Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Paul Comp. Melvin

Hello all. Has anyone used the Paul Compnents Melvin chain tensioner with any success? I know I may get bashed by this, but I am wanting to use a double chain ring up front with a single cog in the back. I will shift from the two rings up front with my foot. I know, it's not a single:(

Thanks for the help.

while i have no vital help to offer, when i was running a two ring/one cog setup, i used an old road RD. but i had a jump of 12 teeth. and i would just get a front derailleur and an old suntour thumb shifter to shift between rings.

also, you can call your setup a "dingle." it's fun to say and people look at you funny when you say it, then they usually laugh (with, not at, you).

Shifting with your foot sounds like the worst idea ever. Safe recipe for getting your shoes really dirty and crashing sooner or later as well. What does a FD+downtube shifter+cable+housing weigh? 300g ?

Shifting with your foot sounds like the worst idea ever.

agreed. let's hope and assume for discursory purposes that you were joking about shifting with your foot. also, i see no advantage to this setup over just using a rear derailleur and casette, you're essentially saving the weight of a couple cogs. keeping the rear derailleur properly adjusted is easier than it sounds. that would also allow you to use a single ring up front, and keep your shoes clean ;)

I will shift from the two rings up front with my foot.

While riding? That's awesome.

Sorry can't help with regard to the tensioner.

Yeah, I find it a little odd that Paul condones shifting with your finger or foot.. From the website:

"One of the coolest things about the Melvin is that it allows two front chain rings to be used (of course this is no longer a single speed, sob, but can be very handy for loaded commuting) Because we use two pulleys, two chain rings with a maximum difference of twenty teeth can be used up front. With a little practice, a deft finger and a delicate heel make a fine front derailleur."

I don't know about you, but I don't like getting crap all over my hands/feet and riding.. My last application of white bar tape was totally slaughtered by having to make an emergency chain-slop fix on my geared bike, with no place to wipe that nasty black schiesse but my new jeans or my new shirt. Bummer.

Yeah, I find it a little odd that Paul condones shifting with your finger or foot.. From the website:

"One of the coolest things about the Melvin is that it allows two front chain rings to be used (of course this is no longer a single speed, sob, but can be very handy for loaded commuting) Because we use two pulleys, two chain rings with a maximum difference of twenty teeth can be used up front. With a little practice, a deft finger and a delicate heel make a fine front derailleur."

I don't know about you, but I don't like getting crap all over my hands/feet and riding.. My last application of white bar tape was totally slaughtered by having to make an emergency chain-slop fix on my geared bike, with no place to wipe that nasty black schiesse but my new jeans or my new shirt. Bummer.

well shut my mouth. still sounds crazy to me, but more power to you if you can pull it off.

Thanks for all the replies. I never read that line about the foot shifting from the Paul site. Yes, it does get your shoe dirty but I use an old pair of mountain bike shoes that are pretty dirty already so it doesn't bother me much. I use one of the cleats on the heel to shift. It does work and pretty smoothly too.

I will use a fd as it just makes more sense (especially seeing how I'm getting new road shoes). I use a fixed rd now and was just wondering about the Melvin. It just looks too cool . . .

Thanks again.