The simple tension seeker (STS) by DMR Bikes should not really be called a chain tensioner , but rather a slack-remover. It's an incredibly simple solution for those looking to convert a bike with vertical dropouts for single speed use. DMR is a UK-based company that specializes in downhill, freeride, and dirt jump chain devices, and the STS reflects this design experience in this burly device. Installation is a 5-minute job (assuming you have already replaced your cassette with a cog, and shortened your chain as much as possible). Simply remove the skewer nut and slide the black aluminum mounting bracket onto the dropout. Then loosely bolt the stainless steel arm to the bracket and the derailleur hanger with two 5mm bolts. Replace the skewer nut. Rotate the cranks until the chain is at its tightest. (Very few chainrings and cogs are perfectly round.) Lift up on the arm so that the red pulley pushes the chain upward, removing the slack, and tighten the two 5mm bolts. That...
Clever. Drive on the front wheel to pull you through would be great, though adding weight and complexity.
ReplyDeleteI did not see how the front-drive was connected on the video or site (http://www.kateleeming.com/).
I found a link to the drive system through the brochure on her site:
http://www.christini.com/awd-technology/about-the-technology
http://www.kateleeming.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/BTC-Sponsor-Pitch-Generic-2013-04-18_No-BBC_CvP-Rev-C.pdf
Ahh... Power for the front comes from the left-side of the rear wheel, through a drive-shaft through the frame, to "counter rotating bevel gears located within the head tube", to rotating stanchions down the fork. Clever, and the builder certainly knows much I do not, but I am left with nagging questions:
ReplyDelete- complex much?
- field maintenance?
- why is the front driven off the rear wheel and not the left-side of the crank? It's closer, so there should be less power loss, no?
Thanks for the links! I couldn't tell if those were studded tires or not.
ReplyDelete