# Fixed Chain Tensioners.



## Roasted (Feb 8, 2009)

I've come to accept that spring tensioners tend to suck. I've only tried one but it was such a horrible chain popping experience I just decided I was going to go with a fixed tensioner.

I'm unsure about a few things though. The top dog tensioner seems to easily be the Rennen Rollenlager, however, it seems as if in most cases your rear cog has to be moved closer to the outside of the wheel for the Rennen to hug the chain nicely.

At the same token, I've heard some people say the DMR STS is only compatible with certain chains, something to do with the style and width of the roller.

Anybody have any opinions about this? Or perhaps another fixed tensioner that is fully adjustable and does a great job that I don't know about?

EDIT - How's this lil guy? http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/17...n-Guides/Tensioners/Sette-Chain-Tensioner.htm


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## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

I've had really good performance with a Surly tensioner (in the push up ... sounds like a 
bra ... mode for more chain wrap).


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## Roasted (Feb 8, 2009)

Is it fixed or spring? Got a link to a picture of it?


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## scooter916 (Jan 2, 2006)

the soulcraft is pricy but it is very nice, fixed with a sealed bearing roller


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## Roasted (Feb 8, 2009)

scooter916 said:


> the soulcraft is pricy but it is very nice, fixed with a sealed bearing roller


Holy Hell... I thought the Rennen was expensive.

Soulcraft is definitely out of the picture.

I managed to get my crappy spring loaded tensioner working on my bike, however it's very sub par and I'll get a new tensioner anyway. The thing is, it's very noisy. Should I expect all tensioners to be pretty noisy? Are roller tensioners quiet than ones with an actual cog in the tensioner?


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## Roasted (Feb 8, 2009)

How do you guys think the link in my first post would compare to the Rennen? The price difference is quite enticing, but I don't want to cheap out on something either. But when I look at the construction of both the Rennen and the Sette I just can't see enough of a difference to think the Rennen is that much more substantially better.

Any input?


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

That Sette looks like it should work but I have not used one. My Rennen is doing what it is supposed to do.

The chain needs to be pretty close to a good length to get it within the adjustment range: on my bike the chain is perfect with 32/16 gearing. At 32/18 I needed a half link to make the tensioner work.

You have to unbolt the tensioner, or remove the QR, for wheel removal.

If I were doing a new conversion, I'd look at the Yess, or some other BB mounted tensioner.

edit:
I am running 9 speed chains but the Rennen worked fine with the wider chain I had there for a while too.
Chainline seems to be fine with Shimano cranks and chainring in the middle position (and cassette hub with spacers).


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## nomad9 (Feb 25, 2009)

I can't really comment on the Sette or Rennen but I've been using a DMR STS for about 10 months. It works really well and is nice and quiet. Don't believe it works with 1/8 single speed chains though. I run a standard 3/32 chain.


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## scooter916 (Jan 2, 2006)

perttime said:


> That Sette looks like it should work but I have not used one. My Rennen is doing what it is supposed to do.
> 
> The chain needs to be pretty close to a good length to get it within the adjustment range: on my bike the chain is perfect with 32/16 gearing. At 32/18 I needed a half link to make the tensioner work.
> 
> ...


+1 on the Yess, I have been using a similar thing for the past 3 years with out a hitch
I am using the Roox Rollercoaster, its the bottom half of their DH chain guide.


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## bad mechanic (Jun 21, 2006)

nomad9 said:


> Don't believe it works with 1/8 single speed chains though. I run a standard 3/32 chain.


^ This. The DMR doesn't like 1/8 chains, but there's really no reason to use a 1/8" chain on a single speed anyway.

The Sette one should work fine as well. Just buy any of the three and you should be happy.


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## Roasted (Feb 8, 2009)

I ordered the Sette. I'll report back after I get it on the bike and go for a solid ride with it. Which as of now is Saturday as long as the weather holds up!


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## Doggity (Mar 27, 2007)

fos'l said:


> I've had really good performance with a Surly tensioner (in the push up ... sounds like a
> bra ... mode for more chain wrap).


Seconded! Folks love to dis the Soily, but I've had 0 probs with it, in push up mode. Reasonably quiet (long as you keep the pulley somewhat clean), never skips, or drops the chain. What the hell more you want?:thumbsup:


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## Alias Pauly (Aug 15, 2008)

Roasted said:


> I've come to accept that spring tensioners tend to suck. I've only tried one but it was such a horrible chain popping experience I just decided I was going to go with a fixed tensioner.
> 
> Anybody have any opinions about this? Or perhaps another fixed tensioner that is fully adjustable and does a great job that I don't know about?
> 
> EDIT - How's this lil guy? http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/17...n-Guides/Tensioners/Sette-Chain-Tensioner.htm


I originally tried to single speed my bike with the tensioner in that link and it sucked. It couldn't hold pressure, and my slightly out of round chain ring made it useless. It was also very noisy and felt like it was dragging alot. I bought a $30 spring loaded one off ebay and have had zero problems with it. I use it in the push up configuration and you can barely notice it tucked under the chain-stay.

+1 for spring loaded.


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## Roasted (Feb 8, 2009)

Alias Pauly said:


> I originally tried to single speed my bike with the tensioner in that link and it sucked. It couldn't hold pressure, and my slightly out of round chain ring made it useless. It was also very noisy and felt like it was dragging alot. I bought a $30 spring loaded one off ebay and have had zero problems with it. I use it in the push up configuration and you can barely notice it tucked under the chain-stay.
> 
> +1 for spring loaded.


I have a spring loaded one right now.

It sucks.

Here's to hoping I have more luck with the fixed! :thumbsup:


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## bad mechanic (Jun 21, 2006)

Alias Pauly said:


> I originally tried to single speed my bike with the tensioner in that link and it sucked. It couldn't hold pressure, and my slightly out of round chain ring made it useless. It was also very noisy and felt like it was dragging alot. I bought a $30 spring loaded one off ebay and have had zero problems with it. I use it in the push up configuration and you can barely notice it tucked under the chain-stay.


My guess? You didn't have it adjusted properly.


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## Alias Pauly (Aug 15, 2008)

bad mechanic said:


> My guess? You didn't have it adjusted properly.


I think the problem was a crappy sram PC-7 chain, which skipped on the rear sprocket despite them both being brand new. And the out-of-round chain ring. The spring loaded tensioner fixed the skipping problem when used in push up mode, but not in push down mode. The extra couple of teeth it wrapped around made the difference. The chain then snapped at the furthest point of a 50km out and back ride, so I switched to a KMC 710 chain and now it's all good.

The fixed tensioner probably would have worked with the KMC chain and a round chain ring, but it still would have been noisy and clunky.


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## Roasted (Feb 8, 2009)

I have a spring loaded tensioner now, which is significantly louder than my rear derailleur that came on the bike (I converted my hardtail). I don't understand why. I'm sure it's just a low end tensioner, but I keep hearing good things about the fixed tensioners so I wanted to test one out.

The Rennen looks amazing, but, I just couldn't justify 50 bucks for a piece of metal right off the bat like that. Plus my exhaust fell off on my car so I'll be bending over for that one before I even get my check. Gotta save money somewhere, so I chose the Sette over Rennen. I hope it's a worthy competitor, otherwise that's 30 out the window and another 50 I'll spend for the Rennen anyway. Wouldn't that be just grand if it worked out like that? :madman:


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## Roasted (Feb 8, 2009)

Another question for you fixed tensioner SS riders out there. Figured I'd tack it here instead of making another thread.

Say you have a Rollenlager, or a Gusset Bachelor or whatever on your bike. If you pull upwards on the bottom of the chain (not a lot, but just enough to get some pressure) does your chain tensioner move a bit, therefore loosening the chain? 

I was just kind of surprised to see that my chain tensioner moved when I did this. I have it locked down with the QR skewer + hanger bolt pretty decently, too. I noticed it when I was checking my chain tension before hitting the trail. I guess I checked a bit too hard cause the tension got weaker as I was pulling/pushing on the chain to get a feel for it. I ended up re-tensioning the tensioner and off I went, but nonetheless I was still curious to know if this was normal.

I assume it was, because after all these are just pieces of metal and bolts. But I just wanted to hear from someone else what their 2 cents were.

Thanks, guys.


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## aka brad (Dec 24, 2003)

Roasted said:


> Another question for you fixed tensioner SS riders out there. Figured I'd tack it here instead of making another thread.
> 
> Say you have a Rollenlager, or a Gusset Bachelor or whatever on your bike. If you pull upwards on the bottom of the chain (not a lot, but just enough to get some pressure) does your chain tensioner move a bit, therefore loosening the chain?
> 
> ...


 You know you ask a lot of strange questions...but I like that in a person. I'm guessing when you preload the tensioner against the chain, there is the possibility for some movement if the chain tension is slackened. This probably due to the pin that holds the pulley twisting the tension arm with the torque of the preload; relieve the preload, you relieve the torque and the arm would untwist, resulting in movement.


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## Stevob (Feb 27, 2009)

My home made pull up tensioner...'twas a spring loaded pull down one before.


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## Roasted (Feb 8, 2009)

aka brad said:


> You know you ask a lot of strange questions...but I like that in a person. I'm guessing when you preload the tensioner against the chain, there is the possibility for some movement if the chain tension is slackened. This probably due to the pin that holds the pulley twisting the tension arm with the torque of the preload; relieve the preload, you relieve the torque and the arm would untwist, resulting in movement.


Hahaha, I know this.  It was just a total bummer for me because I noticed this when I was an hour from home riding solo on a trail. Like I said while checking the tension I saw the tensioner move and I was like, what, are you kidding me?

But when you relieve the torque, the arm doesn't untwist. It's not about the arm bending. It's about the arm "sliding" where it's 2 lockpoints are. It's kind of like riding a bike with horizontal dropouts with QR skewers. You know you have that chance for them to slide under impact. Well with this fixed tensioner, under "impact", the tensioner moves forward a bit, slackens the chain, and when you let off (since it's a fixed tensioner) it doesn't move back... requiring you to bust out the allen key, pull it back, lock down again.

The only time this has been a problem is when I had a really tall rock on my drive side. I tried to creep by and the rock pushed up on the chain and it forced the tensioner to move. This is certainly a +1 to spring tensioners for not having this issue, except my spring tensioner makes me sound like a damn dump truck with how noisy it is.

But, like I said before, I just wasn't sure if other fixed tensioner owners noticed this same kind of activity in a similar situation or not. It's nothing I've ever heard talked about so I wasn't too sure.


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## lamp no 3 (Jun 4, 2008)

hey stevob, is that a GT your riding, can I see the whole bike because I want to see what it would look like.


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## Roasted (Feb 8, 2009)

Is there a specific foot-pound you should torque a bolt in the rear derailleur hanger to? Like if I had the Rollenlager, what should I torque that bolt to?


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## Stevob (Feb 27, 2009)

lamp no 3 said:


> hey stevob, is that a GT your riding, can I see the whole bike because I want to see what it would look like.


Sure is lamp no 3. :thumbsup:

a teaser...










the whole selection of today's dirty pics...

https://forums.mtbr.com/showpost.php?p=5933268&postcount=389


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## Roasted (Feb 8, 2009)

Stevob - is that tensioner noisy? I have a similar one that's noisy as ever...


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## Stevob (Feb 27, 2009)

Nah, I'm much noisier than the tensioner.


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## Stevob (Feb 27, 2009)

Roasted said:


> Stevob - is that tensioner noisy? I have a similar one that's noisy as ever...


Actually, to answer your question properly, it was a little noisy, until I switched the dolly for one from an old deore deraileur. It's larger and made from plastic, not steel so now it's much quieter.


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## jbsmith (Aug 3, 2008)

Stevob said:


> My home made pull up tensioner...'twas a spring loaded pull down one before.


How does this work for you? I have the same tensioner currently in the 'spring down' mode.

Did you take the spring out completley?


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## Stevob (Feb 27, 2009)

I didn't have to remove the spring. The tensioner has a pin which, as you can see in the pic, is supposed to sit behind the lip on the rear of the hanger. It is this pin which takes all the load of the spring, so to remove the load, just remove the tensioner then refit it with the pin in the above position. Easy fix.


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