Simple Wheel Slammers For 20" Trials?

[Sponge]

Hey,

I'm pretty bored, home alone, best friend just flew off to Canada... soo I'm waiting for the evening the come idly. I wanted to make the trials world a bit more aware about these diamonds though in the mean time:

These "wheel slammers" really caught my eye as a better alternative to the traditional chain tensioner.

Simply measure the space between your axle and the front of your drop out and fill it with one of these bad boys that slot right into the drop out (see below) .

The picture above (green dropouts) has the "wheel slammers" and also the "peg adaptor" which is a washer with a large centre hole that fits over the "wheel slammer" for anyone that wants to run pegs. Dialled.

These come in the following sizes;

1.5 and 2.0mm (for those who wheels are close to being slammed in the dropout)

2.5 and 3.0mm

3.5 and 4.0mm

4.5 and 5.0mm

5.5 and 6.0mm

6.5 and 7.0mm

7.5 and 8.0mm (for those who like their back wheel close to the back of the dropout)

Wheel Slammers take up the space between the front of the axle and the dropout keeping your wheel form shifting forward. Simply measure the gap between the front of the axle and the dropout and order the size you need. Wheel Slammers work great on frames with short dropouts that won't accept regular chain adjusters. Sold in pairs

Instructions

With the rear wheel installed, make sure the chain is at the tension you like and the wheel is in the position you like. Measure the gap between the front of the axle and the front of the dropout. The measurement of the gap between the axle and the dropout corresponds with the measurement on the Wheel Slammers. So if your gap measurement is 5mm, you will want to order the 4.5 - 5mm Wheel Slammers. (If measuring in inches, mutliply by 25.4 to convert to millimeters.)

So basically, it's a damn Simple idea (pun intended). I would much prefer these and trust these over snail cams and especially tugs for horizontal dropout'd bikes. They work wonders on my flatland bike and really have stopped all problems with wheel slipping and misalignment.

What's so good about these over snail cams then?:

-Well, they're lighter and more tucked away for starters (so you never bash them like you may on snail cams at times!)

-So long as you pick the right size, your wheel will always be in perfect alignment in the dropouts and at a desirable tension

-Pretty damn cheap.

-So basically, even for the thickest idiot, these will hold your wheel perfectly fine.

-No more faffing with trying to get either snail cam just about right. These just slot right in and the job's done.

BUT.. and this is a big BUT... Simple BMX has only made them in 14mm so far... But, with any luck, a brand like Trialtech should pick up on this idea and introduce it to the trials market in 10mm. It's not patented I don't think, and also it'd cater other markets like the BMX racing and Flatland worlds as most of the frames use 10mm dropouts like trials, unlike in street BMX.

These work a treat on my flatland bike, and it's really a miracle product even though it's so simple. I would love it if trials could get a hold of these in 10mm. Of course, to get the right size, you'd need to measure the gap between your axle and dropout innermost area... this is quite simple by experimenting with various allen key sizes and slotting them in and seeing how big the gap is. Mind you, each slammer 'size' comes with 2 different sizes on either side, you see have a bit of leway.

For those worried about chain stretching... well... that's kinda inevitable for some chains... But in reality, most chains just stretch at the beginning of their lives. And there are also chains out there that are Stretch Proof by design... check out some of the higher end KMC stuff, which come at a good price too. (NB: the popular KMC Kool chain used in trials is NOTORIOUS for being a stretchy bitch, so...)

Interesting stuff! and it can easily be bodged with a ball bearing in the dropouts... but hey, having a proper fresher product is nicer. Bring it on Trialtech! (because I know other brands are too ignorant )

[bigamac]

They look like a clever idea.

Would they take the force of trials? Eg the gaps.

And do you have a link for these?

[eskimo]

Did you see that tapered dropout design? That's worth a look at, but time will tell to whether the design works as well as it should.

If these things were produced for trials and cost less than what bmx charged for them, it would be good. Making them out of steel would really help things along too.

[Sponge]

They look like a clever idea.

Would they take the force of trials? Eg the gaps.

And do you have a link for these?

Considering a lot of BMX street riders are using these... haha, gaps on a trials bike are as soft as a marshmallow. I'd be more afraid of snail cams slipping a tiny bit (which they do). These buggers are damn well made and very good tolerances, I run these and so do many others, no one can fault them.

Though these are made of alu, they're just way more than strong enough already. Think about it logically, how can these break? They are stuck firm against your dropout and axle, there is no wiggle room pretty much... so it is all fused with the dropout and axle as one piece almost.

Edited June 22, 2009 by Sponge

[AdamR28]

I'm not sure they would work so well on a trials bike... The resolution of a notched snail cam is usually around 0.3mm and even going from one click to the next can make a difference between a totally loose and too tight chain. I guess with BMX it doesn't matter as much, but with trials you would need such a huge range of different sizes.

[eskimo]

no one can fault them.

I can, they're expensive.

[RossMcd]

I bodged a mates bike with this kind of idea. But however I used an old chain tug which had snapped . It works really well and he hasnt had any problems with his wheel moving since!

[Sponge]

I'm not sure they would work so well on a trials bike... The resolution of a notched snail cam is usually around 0.3mm and even going from one click to the next can make a difference between a totally loose and too tight chain. I guess with BMX it doesn't matter as much, but with trials you would need such a huge range of different sizes.

I'm using one on my flatland bike. My gear ratio is 18:9, so the chain is eve more damn close to the chainstays than a mod bike, and the chain is taut and has been for a very long time. It has never 'slipped' or shown any signs of unreliability. It just makes the rear end a 'fit and forget' thing.

True the snail cam can get a some very fine tuning done, but similarly, the slammer comes in a whole host of sizes, with 2 sizes on each individual washer. They come in increments of 0.5mm.

Moving up 0.3mm on a snail cam definitely isn't the different between a totally loose chain and a too tight chain in my experience, and many others. The gap is a fair bit larger than it

So long as you have a stretch-proof (as far as possible) chain and picked the right size slammer, then you're covered.

[Mark W]

You could just file the edges of the 'prongs' down a bit to make them fit a 10mm dropout, then you could run them for a mod? I know they're a 14mm hole but if you used a decent sized spacer between the head of the bolt and the slammer you could get away with it. It'd obviously sit nearer the front of the dropout, but wheels don't often slip backwards in the dropouts, especially with a reasonably tight chain.

However, main problem is just chains stretching. Even so-called 'stretch proof' chains stretch, it's just how chains go. Some obviously stretch less than others (My Kool chains usually stretch an absolute shit-tonne), but it's still going to be hassle.

To someone who asked about them being strong enough for gaps - you'd have to actually force your axle through the slammer itself to get the chain tension to change if it was slipping forwads - there's no way it can slip.

[Sponge]

Chain stretching is the only issue, I agree with Mark on that.

But then again, I've been using mine and still, it hasn't gotten any looser. Mind you, there is the option of cranking it up 0.5mm as well to accomodate for some chain stretch. For someone with a chain that's already done most of its stretching, it's fairly ideal

[JT!]

My cams seem to do the same job, but i can adjust those as and when i need to.

[Davetrials]

The best riders in the world use snail cams

learn to set up your bike properly and they'll work.

[Sponge]

The best riders in the world use snail cams

learn to set up your bike properly and they'll work.

The best riders in the world only use snail cams because that's all they can use for their frames currently.

Haha, these just make it a ton more convenient. I know how to set up my bike perfectly fine and snail cams work fine, but these just make it that bit easier.

Simple?

[aener]

Wouldn't it become somewhat of a b*****d to get the chain off, if you're getting such a perfect fit?

[0zzy]

i dont recon they would hold the kicking force and would snap/crack the wheel slammer plasticy thing.

[cai]

i dont recon they would hold the kicking force and would snap/crack the wheel slammer plasticy thing.

Firstly they're aluminium, not plastic. Although I agree that making them from steel would be that bit more reassureing..

And secondly they would be theoretically stronger then snail cams - as cams have just as much of a chance to buckle/snap as these would, and with the snail cam set-up you run the risk of snapping the little bolt head off that screws into the frame.

I'd definitely give these a try

[Mat Smith!!]

Chain stretch?

[cai]

Well the other side of the 'thing' is 0.5mm thicker, so you just use the other side when your chain stretches just spin the tensioner around 180 degrees and your okay. At the end of the day you may end up buying another slightly bigger pair for when you chain has stretched.

[JonMack]

Or you buy them after your chain has initially stretched I know it stretches throughout its life but the first few days tend to be the worst.

Edited June 22, 2009 by JonMack

[Sponge]

Wouldn't it become somewhat of a b*****d to get the chain off, if you're getting such a perfect fit?

You may think that at first. But it's not a problem on my flat bike. I have my chain pretty damn tight, I could actually go another 0.5mm smaller. But yeah, to remove it it's quite easy, even at high tensions... There is ALWAYS a tiny tiny bit of leway, so what I do is pull the back wheel really hard back so the chain momentarily stretches a tiny bit more, which relieves the Slammer of tension so you can pull it out with a fingernail.

i dont recon they would hold the kicking force and would snap/crack the wheel slammer plasticy thing.

If you think that then you probably don't understand the concept of these at all. These are aluminium and damn strong. You DON'T need steel. Heck, people think trials riding is stressful on parts, well, for almost everything BMX is leaps and bounds more stressful on the bike. The tyres are at 100psi on BMXs, and they hurl themselves off huge stairsets and crash a lot of the time too... heck think about over-rotated 360s or tailwhips... how much stress that puts on a bike? A trials frame would shear apart far quicker... Trials riders run less than 30psi in their tyres... which absorbs A LOT of the shock of jumping and dropping, trials bikes have it pretty good in comparison!

This Slammer is a washer with little curved prongs on onside, which you place on your axle and slot into your dropouts, effectively 'filling up' the gap in the dropouts... so it makes it a totally secure and stable fit. Also, the best part is that you will no longer ever need to worry about getting perfect alignment in your dropouts since you can set the washers at perfect and equal setting... unlike snail cams which will always have a tiny bit of leway and is more prone to shifting the wheel subtly. Basically, Slammers can be for the biggest no-brainers. Rear end alignment and chain tension just got a heck of a lot simpler.

In conclusion: these definitely won't snap, and don't snap. It's used extensively amongst many BMXers of all levels and NO ONE has faulted them yet...many swear by them as the most valuable component.. since it eliminates wheel shifting headaches. By design, think about it... how can it snap? It's wedged tight between the dropout inner most end and the axle, so it's not like a loose flappy thing that can be crushed. Also the axle bolts are done up tight, effectively fusing the dropout, axle, and slammer into *one piece*. If it isn't breaking in BMX (where stresses on the rear end of the bike are arguably higher than in trials.. think: 100psi, over-rotated 360s and tailwhips) then it won't break in trials. People are worrying too much. Steel would be overkill. Would you want to use steel snail cams when aluminium ones work fine and don't break unless they are physically smashed during sidehops?

Well the other side of the 'thing' is 0.5mm thicker, so you just use the other side when your chain stretches just spin the tensioner around 180 degrees and your okay. At the end of the day you may end up buying another slightly bigger pair for when you chain has stretched.

Some one on here finally demonstrated some logic. Come on the rest of you ... 'the future of Britain'...

Or you buy them after your chain has initially stretched I know it stretches throughout its life but the first few days tend to be the worst.

[Mark W]

Chain stretching is the only issue, I agree with Mark on that.

Putting words in my mouth there - I don't think chain stretch is the only issue. I also wouldn't ever run a set, simply because when I put my wheel on with a decent sized socket setup, I don't need them.

If you think that then you probably don't understand the concept of these at all. These are aluminium and damn strong. You DON'T need steel. Heck, people think trials riding is stressful on parts, well, for almost everything BMX is leaps and bounds more stressful on the bike. The tyres are at 100psi on BMXs, and they hurl themselves off huge stairsets and crash a lot of the time too... heck think about over-rotated 360s or tailwhips... how much stress that puts on a bike? A trials frame would shear apart far quicker... Trials riders run less than 30psi in their tyres... which absorbs A LOT of the shock of jumping and dropping, trials bikes have it pretty good in comparison!

The forces are entirely different though. In terms of forcing the back wheel forwards, trials is way more forceful than BMX. With trials, you're effectively pulling the back wheel forward along the dropouts when you kick, which is a force you don't put through it on a BMX, unless you're incredibly shit at icepicks. BMXers tend to land flat so the force is more 'upwards', so to speak, through the dropout/frame, not along or pushing the wheel fowards into the frame (e.g. landing a gap on a trials bike).

In conclusion: these definitely won't snap, and don't snap. It's used extensively amongst many BMXers of all levels and NO ONE has faulted them yet...many swear by them as the most valuable component.. since it eliminates wheel shifting headaches.

Really? I don't know of a single person who's using them, and apart from you I don't know anyone in the online communities I frequent who do. Most people either don't see the point in them, don't want to bother paying for them, or just tighten their wheels up properly and don't need them.

[Captain Scarlet]

The amount of chain slack I have always fluctuates on my mod, no matter what tensioning system (as I personally believe my snail cams never used to slip), and keeping my chain regularly serviced and lubed. I think that FFW is also a large cause of loose chains on mods, the float can create really tight and then really loose spots (I don't think this occurs as much on freehubs which most BMXer's will be running).

I agree with what Adam has said, just a single notch on cam can define a loose or tight chain. I'm currently running the Onza in-built tensioning system, its amazing to see the slack being taken up in my chain with such a negligible movement of the allen key when tensioning it.

I can see the appeal if I was running a half link chain, which obviously can much more positions available for the wheel in the drop-outs than a standard chain. But as said, freewheel float would screw me over again, and would leave me in limbo of half tight, half loose.

The other point to consider is that BMXer's can't put as much stress on their chain, not in the way they ride, but because they don't have a FFW, its much easier to get away with a too tight chain on a BMX because the chain isn't constantly moving like it does on a FFW (I'm sure the loose chain club will know the noise and feeling of having an overtight chain on a FFW, its not exactly pretty or healthy).

Edited June 22, 2009 by Captain Scarlet

[MikeCottTrials]

chain tugs literally cause me NO problems

all ive got are the standard onza ones...

[Mark W]

I can see the appeal if I was running a half link chain, which obviously can much more positions available for the wheel in the drop-outs than a standard chain.

...although what with half-link chains being utter shite, you'd have to buy every size slammer available to take up the slack. But yeah, either way, a half-link chain doesn't really make much difference in terms of 'positions' in that you're either positioning it where a normal chain would be able to, or you're positioning it where a normal chain with a half-link would, if you see what I mean? So effectively, if you want a tight chain it only really offers you 1 other position on most drop-outs...

[Dan6061]

chain tugs literally cause me NO problems

all ive got are the standard onza ones...

Too true!

I have one Gusset chain tug on the driveside, which I've chopped down to make it neater/lighter, and it's perfect. Doesn't cause problems at all!