# Condor Potenza dropouts



## skwerl (11 Sep 2007)

Any have a Potenza with Paul dropouts? Anyone else discovered the major flaw? The screw-on end caps just unscrew themselves when you try and back the tension off.
You can see in the photo link. Each tensioner has two conical wheel thingies. One is drilled right through and goes on first so it can be screwed up against the dropout to stop the tensioner from loosening itself. The second conical thingie isn't drilled all the way through so screws onto the end of the tesioner, in theory you then turn this one way or t'other to adjust tension. Works fine for increasing tension but as soon as you turn anti-clockwise the thingie unscrews from the threaded tensioner rod.
I'd noticed this at home before and just grabbed some pliers to turn the threaded section itself. Only occured to me today that if I ever have to back off the tensioners away form home I'm going to have to carry a small set of pliers. Bit pants really.
Heavy-duty thread-lock may do the trick but it's still a daft design flaw.


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## GrahamG (11 Sep 2007)

That is pants. Really pants. There were some similar things on the horizontal dropouts on my fix - the pliers were no good as it just broke off. Allen bolts might not look as cool but at least they work!


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## skwerl (11 Sep 2007)

the problem is (have a look at the photo) that one end of the threaded rod has a cross-headed 'blob' (basically the adjuster is just an M2ish bolt, the head of which pushes against the axle) that contacts the hub axle. so how do you get that threaded rod through the dropout? One end has to be left threaded, which is what Paul have done. If it were me I'd have done it so the 'blob' screwed on to the end of the rod, after it had been inserted through the dropout. that way the knurled adjuster wheel could be permanently attached.
I think I might use some liquid weld to stick it on there.


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## BringMeMyFix (11 Sep 2007)

I think a bit of loctite/liquid weld would be good on the offending bit, but it might also be worth getting a bit of grease (or maybe even lighter oil or GT85) covering the threads either side of the track end, and working it in and out for a few passes (using pliers as necessary).

You never know, might work loose some stray paint or slivers of metal that have got stuck in there. Good luck.


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## skwerl (12 Sep 2007)

there's no resistance through the threads when the wheel is off the bike but the problem is that you put pressure on the threads when you tension the chain up. That pressure is too much for the thumb-wheel to cope with so it unscrews.
I'm going to try liquid solder


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## Canrider (12 Sep 2007)

Have you mentioned it to the folks at Condor? They may have a solution, plus from the sound of it, it's the sort of thing they like to hear about so they can improve it in the future.


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## skwerl (12 Sep 2007)

Canrider said:


> Have you mentioned it to the folks at Condor? They may have a solution, plus from the sound of it, it's the sort of thing they like to hear about so they can improve it in the future.



planning to point it out at the cycle show next month


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