Raleigh Motus Grand Tour Hub Gear Chain Tensioner

[Saudidave]

I bought a Raleigh Motus Grand Tour, hub gear version for Xmas last year and one or two niggling assembly issues aside (now sorted) it's been a great bike, with one flaw. The chain on my 2019 model doesn't have a tensioner and tensioning the chain seems to be a relatively frequent maintenance chore. Raleigh have recognised this and the current 2020 stable of Raleigh hub gear bikes have then fitted, Centros Gates drive version aside.

After a lot of thought however, I now have a solution:

I studied the latest model Motus grand tour in a couple of bike shops, scoured ebay for an old school hanger accessory like they had on 70's 5 gear sports bikes and then after not too much searching ebay again I found what appears to be the same, or a very similar tensioner to that which Raleigh have fitted to the modified 2020 model.

I can bolt the tensioner to the inside of the right hand chainstay quite easily with two bolts utilising the existing slots in the chainstay, after filing the hanger a bit so that the curved top edge is flat and it doesn't look "stuck on" I can then bolt the tensioner to that and it should, in theory work in exactly the same way as the 2020 modification that Raleigh have adopted. I've reversed the NT washers as well now to give some further room for wheel adjustment so I'll touch up the damaged paint whilst I'm at it. I can't see any reason at all why this shouldn't work perfectly when adjusted properly so that the chain runs perfectly in line. I don't think it will be necessary, but if it does a washer to shim out one side of the hanger should sort that.

This is what Raleigh have done:



This is what I have



This is the hanger and tensioner I'm planning to install. The tensioner is either the same or very close to the one Raleigh use. The pair were £20.00 on ebay



There is always a way, you just have to find it.

Dave

 

[Artstu]

I cut the little tab off an alfine one designed for vertical dropouts, the wheels is running at a bit of an angle after 11,000 miles because they're not that good quality.

 

[Saudidave]

THanks for that. I bought an Alfine one myself and cut the tab off, but mounting it as you have and with it sitting on top of the non turn washer I felt that there wasn't really enough thread on the axle for the nut to grip and also the tensioner arm was sitting too far from the chain with the jockey wheel spindle at full stretch so that the whole assembly appeared a little too "stressed). Also there is a need to keep adjusting it manually too, albeit that isn't much of a task.

Overall I think my proposal will be more stable and will of course adjust automatically.

Dave

 

[Artstu]

Mine sits snugly on the frame, I have no rotational washer on that side, I was going to weld the tab back on but never got around to it as it is fine as it is. Your tensioner looks better than the Alfine one so fingers crossed it will work on your bike.

 

[Saudidave]

I did think about removing the non turn washer and posted on the cycling UK forum for views on it. There was a big "don't risk it you will snap the axle due to ebike torque" response so I heeded that advice!

 

[Saudidave]

Hi all

I finally got around to fitting the tensioner to one of the slots on the chainstay and after fixing a washer in between the chainstay and hanger at the front bolt position, to act as a shim and get the jockey wheel exactly parallel to the chain, all is running quietly and smoothly. The tensioner is working well. I haven't put the chain retention loop back on yet until I've undertaken extensive testing. There is always a way you just have to find it!