Chain tensioner problem
 

I have one of the single speed kits from Performance and it has been fine until now. I had to replace my chaing the other day and picke up a 1/8" single speed chain from the LBS. The master link pins, which are just a hair longer than the normal link pins, occaisionally catch on the chain guide as the master link goes through. I have adjusted and adjusted the chain line, but just can't get it perfect. I was thinking of getting a Surly Singleator and wondered if the guides would be a little wide to prevent this problem.

Any ideas on the Surly or how to fix the tensioner I have?

I don't know about the singlelator but something you might consider if this doesn't work is just get a chain that doesn't use a master link, but from the sounds of things you haven't gotten to that point yet.

A dumb question:
Your old chain was 1/8" as well?

Old chain
 

The old chain was not a 1/8", it was the original 8 speed chain from when I had deraileurs. I could get a chain without a master link, which I guess is cheaper than the singleator, but I am starting to commute more now and thought I might upgrade to a better tensioner, if the singleator is better.

The singulator is a better tensionor in quality and durability. With the singulator u can reverse the position of the guides to accommodate the different widths of chains. Meaning if your running a 3/32" chain you run the guides in one position. If your run a 1/8" chain you unscrew the bolt flip the guides around and now u have a wider track for the chain.

Is this the outer clip style or the shoulder-squeeze style master link? (I don't know if there are names for them, but I know my KMC chains have the former and SRAM the latter.)

Link
 

It is the link with the outside retaining clip, so I guess I could pick up a different style of master link. I am also thinking I might try one of the Renne Design Rollenlager (??Spelling??) tensioners. I have read good things about them before, but I don't take this bike off road, so I may not need anything that beefy.

Yes, the other kind of master link may be better. It's thinner by at least the thickness of the retaining clip as the out plate sits in the pin grooves.

get rid of the master link just press the chain together problem solved