chain tensioners?

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this may sound like an odd question but what are chain tensioners?

i just got a frame that has this horizontal bolt on the rear dropout, and i'm assuming that is what it is, but i just dont know what it does....
 
Joshua85 said:
this may sound like an odd question but what are chain tensioners?

i just got a frame that has this horizontal bolt on the rear dropout, and i'm assuming that is what it is, but i just dont know what it does....
It tensions the chain.
Google it, go to sheldon brown, etc. :)
 
What kind of frame is it? What era? I have a road bike that has adjuster screws on the dropout and I have a few pre war frames with adjusters so narrow it down or post a picture.
There were two different styles on the pre war bikes. The most common is the push bolt style that has a small 1/4 bolt that pushes the axle back in the dropout. The frame is actually threaded for the bolt. The Elgin style is the "puller" style eye bolt that goes around the axle and pulls back on the dropout. On this style, the dropout is also horizontal but there are no provisions on the frame for threads-kind of like a track bike. If need be, I can post pictures of both styles.
 
Does this help?

PICT3753-1.jpg
 
kinda helps, i googled it and it just gave me wierd results and sheldon's site was down. I know where the bolt goes, i just dont know what it does or how it tensions the chain.

the bike is an only western flyer from the 60s

I'm guessing the way it works is just applys pressure to the axel to push it back in the dropout, does this sound right?
 
Josh,Are you sure your frame is from the '60's?

I've only seen those axle screws on skip link chain bikes...like pre-WWII
 

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