"Ghost ring" for single speed on estay bike

[danson67]

Not on a singlespeed, but I ran this sort of thing on a tandem crossover drive.
The idea's that there's a slight arc in the upper driveside chain run, so the higher tension there pushes the ghostring down, increasing the tension the lower return side. This evens out tension throughout the drive.

It definitely took some of the slack out of the drive and helped communication between captain and stoker by reducing the 'knock' between the drive side and return chain runs.

I slip the ring in before tensioning the chain, not after.

...and it looked cool

All the best.

 

[velomaniac]

In the past i've mentioned this:
Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 5:37 pm Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I keep telling folk this but know one listens

Try a Ghost/Phantom gear, looks weird but clever and dead easy to tension.

Get a suitable granny ring and freehub sprocket that allow the ratio you desire. Fit so the chainline is as inboard as you can get away with. Fit your chain and then find a spare chainring which is larger than the rear sprocket, another granny ring for preference. Place the ring between the chain behind the chainstay and move rearward one tooth at a time until the chain is tensioned and the ring is supported.

As you cycle the chainring will rotate but appear to float as only the chain is supporting it.

There are youtube vids that will show you how.

The idea comes from tandems as a method of chain tension between the front and rear cranks.

I've ridden around Glentress with such a setup without problems plus loads of folk thought it really neat

Also raced at Strathpuffer Lite in the SS class and again had no problems. E Stay bikes are the best for this system and its the only tensioning system thats possible if riding a frame with vertical dropouts as a fixie that doesn't involve an expensive aftermarket mod.

Have fun

 

[JamesM]

Couple of pictures of mine. Oh and it is fixed, the freehub is full of solder

 

[jimo746]

Ingenious, yet so simple

How do you manage to squeeze the ghost ring in there though? is it not a pain to get it in between the two runs of chain? :?

 

[JamesM]

Ingenious, yet so simple

How do you manage to squeeze the ghost ring in there though? is it not a pain to get it in between the two runs of chain? :?

From my post above:

To get the chain tight you have to use alot of force to get the ghostring in there. Put it in and move it as far back as you can get it by hand (be carfeull and you can trap fingers). If you think the chain still isn't tight enough then loosen the back wheel off, drop it out slightly (my drop outs aren't totally vertical they are a bit diagonal), move it back one more tooth then put some weight on the bike to re-locate the rear wheel and tighten it up.

 

[jimo746]

I'm such an idiot :roll:

Useful info though, and a viable alternative to a chain tensioner for my singlespeed project

 

[jaypee]

Oh and it is fixed, the freehub is full of solder

I wondered if that might work! The load isn't too heavy to break the solder then...?

 

[jaypee]

And great info the rest of you guys, cheers

 

[JamesM]

Oh and it is fixed, the freehub is full of solder

I wondered if that might work! The load isn't too heavy to break the solder then...?

No its fine, I can push back on the pedals with as much strength as I can manage whilst trying to control my speed on steep decents and it doesn't slip.

I posted some info a while back on the whole solder freehub thing:

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... t=#1098835

 

[godders]

Thats my cindercone in the pick yep ghost ring works realy well and looks cool ...gets lots of "ooh whats that then" as one of the other posts said (and it was the one in the picture) that ring snaped in half :shock: but it had been in there for a while and was only used of road, so mabey extra strain on the ring ?? if you can find a ring with LONG teeth then it should stay in place ok that ring was of an old suntor casette and work well untill it broke tryed ones from shimano and scram but the teeth are just not long enough to keep it in place, BUT in the end i gave up with them, if you ride of road with one (and give it some) they will fall out ... ok if you can find it, but a real pain in the a***e if it gets lost !!
i now use a surly singulator "the sprung one" and have had no problems with that in nearly two years , just dont look as cool though Good luck with it though and let us know how you get on with it

Mick