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Inspired Tensioning Dilemma


CalopS

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I'm running 13/18 on the older frame (2010?) at the moment and haven't really found any of the tensioners to be any good and I'm kinda of wimping out on going down the file dropout route.

I've thought about trying out a spoke tensioner but a lot of the people that used them before don't seem to anymore so I was wondering what the disadvantages of it are?

I seem to remember people saying it couldn't be used on small sprockets such as mine?

Whats the best way to attach one?

I don't really want to go ahead and file my dropouts but if I do decide to has anyone got a picture of theres for me to follow? or any tips?

Thanks

p.s. How long till a brakeless horizontal dropout Inspired frame comes out ;)

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I use 18:13 on my original fourplay With a Z610 HX chain and this Tensioner modded to push upwards. Pics of it here.

With smaller sprockets, it is usually better to have a double wheel tensioner or one that pushes upwards (like mine) so you more chain rap making the chain less likely to skip.

You can make a spoke tensioner push upwards by wrapping around the axle of the hub (or whatever else you plan to wrap it around) the opposite way so that the spring affect of the coil you made pushes towards the frame instead of away.

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modded to push upwards. Pics of it here.

Do you not find The chain rubs on the chain stay/protector when its pushed up?

Ive used a rubber wheel tensioner before with zip ties. It stopped it skipping but the tension wasn't very good and it rubbed on the chain stay. The zip ties always stretched and I want to get away from using them. Going in and out of the car when the rear wheel needs to come out to fit us all in is a hassle I don't want anymore.

Edited by CalopS
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I don't mind going with something that doesn't look good as long as it works 100%.

I'm just waiting to get my hands on some spokes to give it a go. I just wondered if it was worth the effort seen as I can't think of anyone that uses one anymore.

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Do you not find The chain rubs on the chain stay/protector when its pushed up?

Ive used a rubber wheel tensioner before with zip ties. It stopped it skipping but the tension wasn't very good and it rubbed on the chain stay. The zip ties always stretched and I want to get away from using them. Going in and out of the car when the rear wheel needs to come out to fit us all in is a hassle I don't want anymore.

No it doesn't, there is a good 10-15mm gap. Basically what I did was take out the original spring from the tensioner and made another spring out of a spoke but coiled it the other way around to make it push up. I had a zip tie there aswell at the time as I had just made it and thought that I should have something to catch it if my spring failed so I didn't crash and coud still ride temporarily. It works fantasticly. I could get a close up picture if you would like. It is a piece of cake to take the wheel off with it as it just springs up against the chainstay, it isn't wrapped around the axle like a spoke tensioner which makes it abit tricky sometimes and the bits needed are still available.

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I use 18:13 on my original fourplay With a Z610 HX chain and this Tensioner modded to push upwards. Pics of it here.

Mine is a lot like this but I am running 16-14 what I did though was get a piece of fencing rap instead of using the spring tension and attached it to the tensioner and the chainstay it works really well so far.

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I used 18:14 on my older Inspired. Used this tensioner. You'll have to remove the hanger retaining pin to make sure it doesn't skip at all.

Inspired + Rohloff

Yep, running 18:13 on a MK1 with a Rohloff. Couldn't remove the retaining pin for some reason so just filed the mech hanger to remove the stub and it wraps up nicely to the chainstay with no problems....

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I'm just waiting to get my hands on some spokes to give it a go. I just wondered if it was worth the effort seen as I can't think of anyone that uses one anymore.

I swear by spoke tensioners, there's just so many advantages to them!

  • No mech hangers to break
  • Doesn't cost anything if you've got some old spokes lying about
  • Weighs f**k all
  • Gives great tension if you coil it around a bolt/axle properly
  • If you land on it, you can bend it back in to place so easily

Don't use one though if your not getting enough chain wrap around your sprocket, your chain will skip.

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Here are two closer pics of what I have done. It won't let me attach them properly so here is a link to them.

Close up's from my 24"..

Thanks for the help guys (Y)

I'm going to give the spoke tensioner a go first seen as its free to try and If that doesnt work Ill give Mikes idea a go!

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I'd reommend a rohloff any day, never let me down and taken a few knocks on my Inspired never removed the retaining pin at all, and it tucks up nicely by the chainstay, which i still don't get myself :S

I could but then I'd of probably spent over £100 on trying to tension my chain which just makes me vomit!

Inspired should have just done the smart thing and had horizontal dropouts >_<

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I ran 18:13 on my Mk.1 Fourplay with a relatively low-spring spoke tensioner and it was fine (Y) If you run something like a Z610HX or Z510HX it shouldn't really stretch much either so you won't have to worry about having to increase tension at a later date. 23:17 also works like a charm, just so you know!

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Ive just given it a go!

Attached at the second mini hole up with a nipple then wrapped around the axle and onto the chain.

Its too wet and dark outside but I tried to make it pop off in the garage and I couldn't.

A bit too easy :unsure:

I'll report back tomorrow If it survives!

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