[Closed] Salsa alternator drop outs.

Hi

I've used them on a couple of frames, bar far the best tensioning system out there. Neat, secure, held together with massive steel bolts, easily replaceable if you are ham fisted and break something...

GB

Cant comment if they are the best out there (think Gee is sponsored by Salsa 😉 ) as they all have their advantages/disadvantages but they are very good in my experience. I run two rear cogs on my single speed (road/off road gearing) and they are a doddle to adjust the chain tension. A bit of a weight penalty over a traditional horizontal with chain tugs but more than made up for by the quality of Salsas frames at the price they sell at.

Andy, do you have a double free hub then? Is your SS a 29er mtb? If so what are your on/off road ratios?
Have you tried the alternators with an Alfine at all?

Anyone any experience of the Maxle alternators?

Lotto. Hope single speed hub (the one with the stumpy splined freehub)19/16 on the back (2 singlespeed cogs with spacers). 32/36 on the front. Run 32/19 off road and 36/16 on road. But have done it in the past on this frame with a single 32 on the front and 19/16 cogs on the back and used the alternator to adjust chain tension, but current gives me more suitable choice.

Does that answer your question?

Here is a (not very good) pic

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Not had any problems with mine either, great system. I'd have an EBB out of choice as there's nothing to have to line up, but alternators are a close 2nd. You can fit Salsa's pannier racks to them too, without any funny bolts or addapters to get round disk callipers.

I like them - nothing really to line up - I just shove my hand between tyre and seat tube to tension the chain and nip 'em up

doddle

... and it doesn't squeak & creak as I believe some EBBs do

I have an EBB on one bike, Alternators on the Salsa and horizontal drop outs with Chaintugs on another bike and they all have their advantages and disadvantages. Alternator is easier to adjust than the EBB I have but a tad heavier.

Yep they work really well. used mine 18 months or so no bother.

No problems on my El Mar, used both geared and single speed, a complete doddle to set up.

No bother with em on my ala carte. I like minimal faffage, and they are fit and forget. Never used a bike with a ebb so cant compare, but, alternators are really low maintenance ime.

Scaredypants - you know they come with little Allen key bolts to screw in and work as tensioners?

GB

Yeh, I've not bothered though - was tarting about with SS chainlength and different sprockets at first (1st 29er so didn't really know what I wanted) and got used to doing it this way

I [i]probably[/i] know where the bolts are still 😳

Ohh just remembererdone (quite random) problem with mine, the threads in the brake adapter (which the top NDS 'pivot' bolt threads into) spontaneously dissapeared, I think either adjusting the dropouts caused it to work its way tighter untill it threaded itself, or the steel bolt in the alloy addapter with some road salt lead to some galvanic corrosion.

Replaced the bolt and addapter with plenty of grease and it's been fine since.

They do like the bolts to be well greased to adjust smoothly. Not sure if it's stainless steel or what but they gall horribly.

Love mine, my bike has been hammered over the last 18 months through crap and good weather and no issues,

The only improvement I can think they could make would be for all the bolts to be the same size, rather than needing 3 dif ones.

Just picked up a new 2014 El Mariachi with Alternators, they look damn solid anyway...can't be worse than my old squeaky EBB bike. I hope.

The only improvement I can think they could make would be for all the bolts to be the same size, rather than needing 3 dif ones.

Advantage, you can tighten them without having to move the allen keys, more of a PITA with a multi too though.

Anyone any experience of the Maxle alternators?

I looked at getting a set of the Maxle alternators so I could swap wheels between my two bikes as the other one has a Maxle.
I saw the price of the alternators, realised that they were about half the cost of what the new frame was, and decided against them. I can't see how they can justify £170 for two metal plates 😯

I saw the price of the alternators, realised that they were about half the cost of what the new frame was, and decided against them. I can't see how they can justify £170 for two metal plates

No, me neither. They do chuck in a Maxle for that but it's still exorbitant and I don't think you can order the frame with the Maxle dropouts either, so you have to buy them aftermarket.