Chain tension - Standard Road bike to singlespeed

peanut1978
peanut1978 Posts: 1,031
edited November 2009 in Road beginners
is it easy enough to achieve and maintain good chain tension on a standard road frame?

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    with a tensioner or horizontal drop outs yes.

    not quite sure what you are asking though.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • peanut1978
    peanut1978 Posts: 1,031
    I as looking at getting a singlespeed or track bike for commute

    but cant be arsed with the faff of bolts in the event of a puncture.

    QR seems like an easier option
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    But a QR simply doesn't clamp a wheel firmly enough to prevent it being pulled over by the chain and causing the tyre to run the chainstay. You can fit a chain tug / tensioner, to stop the wheel moving but it gets complicated again.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • Infamous
    Infamous Posts: 1,130
    You can convert a road bike into singlespeed for about £20 with tensioner and spacer kit, but you obviously can't ride fixed.

    For a bike with track dropouts you need track nuts, but can ride fixed.
  • lae
    lae Posts: 555
    Monty Dog wrote:
    But a QR simply doesn't clamp a wheel firmly enough to prevent it being pulled over by the chain

    Nyeh I'm not so sure about this. I've used QRs on singlespeed and horizontal dropout bikes for a couple of years and never had any problems. Maybe it's down to the way you ride and how strong your hands are.
  • John.T
    John.T Posts: 3,698
    You should have no trouble with decent QRs. Not so many years ago all bikes had near horizontal drop outs and we never had the wheel pull over if the QRs were done up properly.
    My Fleet.
  • MrChuck
    MrChuck Posts: 1,663
    Monty Dog wrote:
    But a QR simply doesn't clamp a wheel firmly enough to prevent it being pulled over by the chain and causing the tyre to run the chainstay. You can fit a chain tug / tensioner, to stop the wheel moving but it gets complicated again.

    I ended up using a QR as a quick fix for my SS conversion when I knackered my bolted skewer, but in fact it's been fine and I haven't bothered changing it back.
  • ColinJ
    ColinJ Posts: 2,218
    Monty Dog wrote:
    But a QR simply doesn't clamp a wheel firmly enough to prevent it being pulled over by the chain and causing the tyre to run the chainstay.
    Clearly that isn't true because it is exactly what QRs have been doing for years on geared bikes!

    I've been riding this singlespeed bike for a couple of years now, no problem...

    qr-singlespeed.jpg

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