tension adjusters
 

It seems like tension adjusters are common place, but what is the advantage of getting one? why would you? I know you can go without one, but is there a real advantage in getting one? I would imagine that if you get your skewers tight enough you shouldn't have to worry about it slipping and the chain losening. I saw some dude with the ones that has a bottle opener on the end, kinda excessive but neat all the same. Where would I find them in the city?

I got a tensioner for my Langster, my chain was loosening up after every ride. With aluminum dropouts, I was worried about tightening up the axle nuts too much. I got it from performance bicycle for about $28. Just for the drive side. It's done the job.

http://www.surlybikes.com/parts/popu...rodTuggnut.jpg

Surly Tuggnut. I got one. It works.

Any one ever use these jobs?

Do I really need a tuggnut, I haven't had any problems so far, but is it a common problem?

they're not essential, however i picked up some and it's made getting perfect chain tension SO much easier.

Yup. They're so inexpensive at $10 a pair!! Here's mine, running just one on the right side. I had to file down the tab in the back, because I've got a forward facing dropout. I use it because I run a QR skewer in the back and didn't want to have to deal with getting the skewer as tight as it could possibly go every time I had to adjust the rear wheel. I've broken a couple skewers by over tightening them. It's been super easy to adjust with the chain tug.
http://www.fanster.net/blog/2005/chaintug.jpg

where can you get those star shaped ones? I like the looks of the dual adjuster bolts

with a forward facing dropout, I found that I needed the dual bolts to make it fit properly. Here's where I got mine:
http://www.danscomp.com/cgi-bin/haze...IL&item=440006

Hey thanks! I've been looking at those and wondering.

FYI- these star tensioners work great with older horizontal dropout road conversions. I ran one for a while and it worked great. You do have to file off a tab on the back though, but it's soft metal and goes quickly. I only took it off because it was not really necessary for my bike.

why is it that only the chain side gets tesioned?

most applied force perhaps?

a tensioner is good to have on the chain side because then all you need to do is line up the other side by sight -- it is easier and quicker to have the chain side anchored in the perfect position.

that said I've ordered a second tugnut for the other side. Since I removed my rear brake it has been taking me too long to get my rear wheel perfect.

I use a pair of tension adjusters on my commuter because it makes it a no-brainer to reset the tension when you're fixing a flat in the dark in the pouring rain.

i have had 2 surly tugnuts, and both have broken. there is a very flimsy lock ring that holds the plunger on the screw and it has busted, twice. total design flaw.

I have yet to need a tensioner. A pair of peanut butter wrenches is pretty much all you need to get things dialed in. Hell, even a 6" crescent can probably do what you need.

i use the mks ones on my track bike, and like them a lot.
i don't use 'em on my street fixied though.

i also use one on my lagnster. i had the same problem but no more. plus, it doubbles as a bottle opener. definate perk of the product!

ok, i dont ride single speed or fixed gear, just road bikes, but i want to build a SS this summer....what do tensioners do anyway???

Tension your chain... that seems obvious, but on a fixed gear chain tension is critical to safety as well as a quiet ride. Without a tensioner, you need to pull and jockey the rear wheel to get the tension and then wrench it down without losing the tension. Chain tensioners essentially pull back on the rear axle and are adjustable to change the tension.

It's still desireable, but less critical to have a chain as tight on an SS as it is on a fixie

I have a road bike conversion--is it possible to get one for that sort of bike as well?

i understand the importance of a chain with the right tension, but with a bike with horizontal drop outs, what is the advantage to using a tensioner as oppossed to just manually tightening the chain by pushing the wheel back..do the tensioners allow for more fine tuning ?

They do allow for more fine tuning but more importantly they hold the wheel in place under heavy cranking. If you are running a brakeless fixie like myself, it's one more piece of insurance.

the picture jinks posted is on a conversion. notice how the two adjusting screws are at different positions, probably to accommodate for the rounded rear face of the horizontal dropout.