I had a bike shop that didn't know what they were doing try to convert my vertical dropout road bike to a single speed which lead to catastrophic fail. I then had a Surly chain tensioner installed which works great, but me coming from a BMX background, I just miss that direct feel of a true single speed. So, I'm going with an eccentric bottom bracket. Sure, it's expensive, but so is the frameset I'm using so it's well worth it at which point "expensive" becomes a relative word. The "magic gear" is a unicorn. It will tell YOU what gears you can use instead of you choosing your gearing and sizing the chain to your needs. In my personal opinion, bikes should be built around the rider's needs. The rider shouldn't have to conform to the bike. The same goes for fit. If your gearing preferences match your magic gear, wonderful. You're lucky. But honestly, to get a non-horizontal dropout bike to be a legit SAFE single speed/fixie, it's going to have to be an EBB or a eccentric hub.
I fitted the DMR DTS to my single speed MTB conversion a couple of years ago and it has worked really well. There is some whirring noise but it isn't too bad. It's good that you pointed out the need for a quick release to use this DMR product though. Good review - thanks!
great video thank you, very informative! i went the derailleur route, you can remove one of the springs in it to limit the pivot point, and it creates more tension on the remaining spring (made a video if anyone is keen). works quite well for me!
My experience with dual pulley tensioners is they drag too much energy from chain movement. Remember that a single speed setup can save 7-9 watts compared to a rear derailleur. The problem I've found with single pulley ones is spring not having enough torque to keep chain properly tight. I have had some chain skips while pushing on a bumpy terrain. I think single pulley is the best solution (for frames without horizontal dropouts) when paired with a semi-magical gear combination. This is, chain is loose but not loose enough to skip a cog and pulley is there only to keep chain preloaded.
@Lt_Henry thanks, good points 👍 my single pulley tensioner worked excellent for 3-4 months, then it started dropping the chain here and there (mostly on bumpy terrain, never under torque). I totally agree that single pulley need to be close to magic gear to work well. I really like my new ISCG mount chain guide though, it looks a lot more cleaner and feels sturdier than my single pulley, but time will tell 🤞
@@lt_henry820 Nope, can't say I have, mainly because all the available chainrings I can find are NW (at least the ones that match my 96bcd asymmetrical crank arms)
@@lt_henry820 I use a 3/32 half link attached with two quick links to get my chain length just right for 3-5 gear dinglespeed set ups. But my frame has horizontal dropouts. The Unicorn set ups are just a poor compromise as far as I'm concerned. I believe proper chain tension is really critical to a reliable well dialed singlespeed, most especially a fixed gear drivetrain. Since I climb hard quite often and ride in bad conditions often, my chains stretch pretty fast. Ive also used dummy derailleurs and the Pauls Melvin on a few of my bikes. Nothing can be as efficient as a fixed gear drivetrain. The inertial effect you get out of the spinning wheel is always a big surprise to me! You definately need to use just the right gear for your terrain. Watts and weight usually aren't what singlespeed are concerned with. Affordability, simplicity, reliability and transportation are. My tensioner set ups don't seem to waste much more effort however. I ride singlespeed as well as fixed gear all winter for reliability, simplicity and hard workouts. I don't worry much about watts nor weight. My weight and fitness are generally what's slowing me down !! Humans can generally increase their wattage. Believe it or not. My 'Crossafix' is built like a tank. It's designed for the apocalypse. I like the 'weight training aspect'! Im weird, I like pushing myself. I'm not racing it usually either. I actually prefer to spend more time riding. I dig loooong rides! Its the rider, not the freakin bike!
I haven't used the single pulley style tensioners. If I did, I'd try the Surly as they are a hardcore singlespeed dedicated company. They make all very solid products. I'll never waste my time with Chinese made products. I'm a retired machinist and mechanical inspector. I know better than to waste money. Ive used the dummy derailleurs with a longer limit screw and a short piece of cable to lock the derailleur in place. This is probably the most affordable, most versatile and easiest to set up option. Ive also used the Paul's Melvin but only because I can get industry discounts. Definately a blingy and unnecessary purchase! I wanted an all silver drivetrain. Definately a 'vanity purchase'! The chainline adjustment is a bit of a hassle. Paul's Comp stuff is extremely well made, tested and engineered though. All the materials are known and certified just like Mil spec hardware. I'm a retired machinist and mechanical inspector! I dig US made hardware! Ive built and inspected Mil spec hardware. I know WHY it's pricey! These two pulley set ups wrap up more chain and allow more chain/teeth engagement I think. That's very important on a hard pedaled singlespeed, especially if you climb lots like I do. Both derailleurs and 2 pulley tensioners allow multi gear 'dinglespeed' set ups that I love for extended length trail rides. I also own a White Industries ENO flip flop hub with the eccentric axle. Ive got the older version that doesn't require a WI proprietary splined cog. My cogs all screw on. Being an old school mechanic, I HATE proprietary drivetrain parts. This hub is a great investment if you're serious about singlespeeding. It allows you to use any vertical dropout frame for a MOST SECURE, solid and reliable singlespeed set up! White Industries make wonderful hubs, well worth the money IF you're a hardcore cyclist. Less expensive hubs work fine, I've used dozens over decades, but probably require more maintenance if you ride lots. I changed my ENO's axle to the normal non eccentric version when I got a horizontal drop out frame. In this case the eccentric feature is very inconvenient to use, most especially on my multi gear 'singlespeed' set ups.
The point of doing a ss is to get rid of heavy derailleur, and gears. Using derailleur as tensioner doesnt make sense. Use magic gears, half link, or light tensioner instead.
@@marcusmartin5758 There's horses for different courses. The point of a single speed for myself is that it's a simple, reliable bike. There's nothing much to go wrong or fix. I also like that I can build a cheap functional bike from a pile of old junk. For myself, it's just a tool to get from point A to point B. I'm not racing, (usually) so there's no particular hurry. I might as well use this junk, since it's free and otherwise would just be useless landfill. Ever since I was a young kid, I built dozens of these 'frankensteins', ride 'em awhile, thrash 'em until they break or I grow bored, then I sell, trade or just give em away to somebody who needs transportation. Then build another. I have a garage full of old bikes, parts and access to a whole bunch more. I enjoy the fact that it makes riding more difficult and challenging, believe it or not. But for me, that difficulty is even more fun. Like bring a kid again! Its also a better workout. The only weight that truly matters is the extra weight on my body. I own at least dozen bikes in various states of disrepair. . Some are custom made lightweight bikes, some with too many gears, derailleurs and other fancy stuff. I use those for longer rides in big mountains, where weight actually does matter. My favorite, most used, everyday bike is a heavy, steel, fixed gear cyclocross bike. This bike cost me very little besides my time to build it. No more reliable bike exists in my imagination. I built it with the intention to ride it hard and not spend much time fixing it. Being a pro mechanic, I try to spend more time riding than I do wrenching. At least it's an aspiration. I used to race, crash and repair my fancy lightweight bikes all the time. That got old. Pedaling always on fixed gear and no coasting offers a whole bunch of benefits to improve fitness, pedaling technique, even the way I operate and handle the bike. I believe this is what makes the ride a bit more interesting. I need to focus better on what I'm doing on the bike. Especially when I take a fixed on rough mtb trails in the mountains. Then it's the rider, not the freakin bike that makes the most difference. That extra weight is just like weight training. When I get on my lighter bikes it's so easy! When I get on my really heavy bike loaded with camping gear, it's not so difficult.
"I'm a retired machinist and mechanical inspector" So you're old, got it. Guess what people only slightly older than you used to say about Japanese products 🤣🤣🤣 In all seriousness, it's just a tensioner, get over it.
@@ssmtb ok I see where you are coming from.. to clarify, I am not proposing that the STS is compatible with through axles, just that the component of the STS assembly that captures the skewer of the quick release is unnecessary. Of that I am sure. I have never tried fit-up with through-axles.
What are the best chains to use for chain tensioners? I’ve tried so many but they PC1 from SRAM is the only one that doesn’t skip when pedaling, but this chain is expensive, any recommendations? I used the surly singulator
Honestly the cheapest and easiest chain tensioner is an old 7 speed derailleur and secure it with a shifter cable so that you can adjust it for an optimal chain line. It’s called “dingle shifter” an advantage of this besides from its low cost is your chain wont drop compared to a cheap chain tensioner.
in my opinion the sb one g3c is the absolute best tensioner for mountainbikes, if you have no budget, but if so the reverse sb one collab is the best for around 60€-80€
Using a cheap derailleur as chain tensioner requires no der. hanger or claw in the dropout as it bolts straight on the rear axle. But their cages are too narrow to run a single speed chain. Is there any hack/solution to this problem?
You mean it's too narrow for a 1/8 wide chain? IMHO I'd go for a non dedicated single speed chain, like shimano/sram/kmc 8 speed (3/32 wide), lots of people are running these on SS
An 1/8 inch chain certainly isn't stronger than a 3/32 chain. The pins, rollers and plates are basically the same size. The 3/32 chains see more investment and innovation. They're designed to handle shifting loads. Ive never had an issue with 3/32 drivetrains. Of course singlespeed chains and gears wear a bit faster. You're on one gear, all the time. 1/8" drivetrains are just tradition from long ago. Perhaps the thicker 1/8" gears last a bit longer. I get good use out of my 3/32 drivetrains. I ride my 'Crossafix' nearly every day, commuting and on local mtb trails.
Hi, thanks for the question! I'm actually not sure about that since my riding is mostly off road I don't have much exprience with coaster brakes, if I see something will let you know
I have a kindernay vii on my eMTB. I originally purchased a tensioner directly from Kindernay with my order. It looks identical to the "da bomb rlx". Except without the branding. It is a total PoS. In less than a few hundred kilometres, the plain brass bushings in the pivot of the arm totoally wore out. Causing the entire arm to tilt over sideways. I would avoid Kindernay tensioner, (and Da Bonb if it is the same) at all costs. Because they are extremely powerful quality crap.
The Kindernay tensioner also doesn't have any way if adjusting "b-screw" type adjustment. And it no good for rear cogs larger than 18t. Even though kindernay will happily sell you a 22t rear cog...
@@BramBiesiekierski thanks for sharing! I've heard some good things about da bomb, so maybe that kindernay isn't manufactured so great 🤷♂️ For me the ISCG has been really bullet proof
@@ssmtb I haven't seen the "Da bomb" in person. But it looks like near identical construction to the kindernay item. I suspect they are manufactured at the same OEM factory. (Probably in Taiwan.) And simply ordered in bulk and resold. As is the way things are done with so much consumer products, not just cycling stuff. There is also another company that also use a near identical looking tensioner. Called "problem solvers". You can look at them yourself and tell me if they look the same??? So no doubt in my mind, they are all sourced from the same component factory. Kindernay use Aligator brand hydraulics which are also a Taiwanese manufacturer. So its no surprise if they outsource the manufacturing of the tensioners. And even on the original shipping/invoicing info on the kindernay delivery box's, they specify some parts as from Taiwan. I think declaring this info must be an EU tax law or something along those lines????
@@ssmtb Right now I am looking at options to replace the worn out tensioner on my bike before it totally self destructs. Which is how I came across your video (thankyou). Full suspension eMTB with IGH and single speed chain, is a slightly different beast than a typical single speed commuter bike. And it does seem to require a very robust design. Also with a strong tension spring (and even damper) to over come the chain slap on off-road / MTB use. I am looking at using either the SB One, or Reverse Components Colab. As they both look very promising. What makes my particular setup interesting and difficult is that I use a comparitively high power mid-drive motor. Which due to the very high torque load, means I need to use a very large rear cog. Currently I run a 44t front, into a 22t rear, Into the 7 speed Kindernay. It's a 2:1 ratio. But I need the large rear cog to get sufficient chain wrap or chain teeth interface, so as to not skip teeth when under full power use. Unfortunately most of the limited number of commercial options available that are tailored to MTB use, tend to be designed for small rear cogs, like 13/14t etc. As they tend to be designed around downhill MTB / bike park / dirt jump MTBs. And not odd ball high power eMTBs like my bike.
Actually. I am mistaken. The Da Bomb RLx is a slightly different design than that of the Problem Solvers and Kindernay. The cage is a slightly different shape. And the upper link is also a slightly different design aswell. So maybe totoally unrelated. Or maybe an "updated" version of the others???
Yea, those EBBs never really resonated with me, they seem like a lot of faff while offering fairly limited chain adjustment I know some SS riders really like theirs, so go figure 🤷♂
That's a good Q- I didn't think about it during the making of this video I assume it wouldn't be optimal with a full suspension, may not work at all depending on the amount of travel (IMHO a rear der is probably the best solution for a full sus)
Yea, usually goes together with simplicity, but basically I find that a lot of people ditching gears also want to ditch the rear mech for clean looking bike
Simplicity and reliability are the best attributes of singlespeeds. More riding, less wrenching. K. I. S. S. theory........ Function>form. Its the rider, not the freakin bike. The bike is a mere tool, designed for a purpose, to get from point A to point B. Perhaps logic doesn't work on lots of folks these days.
I had a bike shop that didn't know what they were doing try to convert my vertical dropout road bike to a single speed which lead to catastrophic fail. I then had a Surly chain tensioner installed which works great, but me coming from a BMX background, I just miss that direct feel of a true single speed. So, I'm going with an eccentric bottom bracket. Sure, it's expensive, but so is the frameset I'm using so it's well worth it at which point "expensive" becomes a relative word.
The "magic gear" is a unicorn. It will tell YOU what gears you can use instead of you choosing your gearing and sizing the chain to your needs. In my personal opinion, bikes should be built around the rider's needs. The rider shouldn't have to conform to the bike. The same goes for fit.
If your gearing preferences match your magic gear, wonderful. You're lucky. But honestly, to get a non-horizontal dropout bike to be a legit SAFE single speed/fixie, it's going to have to be an EBB or a eccentric hub.
I fitted the DMR DTS to my single speed MTB conversion a couple of years ago and it has worked really well. There is some whirring noise but it isn't too bad. It's good that you pointed out the need for a quick release to use this DMR product though. Good review - thanks!
Thanks for the positive feedback and sharing your experience! Much appreciated 🙏
great video thank you, very informative! i went the derailleur route, you can remove one of the springs in it to limit the pivot point, and it creates more tension on the remaining spring (made a video if anyone is keen). works quite well for me!
Thankyou. Very helpful.
Great, thanks!
Great video. I learnt a lot. The main thing being I can convert my existing derailleur on my 148x12 boost for little cost.
Thank you
Glad to help out, this is exactly why I made this video 👍
Good info.
Thanks for compiling these. This is a niche within a niche, for a beginner it can be hard to find information.
Cheers, thanks for the positive feedback!
My experience with dual pulley tensioners is they drag too much energy from chain movement. Remember that a single speed setup can save 7-9 watts compared to a rear derailleur.
The problem I've found with single pulley ones is spring not having enough torque to keep chain properly tight. I have had some chain skips while pushing on a bumpy terrain.
I think single pulley is the best solution (for frames without horizontal dropouts) when paired with a semi-magical gear combination. This is, chain is loose but not loose enough to skip a cog and pulley is there only to keep chain preloaded.
@Lt_Henry thanks, good points 👍 my single pulley tensioner worked excellent for 3-4 months, then it started dropping the chain here and there (mostly on bumpy terrain, never under torque).
I totally agree that single pulley need to be close to magic gear to work well.
I really like my new ISCG mount chain guide though, it looks a lot more cleaner and feels sturdier than my single pulley, but time will tell 🤞
@@ssmtb What about half-link chains? (BMX like). Have you tested it?
@@lt_henry820 Nope, can't say I have, mainly because all the available chainrings I can find are NW (at least the ones that match my 96bcd asymmetrical crank arms)
@@lt_henry820 I use a 3/32 half link attached with two quick links to get my chain length just right for 3-5 gear dinglespeed set ups. But my frame has horizontal dropouts.
The Unicorn set ups are just a poor compromise as far as I'm concerned. I believe proper chain tension is really critical to a reliable well dialed singlespeed, most especially a fixed gear drivetrain. Since I climb hard quite often and ride in bad conditions often, my chains stretch pretty fast.
Ive also used dummy derailleurs and the Pauls Melvin on a few of my bikes. Nothing can be as efficient as a fixed gear drivetrain. The inertial effect you get out of the spinning wheel is always a big surprise to me! You definately need to use just the right gear for your terrain.
Watts and weight usually aren't what singlespeed are concerned with. Affordability, simplicity, reliability and transportation are.
My tensioner set ups don't seem to waste much more effort however. I ride singlespeed as well as fixed gear all winter for reliability, simplicity and hard workouts. I don't worry much about watts nor weight. My weight and fitness are generally what's slowing me down !! Humans can generally increase their wattage. Believe it or not. My 'Crossafix' is built like a tank. It's designed for the apocalypse. I like the 'weight training aspect'! Im weird, I like pushing myself. I'm not racing it usually either. I actually prefer to spend more time riding. I dig loooong rides! Its the rider, not the freakin bike!
I haven't used the single pulley style tensioners. If I did, I'd try the Surly as they are a hardcore singlespeed dedicated company. They make all very solid products.
I'll never waste my time with Chinese made products. I'm a retired machinist and mechanical inspector. I know better than to waste money.
Ive used the dummy derailleurs with a longer limit screw and a short piece of cable to lock the derailleur in place. This is probably the most affordable, most versatile and easiest to set up option. Ive also used the Paul's Melvin but only because I can get industry discounts. Definately a blingy and unnecessary purchase! I wanted an all silver drivetrain. Definately a 'vanity purchase'! The chainline adjustment is a bit of a hassle. Paul's Comp
stuff is extremely well made, tested and engineered though. All the materials are known and certified just like Mil spec hardware. I'm a retired machinist and mechanical inspector! I dig US made hardware! Ive built and inspected Mil spec hardware. I know WHY it's pricey!
These two pulley set ups wrap up more chain and allow more chain/teeth engagement I think. That's very important on a hard pedaled singlespeed, especially if you climb lots like I do. Both derailleurs and 2 pulley tensioners allow multi gear 'dinglespeed' set ups that I love for extended length trail rides.
I also own a White Industries ENO flip flop hub with the eccentric axle. Ive got the older version that doesn't require a WI proprietary splined cog. My cogs all screw on. Being an old school mechanic, I HATE proprietary drivetrain parts. This hub is a great investment if you're serious about singlespeeding. It allows you to use any vertical dropout frame for a MOST SECURE, solid and reliable singlespeed set up! White Industries make wonderful hubs, well worth the money IF you're a hardcore cyclist. Less expensive hubs work fine, I've used dozens over decades, but probably require more maintenance if you ride lots.
I changed my ENO's axle to the normal non eccentric version when I got a horizontal drop out frame. In this case the eccentric feature is very inconvenient to use, most especially on my multi gear 'singlespeed' set ups.
Surly use a Chinese manufacture based in Taiwan (information is on their website)
The point of doing a ss is to get rid of heavy derailleur, and gears. Using derailleur as tensioner doesnt make sense. Use magic gears, half link, or light tensioner instead.
@@marcusmartin5758 There's horses for different courses.
The point of a single speed for myself is that it's a simple, reliable bike. There's nothing much to go wrong or fix. I also like that I can build a cheap functional bike from a pile of old junk. For myself, it's just a tool to get from point A to point B. I'm not racing, (usually) so there's no particular hurry. I might as well use this junk, since it's free and otherwise would just be useless landfill.
Ever since I was a young kid, I built dozens of these 'frankensteins', ride 'em awhile, thrash 'em until they break or I grow bored, then I sell, trade or just give em away to somebody who needs transportation. Then build another.
I have a garage full of old bikes, parts and access to a whole bunch more.
I enjoy the fact that it makes riding more difficult and challenging, believe it or not. But for me, that difficulty is even more fun. Like bring a kid again! Its also a better workout. The only weight that truly matters is the extra weight on my body.
I own at least dozen bikes in various states of disrepair. . Some are custom made lightweight bikes, some with too many gears, derailleurs and other fancy stuff. I use those for longer rides in big mountains, where weight actually does matter.
My favorite, most used, everyday bike is a heavy, steel, fixed gear cyclocross bike. This bike cost me very little besides my time to build it. No more reliable bike exists in my imagination. I built it with the intention to ride it hard and not spend much time fixing it. Being a pro mechanic, I try to spend more time riding than I do wrenching. At least it's an aspiration. I used to race, crash and repair my fancy lightweight bikes all the time. That got old.
Pedaling always on fixed gear and no coasting offers a whole bunch of benefits to improve fitness, pedaling technique, even the way I operate and handle the bike. I believe this is what makes the ride a bit more interesting. I need to focus better on what I'm doing on the bike. Especially when I take a fixed on rough mtb trails in the mountains. Then it's the rider, not the freakin bike that makes the most difference.
That extra weight is just like weight training. When I get on my lighter bikes it's so easy! When I get on my really heavy bike loaded with camping gear, it's not so difficult.
"I'm a retired machinist and mechanical inspector" So you're old, got it. Guess what people only slightly older than you used to say about Japanese products 🤣🤣🤣 In all seriousness, it's just a tensioner, get over it.
China has the capacity to make amazing products, as well as really cheap products. They cover the whole market
The STS works fine without the quick release fitting, it is removable and optional.
You sure? Pretty sure I read in several sources that it's not compatible with thru axles
(Would be happy to stand corrected if so)
@@ssmtb ok I see where you are coming from.. to clarify, I am not proposing that the STS is compatible with through axles, just that the component of the STS assembly that captures the skewer of the quick release is unnecessary. Of that I am sure. I have never tried fit-up with through-axles.
What are the best chains to use for chain tensioners? I’ve tried so many but they PC1 from SRAM is the only one that doesn’t skip when pedaling, but this chain is expensive, any recommendations? I used the surly singulator
I have had good results with KMCs x8/9/11
@@ssmtb sadly KMC has always skipped on me /: . No matter the length or tension, i take a couple of pedals and the chain skips.
Honestly the cheapest and easiest chain tensioner is an old 7 speed derailleur and secure it with a shifter cable so that you can adjust it for an optimal chain line. It’s called “dingle shifter” an advantage of this besides from its low cost is your chain wont drop compared to a cheap chain tensioner.
Good point, thanks for sharing!
in my opinion the sb one g3c is the absolute best tensioner for mountainbikes, if you have no budget, but if so the reverse sb one collab is the best for around 60€-80€
Wow, this looks like a uber nice tensioner, haven't heard of it before, thanks for sharing 🙏
Using a cheap derailleur as chain tensioner requires no der. hanger or claw in the dropout as it bolts straight on the rear axle. But their cages are too narrow to run a single speed chain. Is there any hack/solution to this problem?
You mean it's too narrow for a 1/8 wide chain?
IMHO I'd go for a non dedicated single speed chain, like shimano/sram/kmc 8 speed (3/32 wide), lots of people are running these on SS
An 1/8 inch chain certainly isn't stronger than a 3/32 chain. The pins, rollers and plates are basically the same size.
The 3/32 chains see more investment and innovation. They're designed to handle shifting loads.
Ive never had an issue with 3/32 drivetrains. Of course singlespeed chains and gears wear a bit faster. You're on one gear, all the time.
1/8" drivetrains are just tradition from long ago. Perhaps the thicker 1/8" gears last a bit longer. I get good use out of my 3/32 drivetrains. I ride my 'Crossafix' nearly every day, commuting and on local mtb trails.
what if you have a coast break wheel installed? does that make the difference on which chain tensioner I should go for?
Hi, thanks for the question!
I'm actually not sure about that since my riding is mostly off road I don't have much exprience with coaster brakes, if I see something will let you know
@@ssmtb no worries, cheers! I appreciate your response
I have a kindernay vii on my eMTB. I originally purchased a tensioner directly from Kindernay with my order. It looks identical to the "da bomb rlx". Except without the branding.
It is a total PoS. In less than a few hundred kilometres, the plain brass bushings in the pivot of the arm totoally wore out. Causing the entire arm to tilt over sideways.
I would avoid Kindernay tensioner, (and Da Bonb if it is the same) at all costs. Because they are extremely powerful quality crap.
The Kindernay tensioner also doesn't have any way if adjusting "b-screw" type adjustment. And it no good for rear cogs larger than 18t. Even though kindernay will happily sell you a 22t rear cog...
@@BramBiesiekierski thanks for sharing! I've heard some good things about da bomb, so maybe that kindernay isn't manufactured so great 🤷♂️
For me the ISCG has been really bullet proof
@@ssmtb I haven't seen the "Da bomb" in person. But it looks like near identical construction to the kindernay item. I suspect they are manufactured at the same OEM factory. (Probably in Taiwan.) And simply ordered in bulk and resold. As is the way things are done with so much consumer products, not just cycling stuff.
There is also another company that also use a near identical looking tensioner. Called "problem solvers". You can look at them yourself and tell me if they look the same??? So no doubt in my mind, they are all sourced from the same component factory.
Kindernay use Aligator brand hydraulics which are also a Taiwanese manufacturer. So its no surprise if they outsource the manufacturing of the tensioners.
And even on the original shipping/invoicing info on the kindernay delivery box's, they specify some parts as from Taiwan. I think declaring this info must be an EU tax law or something along those lines????
@@ssmtb Right now I am looking at options to replace the worn out tensioner on my bike before it totally self destructs. Which is how I came across your video (thankyou).
Full suspension eMTB with IGH and single speed chain, is a slightly different beast than a typical single speed commuter bike. And it does seem to require a very robust design. Also with a strong tension spring (and even damper) to over come the chain slap on off-road / MTB use.
I am looking at using either the SB One, or Reverse Components Colab. As they both look very promising.
What makes my particular setup interesting and difficult is that I use a comparitively high power mid-drive motor. Which due to the very high torque load, means I need to use a very large rear cog. Currently I run a 44t front, into a 22t rear, Into the 7 speed Kindernay. It's a 2:1 ratio. But I need the large rear cog to get sufficient chain wrap or chain teeth interface, so as to not skip teeth when under full power use.
Unfortunately most of the limited number of commercial options available that are tailored to MTB use, tend to be designed for small rear cogs, like 13/14t etc. As they tend to be designed around downhill MTB / bike park / dirt jump MTBs. And not odd ball high power eMTBs like my bike.
Actually. I am mistaken. The Da Bomb RLx is a slightly different design than that of the Problem Solvers and Kindernay. The cage is a slightly different shape. And the upper link is also a slightly different design aswell. So maybe totoally unrelated. Or maybe an "updated" version of the others???
Lots of torque in BB when climbing with SS bike. Those eccentric BB look to be a constant pain. Track ends and bolts are tried and true
Yea, those EBBs never really resonated with me, they seem like a lot of faff while offering fairly limited chain adjustment
I know some SS riders really like theirs, so go figure 🤷♂
I've had my track ends slip under braking and they require way more clamping force across the axle.
so the blackspire stinger will work even on full sus?
That's a good Q- I didn't think about it during the making of this video
I assume it wouldn't be optimal with a full suspension, may not work at all depending on the amount of travel (IMHO a rear der is probably the best solution for a full sus)
At some point I start to think there are just silence... Voice line need to be MUCH louder.
Thanks for the feedback 🙏 audio wasn't so great on the first videos, trying to improve
Aesthetically?
Yea, usually goes together with simplicity, but basically I find that a lot of people ditching gears also want to ditch the rear mech for clean looking bike
Simplicity and reliability are the best attributes of singlespeeds. More riding, less wrenching.
K. I. S. S. theory........
Function>form.
Its the rider, not the freakin bike. The bike is a mere tool, designed for a purpose, to get from point A to point B.
Perhaps logic doesn't work on lots of folks these days.