hell, 50 quid????

Right, I decided on the Surly, since I read another of your posts aw and you’ve got the DMR and still having problems it seems.. I can’t believe your chain is still slack after fitting a tensioner, which worries me a bit.

There’s also a Kore Chain tensioner which looks ripe but seeings as my chainstays are very square, it most likely wouldn’t fit! Though its not pricey and might be worth a look for your Kona.

It maybe my incompetence in fitting the DMR 2. I have good things about the surly so let me know how you get on. You can email me if you like…wheelnut64@googlemail.com

I found an old mech worked best

hey aw, just got the surly today..but got loads of work at uni, so I’ll probably fit it at the weekend. My only gripe is that mines an 8/9 speed chain and its all American instructions says something about 3/32 chains and 1/8 chains, got any ideas?

Its probably simple but still I guess that’s us engineers for you 😛

Nah I don’t think so mate, the DMR 2 is slightly better than 1 but I’ve not heard good things about any of them to be honest.

cynic-al you’re probably right but I left all my rear mechs at home down south, so I’ll try the surly if it doesn’t work, a old rear mech it is then!

3/32″ = 8 speed
1/8″ = BMX chain

Thanks matt!

I haven’t fitted it as yet, needed a cone wrench too (I wish the website had said this at time of ordering!) ..anyway, just waiting for that now, should be here already..hmm.. back to the revising I guess…..

Sorry just to update I haven’t fitted it still, as I have to buy a 18mm cone wrench. Nicely they don’t tell you that when you buy the thing! And its not very easy to buy a cone wrench in 18mm anywhere around me.

To tell the truth my mate has got one back in Essex where I’m from, though being in Liverpool its a bit hard to get. But as soon as I fit it, I’ll give you a proper update, innit bruv.

Sorry I apoligise my dear chap, its all the maths revision and matlab.

matlab….. “Shudder”

dr_adams – Member

matlab….. “Shudder”

You love it too then. 😆