Chain Tensioner: Why not horizontal?

"(Pete Cresswell)" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've got a Paul's Melvin on a bike that has no more than a few mm of
chain
length variation.

Paul's instructions emphasize that the cage/pulleys should be
vertical.

This uses more chain and hangs down where it can catch on things.

The weenie in me wants it to be horizontal - cleaner looking, a few
fewer links,
and up/out of the way.

OTOH, I'd think Paul's has a reason for spec-ing it vertical and I
haven't heard
anything good about the only horizontal player (Surly...).

I'm assuming this is with a freewheel so there is no large chain tension
and hence no significant additional moment with a horizontal
configuration. Chain wrap may be an issue but I'm speculating.

Phil Holman

On Mon, 10 Jan 2005 19:35:05 GMT, "(Pete Cresswell)" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I've got a Paul's Melvin on a bike that has no more than a few mm of chain
length variation.

Paul's instructions emphasize that the cage/pulleys should be vertical.

This uses more chain and hangs down where it can catch on things.

The weenie in me wants it to be horizontal - cleaner looking, a few fewer links,
and up/out of the way.

OTOH, I'd think Paul's has a reason for spec-ing it vertical and I haven't heard
anything good about the only horizontal player (Surly...).

Comments from the engineers?

Dear Pete,

This may help the engineers figure things out:

A diagram: http://www.paulcomp.com/techmlv.html

A picture all by itself:
http://store.paulcomp.com/melvin.html

A picture of Melvin in action in a gallery of other
oddballs:
http://www.singlespeed.net/tension.htm

Not a trailing arm in the bunch.

Carl Fogel

Per Philip Holman:

Quoted message said:

Chain wrap may be an issue but I'm speculating.

With Paul's design, chain wrap definately decreases (a lot, IMHO) if you force
the thing horizontal.
--
PeteCresswell

Per [email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

A diagram: http://www.paulcomp.com/techmlv.html

I think that may shed some light with the phrase "...for bikes with two chain
rings....".

Also, in spite of my previous statement about chain wrap decreasing "a lot"
(visually, it still looks like a lot....) it really only decreases by one
tooth.
--
PeteCresswell

"(Pete Cresswell)" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Per [email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

A diagram: http://www.paulcomp.com/techmlv.html

I think that may shed some light with the phrase "...for bikes with
two chain
rings....".

Also, in spite of my previous statement about chain wrap decreasing "a
lot"
(visually, it still looks like a lot....) it really only decreases by
one
tooth.
--
PeteCresswell

PAUL COMPONENT ENGINEERING
2574 FAIR STREET
CHICO, CA 95928

TEL: 530-345-4371

QUESTIONS:
[email hidden]

Phil H