lol no. the little slack you are feeling is probably in the freewheel. or you are just spinning out.

I have two rear wheels for my bike. One has a fixed cog and a freeewheel, this wheel I use on the road. The other wheel has two different sized cogs , this wheel I use at the velodrome a couple of times a week.

I use a tugnut because with swapping out the wheel a couple of times a week, and also constantly fipping the wheel for gear changes starts to chew up the dropouts and really it's just more convenient tensioning the chain expecially with out a work stand. The axle nuts don't need to be as tight as well.

Hey,

How about these cheapo chain tensioners?

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...i/KC280239.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...i/KC280242.jpg

Kinda ugly and it is designed to be used in pair because they go inner side of track-ends (more correctly, ... mama-chari ends).

I am thinking of using only one on the drive side and use it like Tuggernut.

T

ok...i ive gotten a lot of feedback and appreciate it...but i am still not sure...i ride hard and fast...therefore do i need a tensioner or as long as i have the chain and bolts as tight as possible, am i ok with out one???...no one has really told me if i should really have one, or what kind of riding conditions they are really used for??

Why don't you try a cheap one? I think these stuff is primarily for ease of chain-tensioning. "Walking" is easy, but twisting is considerably easier for me. I only need to use the 14mm wrench at the very end.

do you need a chain tensioner?
the answer is no.

Is your axle slipping when you hammer on it? If not you don't need one. If the axle is slipping, then try tightening down the nuts tighter first. If that doesn't work, then you may need a chain tensioner. But unless you are riding a tiny gear ratio, you probably aren't going to need one.

just learn how to walk your wheel back. it's pretty easy.