Chain Tensioner Slack

it can be done, but chain alignment must be very straight and chain slack must occasionally be reduced by moving rear wheel back or motor forward
 
Sometimes the tensioner pulley is needed to lift the chain over the chainstay because a straight line between the bottom of the sprockets would collide with the chainstay.

Some cruiser type bikes have the chainstays arranged like a U and these are most likely to work (and have horizontal dropouts) but mountain bikes and hybrid/road bikes may be more of a V or trumpet shape and so they need the chain tensioner to lift the chain until it gets to the wider part.


You can't have both chains with no tensioner on a single speed bike because the wheel wouldn't be straight when both chains are at correct tension, or vice versa.

It is probably better to have a pulley whatsit chain tensioner on the pedal side and have the engine side with no tensioner, if the frame allows this.
 
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