Mat Tea Why Posted June 11, 2010 Report Share Posted June 11, 2010 Right I've only got one spoke to try this on, and I can imagine me bending it into all sorts of funny squarish shapes, so I thought it best to ask here first. The plan is to wrap it around my axle, but I'm not sure how to bend it into a perfect circle ala this photo: Is there any obvious way of doing it that I'm stupidly missing out on? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trials-mad-Josh Posted June 11, 2010 Report Share Posted June 11, 2010 (edited) Right I've only got one spoke to try this on, and I can imagine me bending it into all sorts of funny squarish shapes, so I thought it best to ask here first. The plan is to wrap it around my axle, but I'm not sure how to bend it into a perfect circle ala this photo: Is there any obvious way of doing it that I'm stupidly missing out on? Cheers That is awesome, looks pretty cool. I'd imagine this wasn't easy, Blowtorch and pliers? Edited June 11, 2010 by Trials-mad-Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arw_86 Posted June 11, 2010 Report Share Posted June 11, 2010 (edited) id guess that tensioner in the pic was bent round that as it is now. so just using the bolt to bend it perfectly. if you did it free hand off the bike, get a tube of same size as the axle or w/e you are putting it around and bend it round that. make sure you anchor one end though otherwise you will be swearing in no time. Edited June 11, 2010 by arw_86 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cai Posted June 11, 2010 Report Share Posted June 11, 2010 Just use pliars to pull it around your axle, then use two pliers to make the bends to line the spoke up with the chain. Its what I did: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
step Posted June 12, 2010 Report Share Posted June 12, 2010 I have made this today. I used an old hanger who had attached a cilinder. The key is to roll the spoke perfectly around the cilinder/axel/whatever you find. I have rolled it by hand. No pliers or anything. Also very importand is the S shaped curve you give the spoke after you have rolled it.I have added a plastic tube on it because it sounds like metal schratching on metal and hate the sound. The tension is very good and the chain stays straight with the FFW and the sprocket. Click on the pics for larger/full view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leistonbmx Posted June 12, 2010 Report Share Posted June 12, 2010 And it hasn't skipped with that much chain wrap?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
step Posted June 12, 2010 Report Share Posted June 12, 2010 (edited) And it hasn't skipped with that much chain wrap?! I`ve tested it today for about 4 hours , all sorts of moves , gaps especially. Not a single skip. Edited June 12, 2010 by step Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted June 12, 2010 Report Share Posted June 12, 2010 To be honest, spoke tensioners aren't an exact science. I made mine super quickly last week - literally just bent the end of the spoke just below the threads, slotted that into the bolt hole for my mech hanger (no nipple either on this one for speed), then just bent it roughly round by hand. Got the pliars out to help put the S-bend in it so it sits on the rollers properly, then tweaked it by hand mid-ride to get it spot on. Rough job, but it works fine and does exactly what I need it to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
step Posted June 12, 2010 Report Share Posted June 12, 2010 To be honest, spoke tensioners aren't an exact science. I made mine super quickly last week - literally just bent the end of the spoke just below the threads, slotted that into the bolt hole for my mech hanger (no nipple either on this one for speed), then just bent it roughly round by hand. Got the pliars out to help put the S-bend in it so it sits on the rollers properly, then tweaked it by hand mid-ride to get it spot on. Rough job, but it works fine and does exactly what I need it to. Exactly what i did. I will try next up to make one so that it pushes the chain upward so that more of the chain is wraped around the cog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theom Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 What do you guys reckon about running one upwards, as im getting pretty sick of bending/snapping tensioners Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
step Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 What do you guys reckon about running one upwards, as im getting pretty sick of bending/snapping tensioners When this one brakes im gonna try an upwards model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 Exactly what i did. I will try next up to make one so that it pushes the chain upward so that more of the chain is wraped around the cog. Why not just wrap the spoke around the axle instead of the end of your mech hanger? That way it can still push down and provide tension but you'll have way, way better chain wrap and less hanger to hit and bend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey-uk Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 How would I do this on a BMX? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 Make a little U-shaped bit to hook on the dropout instead of using a hole in the frame, then complete the rest like you would on a trials bike. Ads made me one for my TR hub that just hooked the dropout and it was awesome. If I wasn't mechanically incompetent/lazy I'd have made a similar one for my Pro2T by now. But yeah - just make a U-shape end of the spoke then wrap away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greetings Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 This thread is made of win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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