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Chainguide for "enduro"

B

bonky

Chimp
Jan 22, 2016
14
0
Planning to race some local DH stuff this season on the short travel bike so I'm looking at a chainguide for some extra security on race day but I'm not sure if I'll get a full guide or just the top part. Two questions:

-Would a bottom guide hinder shifting performance with a large (42t) cassette?

-Would it help much in terms of noise reduction?

Bike's a Capra, I notice the chain jumps around quite a bit on longer rough sections (brake bumps, fast root bits etc) or coming back from deep in the stroke after a big hit. I'm already velcro taping the exposed bits of the chainstay. Derailleur's a 10sp Zee with Oneup mid length cage.

Any thoughts?
 
jackalope

jackalope

Mental acuity - 1%
Jan 9, 2004
7,606
5,917
in a single wide, cooking meth...
Bottom roller shouldn't cause any shifting issues, and it certainly would provide increased chain security. Downside is mainly the extra drag when pedaling. Not sure if your Zee is a clutch derailleur, but that would help, along with a narrow/wide chain ring (and a proper chain length of course).
 
Jm_

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,979
9,638
AK
I've raced my AM bike enduro and DH, as well as spent plenty of days riding park, never needed a chainguide to keep the chain on. I have heard a few people have backpedaling problems, I suppose you'd know if this is the case. The only thing I'd run would be a bashguard if where I was riding was excessively rocky. I've been on SRAM derailleurs the last few years, but nothing super high end either.
 
Nick

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
24,036
14,649
where the trails are
Clutch derailleur + NW chainring + MRP AMg here. I haven't dropped a chain shuttling or at the bike park.

If these are DH runs/races you'll never be in your low gears on that 42t cassette anyway. A full guide will definitely provide additional security.
 
Gary

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,635
5,551
UK
SRAM on my Capra doesn't do any of that
bonky said:
Bike's a Capra, I notice the chain jumps around quite a bit on longer rough sections (brake bumps, fast root bits etc) or coming back from deep in the stroke after a big hit. I'm already velcro taping the exposed bits of the chainstay. Derailleur's a 10sp Zee with Oneup mid length cage.

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
I ride a 2017 Capra CF and it does none of that.
SRAM GX 10-42. RACEFACE 32T N/W and E13 TRS+ top only guide with taco.
Also the rubber chainstay protection from the factory does a brilliant job.
I added a tiny bit of Sugru (probably didn't even need to but I'm overly meticulous about stuff like that)
funnily enough the zee mechs on my hardtail and Slopestyle bikes are nowhere near as quiet or flawless in retaining the chain.

There's your problem ^^
 
Metamorphic

Metamorphic

Monkey
May 12, 2015
274
177
Cackalack
GX rear der + MRP AMG V2 + NW ring. Haven't dropped a chain in 2k+ miles since I built the bike. And I ride pretty disgusting stuff day in/day out. Flawless setup.
 
Electric_City

Electric_City

Torture wrench
Apr 14, 2007
1,994
716
11-30 8spd cassette, 26-38 Middleburn rings, 105 short cage, slx front derailleur, Blackspire dual guide. 7 years and no recollection of a dropped chain.
 
B

bonky

Chimp
Jan 22, 2016
14
0
Gary - I used the standard GX for a while but IME it was even noisier than the Zee and I couldn't really get used to the ergonomics and not being able to drop two cogs at once.

Others - top guide will be for added security, will a bottom guide do much in terms of noise?
 
Nick

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
24,036
14,649
where the trails are
"in terms of noise"???
Don't worry about noise, worry about not throwing a chain on a race run.

Again, if you're racing DH you aren't worried about the larger cogs on your trail cassette. A full guide will provide more wrap and 'should' provide better retention than just a top guide.
 
M

marshalolson

Turbo Monkey
May 25, 2006
1,770
519
If you are only worried about Noise, start by wrapping you chain stay with an old tube/Velcro/foam, and if it persists, make sure your derailleur is functioning correctly
 
iRider

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,653
3,092
jstuhlman said:
who the hell cares about noise if their shit is functioning efficiently???? :disgust1:
Click to expand...
About every pro bike check I have read says that the pro's want a quiet bike and the mechanics work with tape, moto foam and other stuff to accomplish this.
 
iRider

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,653
3,092
So you are the slow guy with the bike that sounds like it will fall apart in a second? ;) :D

Nothing wrong with a quiet bike. Only the rear hub sound is nice. Helps to warn hikers that you are coming. :D
 
HAB

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,006
Seattle
jstuhlman said:
who the hell cares about noise if their shit is functioning efficiently???? :disgust1:
Click to expand...
Working is obviously the first priority, but I don't want my bike making a bunch of noise either. It's nice being out in the woods without it sounding like you're driving a malaise-era American car down a flight of stairs.
 
Kevin

Kevin

Turbo Monkey
Sep 6, 2004
4,540
1,007
In Holland sticking my finger in a dike...
Noisy bikes are distracting as fuck. If you dont put any value on a quiet bike youve probably never ridden one hard on a proper dh track.
Its way easier to hear what your bike is doing if the chain isnt slapping around...
 
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Lelandjt

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,514
827
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
Get the MRP SXg. It's light (available in carbon fiber), drag free, protects the chainring from impacts, impossible to drop the chain, and quickly moves out of the way for crank or chainring removal.
 
kickstand

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
bonky said:
Gary - I used the standard GX for a while but IME it was even noisier than the Zee and I couldn't really get used to the ergonomics and not being able to drop two cogs at once.

Others - top guide will be for added security, will a bottom guide do much in terms of noise?
Click to expand...
Don't worry, that zee should wear out, start braking cables and make plenty of noise soon, just give it 2 or 3 rides.
 
kickstand

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
jstuhlman said:
who the hell cares about noise if their shit is functioning efficiently???? :disgust1:
Click to expand...
me. Noisy bikes suck ass....sounding like a pocket full of loose change clanging down the mountain makes it kind of tough to tell if that noise is normal, or new, or if it's just your bike being a piece of shit.
 
Flo33

Flo33

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2015
2,065
1,304
Styria
kickstand said:
me. Noisy bikes suck ass....sounding like a pocket full of loose change clanging down the mountain makes it kind of tough to tell if that noise is normal, or new, or if it's just your bike being a piece of shit.
Click to expand...
Not Grizzly approved, I heard/read.
 
manhattanprjkt83

manhattanprjkt83

Rusty Trombone
Jul 10, 2003
9,646
1,216
Nilbog
Just a quick comment...Been running a xt m8000 rear on a wolftooth ring for my dh/enduro rig for a full season...not one dropped chain. I can understand getting the upper for added insurance but def don't go with a lower...
 
MrBaker87

MrBaker87

Monkey
Mar 30, 2014
160
113
neverlandranch
kickstand said:
Don't worry, that zee should wear out, start braking cables and make plenty of noise soon, just give it 2 or 3 rides.
Click to expand...
I had not one, not two but three Zee detanglers that did this. All very quickly. The limit screws all ate into the body of the derailmenters, causing the need for constant adjustment. I ended up going to singlespeed on my dh bike for this reason and the fact i couldn't afford to put expensive Saint derailleurs on my bike just to have them to be likely destroyed by PNW rox.
 
kickstand

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
MrBaker87 said:
I had not one, not two but three Zee detanglers that did this. All very quickly. The limit screws all ate into the body of the derailmenters, causing the need for constant adjustment. I ended up going to singlespeed on my dh bike for this reason and the fact i couldn't afford to put expensive Saint derailleurs on my bike just to have them to be likely destroyed by PNW rox.
Click to expand...
I have a whole box of the fuckin' things at home, like 8, 9, maybe even 10 of them I bought dirt cheap during some pricepoint sale....we've pretty much used them up by now, though my wife is still piecing them together and using up the left overs.....

I swapped to some sram GX deals, they seem to be far superior and only a few extra bucks. Shimano in my opinion between the old non stopping saints, the constant bleed requiring zee's, and these shit derailuers really doesn't have their act together on the gravity shit.

except my saint cranks...5 seasons later and I wouldn't trade them for the world.
 
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