Members Fixed Gear & SS

[Tail End Charlie]

Truly you can consider yourself a fettler. Good to see use of parts lying around and bodges. The frame looks in good nick. Next step is to fixed. Excellent, well done, need more pics so we can comment on chain tension etc. Although from that angle it does look a bit slack.

[Zoidburg]

It will be slack as there is no tension in that tensioner, it's bolted straight through the gear hanger.

It's a magic gear in effect, you could just get rid of that tensioner and the set up would be the same, either way it's going to run slack when the chain stretches.

Looking at the drop outs I cant tell if they are vertical or semi-horizontal, if they are semi-horizontal you could get away with fixing it.

[MSeries]

vertical drop outs, else it would be another Fixed.

I did a 4 mile test ride a couple of weeks ago, it all worked but I am injured so it wasn't a very nice test. It was hard to tell what it felt like since my leg is sore and it was my first ride on a freewheel for three and a half months

[Zoidburg]

You still don't need that "tensioner" if you are running it as a magic gear - it doesn't even tension it just lengthens the chain run.

I would ditch it or put a short cage road mech on there.

Sorry to be an asshat but it just doesn't do anything as it is - it's redundant.

[MSeries]

It allows the slack to be taken up as the chain stretches. Without it the chain would be far too slack. Can't remove another link and magic gear is unlikely to give me the gear I want (with the parts I have, this project has cost me nothing so far). I am more likely to refit the gears anyway and I nearly did today.

removing a link and adding a half link would mean it didn't have to do as much and I may do that if/when I get a new chain. I'm just fettling at the moment, seeing what can be done. I could have bought a sprung tensioner or as you say fitted a mech. I want to redeploy the mech I removed on another bike anyway. Loads of options and I have chosen this one.

[Zoidburg]

"It allows the slack to be taken up as the chain stretches"

How is it going to do that? It's a fixed position jockey wheel that is non-adjustable.

It's still not a tensioner.

Give it maybe 500 miles and then you are going to drop the chain all the time because it will have stretched, so then you are back at square one.

Short cage road mech, any tatty old thing will do, simple.

If don't want to go that road you can shell out a few quid on a half link and still loose the "tensioner".

[MSeries]

I'll slacken the nut and push it down towards the chain and retighten it.

How is it not adjustable ?

[Zoidburg]

It's slightly eccentric is it?

[MSeries]

It's slightly eccentric is it?

what ?

[Zoidburg]

It's slightly eccentric is it?

what ?

Like an eccentric bottom bracket?

A thread within a thread, one off center so turning the outer moves the inner off line?

[MSeries]

It's slightly eccentric is it?

what ?

Like an eccentric bottom bracket?

A thread within a thread, one off center so turning the outer thread moves the inner off line?

Is what eccentric ?

[MSeries]

No need to answer, it isn't.

[Zoidburg]

It's slightly eccentric is it?

what ?

Like an eccentric bottom bracket?

A thread within a thread, one off center so turning the outer thread moves the inner off line?

Is what eccentric ?

The bolt that the jockey wheel sits on.

Is it eccentric to the bolt running through the gear hanger?

[Zoidburg]

No need to answer, it isn't.

The what are you "adjusting"?

You mean you are bending the metal?

[MSeries]

No need to answer, it isn't.

The what are you "adjusting"?

You mean you are bending the metal?

no, it's a V brake arm. one end is attached to the rear mech hanger the other has the jockey wheel attached. loosening the hanger end will allow it to pivot. Push it down and retighten.

What's wrong with that ? Genuine question, this is my first time with a SS like this.

[Zoidburg]

Ahh.

Couldn't see the arm bit as it's completely in profile.

In that piccy it looks like a V brake boss bolted into another bolt running through the gear hanger.

[MSeries]

I though, part way trhough our conversation that you'd misunderstood what you saw.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/2wQr1rrcA90&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/2wQr1rrcA90&rel=1</a>

[Zoidburg]

Not so much misunderstood.

You just didn't show the part you were talking about.

[MSeries]

It is in the picture of course and I can understand why you thought what you did from the angle. A side view would clarify things of course but as I said in the OP my batteries are flat. I did also mention the V brake there too.

[citoyen]

Couldn't see the arm bit as it's completely in profile.

In that piccy it looks like a V brake boss bolted into another bolt running through the gear hanger.

Ah. I wondered what you were on about until I read this. Looking at the picture again, I can see why you might make that mistake.

Not so much misunderstood.

Weeeeell... he did say in the original post what the set up was. It sometimes helps to read the words as well as look at the pictures...

d.

[MSeries]

Here we are

BikeTrials and a Fistful of Blisters: DIY Roller Chain Tensioner

My version

[Deano]

Good work Mr N  - that looks ace.

[jellied]

Didn't realise there was a special topic for SS reader's bikes.

The Roat Rat after 2 months, so far so good but not as maintenance free as I'd hoped.

[MSeries]

Good work Mr N  - that looks ace.

thanks, if it works and I get on with it, I'll get a new chain with a half link and shorten it. I'll remove the levers and possibly the front mech too. I may get a blank large 'chainring' to replace the outer 52. I may also find some more spacers and use a lockring instead of the screw on sprocket. I may also get a new sprocket particularly if I want to change the ratio.

[PaulR]

Here's my trusty wagon in its latest guise - sit-up-and-beg handlebars replaced with an old v light and rather narrow flat bar, rear brake reinstated and flowers coming out all around.