Queerpunk,
Where in CT?
I don't honestly know whether excessive chain tension can chew up rear wheel or bottom bracket bearings. I do know that slight overtightening of hub cones or bottom bracket cups can kill your bearings quickly, so an amount of tension less than that which we create by hard riding may cause bigger problems than one would think. I've seen a couple riders damage drive-side Phil Wood rear hub bearings with completely taut chain tensioning, but that wasn't so many cases that I'd say it's a solid argument. The bigger problem is probably that with a little too much tension, you start cutting into your chainring and cog more. And who wants to wear out an expensive chainring?