Single speed, horizontal dropouts, no chain tugs: Will I survive?

Just building up an inbred 29er slot drop, but struggling to get correct chain tension, looks like I’m going to need a half link. Off on a test ride tonight, chain tugs are fitted, but not really doing much as they are as tight as they go. Will the qr be enough to keep the wheel on?

the wheel will stay on but expect it to move forward in the dropout and lose chain tension.

When the chain comes off as a result of being too slack try and avoid hitting the back of the stem with your testicles.

I purposely chose a stem with a very rounded profile for that reason!

I wonder if one of those thick/thin chainrings would help a singlespeeder in this situation.

In my experience the qr won’t be enough. As soon as you give it some torque up a hill you risk a ball to top tube interface.

having struggled over getting the right chain tension on my track bike, I found this clip, which is spot on :

chain tension

If you have horizontal slot dropouts in an Inbred 29er, I don’t understand why

a) You can’t get correct chain tension
b) You think you need a half link
c) Chain tugs are as tight as they will go

Is your chain too long/stretched? If so, take a link out.

I would say my chain is tighter than the video, my bike does have chain tugs on, but they are only just engaging.

if its a good quality QR* (and i dont mean an expensive one i mean a shimano one) then itll be fine.

anything else – your doomed.

Ran my DMR as such with no issues for years – till i fitted a disk brake – that made it shift.

I used to have issues with some gear ratios – if you take a whole link out the axle is too far forward in the slot to get the chaintug around it properly and everything seated.

I ended up grinding a bit off the front of the tug so it would sit properly in the slot with a shorter chain rather than going down the half link route.

I think you may be having the same problem i had – i assumed with slot drops outs there would be straight forward.
But i found either the chain was too short to fit the wheel in the drop outs, or if i put a whole link back then i was right at the very back of the drop outs – which meant that the chain tug didn’t fit.
In the end i tried a new chain and that was fine, but next step was getting a half link.
For what its worth i’m also on quick release with no problems, but that’s only because i have the chain tug in place..

Still struggling to imagine what your problem is. Is the chain too long or too short? i.e. which end of the slot dropout is the axle, towards the front of the bike or the back?

If it’s too far back then the chain is too long and take a link out. If it’s too far forwards then put a link in (you will need a second split link for this) or get a new chain and split it at the right length.

When deciding on chain tension you will also need to check it at the point when the chain is at its tightest. This will occur at one point of the crank rotation.

…basically too slow typing, but exactly what wwaswas just said!

Pretty much as jimfran says, if I take a link out it will be too short, but as it is it is fractionally too long. Not a new chain, but not far from it. Running a 32t hope chainring with an 18t sprocket on the back.

Maybe I’m mistaken calling it slot drop, it has horizontal drop outs and a mech hanger.

I have an 29er Inbred slot dropout SS.

My experience was that a Shimano QR wouldn’t stay put, even a bolted skewer moved on steep hills. The fix for me was a surly chain tug (Drive side only), it has two holes in the tug so you can switch around depending if it’s at the front or back of the slot. It wasn’t cheap, and I had to clean most of the patch-lock of the bolt so I could turn it by hand, but is a quality bit of kit that fits the Inbred well.

The other advice to avoid losing the chain is to use the right chain for the rings you have, go all 3/32″ or all 1/8″. I started with a mix (bitsa bike), and had problems, going to all 1/8″ has been great, silent and smooth no matter what.

Just need to upgrade the horid Juicy 3’s to Deores and I’ll be a happy chappy!

Edit to add also running 32×18

Sounds a bit weird like the dropout is not long enough. Not like any horizontal SS dropout I have had that have always had enough adjustment including an On-One Inbred 26er. I’ve got a Genesis iO and a SS track frame at the moment and have never had any problem with them.

Are you sure taking a link out will make it too short? Have you got an old chain to try? It might have stretched enough to fit okay even with one link less than your newer chain.

I can see what everyone is saying above, but I find that the range of the standard on-one tug is sufficient so it all works whether for a brand new chain or a knackered one just before replacement. I’m running 32:18 too.

What tug-nut are you using? Maybe wwaswas’s grind-to-fit solution is the way forward as you need this to work for a normal chain at every chain swap and not constantly mucking about with half-links.

And the QR by itself will not hold against forward movement. Even a proper shimano one done up by a gorrrila imo.

It is a bargain build, using mostly bits and bobs found in the shed. The current chain tugs are from my old dirt jump bike(Azonic steelhead.)Maybe some On-one chain tugs are the way to go?!

Maybe some On-one chain tugs are the way to go?!

have a look at how much space there is between the axle and the front of the slot – if it’s ‘not much’ then you’ll still have the problem of the tug not fitting.

it only took 10 minutes with a file to shave enough off the front of the tug so it fitted the available space.

I had this type:

it’s just taking a bit off the part that’s designed to sit in the slot in front of the axle.

I had a similar problem on an old Specialized P2, I couldn’t find a chaintug short enough to sit right at the back of the rop out and removing a link wasn’t an option.

I had some success with one of those DT Swiss RWS skewers, everything else slipped (not tried Shimano).

It sounds like the Surly tug will work for you, I eventually gave up and bought a SS bolt through hub.

The on-one tug doesn’t have a bit in front of the axle, so it can go further forward:

Well it didn’t survive the works car park test without slipping a bit, I may have to try and put a 19t on the back for tonights ride.

****! Just took out a link and it is now so short you can’t get the wheel straight, definitely needs a half link.

I found with my Inbred the dropouts only give about half a link of wheel movement. I needed a half link and chain tugs to get the tension right.

I thought single speed would be a nice easy fix! This is the longest most drawn out bike project of the many I have done!

Just building up an inbred 29er slot drop, but struggling to get correct chain tension, looks like I’m going to need a half link. Off on a test ride tonight, chain tugs are fitted, but not really doing much as they are as tight as they go. Will the qr be enough to keep the wheel on?

Remove the nuts from the bolts on the chaintugs to get them to allow you to take up a bit more slack in the chain.

I have seen this problem with OO SS frames twice before. a half link will give you the correct adjustment,but a QR will not be tight enough to stop it slipping,without chaintugs.
best solution is tap the axle ends to take an m6 bolt. then you won’t need chain tugs (u really only ever should need one anyway)

poor design IMO.

😕

I have the 26″ inbred, I only run a QR and its fine 99% of the time. It usually falls off on the first climb if I have been lazy putting the wheel in. On the other hand, my friend has the 29er, runs QR with tugs, super tight chain, and it’s always coming off.