Originally Posted by pyze-guy
I can't see a problem with using two cogs with spacers. If it was one chainring I would set the 2 cogs a little off center of it so the chain line would be a little off with both, but nothing severe. Not nearly the chainline issues with s/s as there is with fixed. The tensioner should have enough lateral movement to work. A deraileur would work no problem. I would still make sure I had non-ramped chainrings and cogs even with a tensioner. Other option is to do like Sirrobin did, do a double chainring/double cog. Either both on the inner with spacers and long CR bolts, or one on the inner/outer. Should work with a mtb crank. Would still work with a s/s specific hub, mine is made to be used with spacers, I just threaded a cog on instead. Can't get it off now, but that's not the issue.
Wouldn't the deraileur put too much side force on the chain if it were fixed in place as a tensioner and you're running two different cogs? Never tried it, but seems to me like it would always be trying to pull the chain off. I have used one cog on the back and a MTB triple on the front which worked well. 48X38x28 on the front gives you a pretty large range to work with on the back- regular,easy and 15%grade with a load easy.