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learn me about chain guides

jacksonpt

jacksonpt

Turbo Monkey
Jul 22, 2002
6,791
59
Vestal, NY
Thinking about going 1x9 on my yeti and would need a chain guide. I'd probably switch out my 22/34/bash for a single ring, something like a 26/bash. After looking at guides briefly online, seems some use pullies/rollers at both the top and bottom of the chain ring, some only on the bottom, some run the chain through a "channel" (similar to a derailleur) to hold/guide the chain...

Pros and cons to them all? Reliability? Ease of setup? Is chain drag ever an issue?
 
Nick

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
24,030
14,642
where the trails are
All/most of the current batch of guides work well, but the issue you might run into is trying to get a good setup with that small of a chainring.
 
Jim Mac

Jim Mac

MAKE ENDURO GREAT AGAIN
May 21, 2004
6,352
282
the middle east of NY
Agreed, usually the minimum chain ring is 32. I'd also run a non ramped chain ring up front. I still run a 'classic' E-13 32 Special on my trail bike.
 
JustMtnB44

JustMtnB44

Monkey
Sep 13, 2006
840
114
Pittsburgh, PA
E13 XCX works pretty well at keeping the chain on, and does not have a lower pulley so no extra drag to worry about. MRP Lopes SL takes the same concept but adds a lower pulley for extra chain retention, similar to the Micro posted above but without the taco bash guard. Definitely use a non ramped chainring up front.

I've been using an XCX on my Spitfire, but sometimes the suspension action causes the chain to get stuck on the ISCG tabs, so I bought a Lopes SL guide to replace it (although I haven't actually installed it yet).

I don't know how or why you would run a 26T up front. It's best to have the chain ring in the middle ring position for good chain line, but most cranks won't fit less than a 30 or 32 due to the bolt circle. You could buy a new SS crank though to make this work. With only a 26T, you will spin out very easily on any slight downhill grade, and will probably find that gets annoying very quickly. Honestly, if you think that you need less than a 30T ring up front, then maybe 1x9 isn't for you.
 
jacksonpt

jacksonpt

Turbo Monkey
Jul 22, 2002
6,791
59
Vestal, NY
JustMtnB44 said:
E13 XCX works pretty well at keeping the chain on, and does not have a lower pulley so no extra drag to worry about. MRP Lopes SL takes the same concept but adds a lower pulley for extra chain retention, similar to the Micro posted above but without the taco bash guard. Definitely use a non ramped chainring up front.

I've been using an XCX on my Spitfire, but sometimes the suspension action causes the chain to get stuck on the ISCG tabs, so I bought a Lopes SL guide to replace it (although I haven't actually installed it yet).

I don't know how or why you would run a 26T up front. It's best to have the chain ring in the middle ring position for good chain line, but most cranks won't fit less than a 30 or 32 due to the bolt circle. You could buy a new SS crank though to make this work. With only a 26T, you will spin out very easily on any slight downhill grade, and will probably find that gets annoying very quickly. Honestly, if you think that you need less than a 30T ring up front, then maybe 1x9 isn't for you.
Click to expand...
Why wouldn't 1x9 be for me? I don't pedal on downhill sections, so that's not a concern for me. I rarely use my middle ring, and never on my home trails where I ride 90% of the time.
 
Nick

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
24,030
14,642
where the trails are
Another solution here would be a 9-sp cassette with a 36t or 38t granny gear.
You could run a front 32t with the guide of your choice and still spin up your steeper climbs.
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,860
24,453
media blackout
jackson, the problem with doing 1x9, as stated previously, with a chainring smaller than 32t is that it forces you to mount on the granny tabs, which will cause shifting issues on the bottom portion of your cassette; the chainring is biased towards the top of the gearing, and not centered. Centered is what you need when running 1x9. which on a set of triple cranks means mid ring position, and is limited to 32t. [edit] the tooth size is limited by the bcd of these tabs. i think there's a guy that makes like a 30t ring that will fit, but its something like $100. [/edit]

fwiw on my trail bike i run a 32t ring in combination with a 12-36 cassette. It gives me enough range for all but the steepest/longest of climbs.
 
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kazlx

kazlx

Patches O'Houlihan
Aug 7, 2006
6,985
1,957
Tustin, CA
No idea what your terrain is like, but riding a 1x9 has gotten me in better shape. It forces you to muscle instead of spin. Like mentioned above, you are really limited to a 32 up front to keep the chain line correct. I run a 32x34 and works well for pretty much everything.
 
Jim Mac

Jim Mac

MAKE ENDURO GREAT AGAIN
May 21, 2004
6,352
282
the middle east of NY
Riding a 32 front and 11-32 range in the back did wonders for restoring the 'torque' I used to have when riding my BMX bike as a kid rather than the 'spin' I developed riding MTB.
 
kazlx

kazlx

Patches O'Houlihan
Aug 7, 2006
6,985
1,957
Tustin, CA
Word. Granny makes people lazy IMO. I feel much more in shape with only a middle ring. Makes you miserable at first, but you get used to it.
 
CrabJoe StretchPants

CrabJoe StretchPants

Reincarnated Crab Walking Head Spinning Bruce Dick
Nov 30, 2003
14,163
2,484
Groton, MA
26t for a 1x9 seems excessively low geared. I ran 36t x 11-34 and though it was a tad too high (too lazy to get a different ring), the lowest I could see running was 32t up front. Even 34t would have made a lot of difference.
 
kazlx

kazlx

Patches O'Houlihan
Aug 7, 2006
6,985
1,957
Tustin, CA
I'm down in the low end on flats or slight declines with a 32 up front. I'm thinking about going to a 1x10 so I can run a 34 with a 12-36 instead of the 32.
 
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