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chainguide: dual or single?

elRey

Turbo Monkey
I'm looking at chainguides and can't decide wether I should get a dual ring system or single. I'm into downhill and freeriding, but I still want to be able to pedal up hills. I'm mainly worried that a dual ring system won't work as well on the downhill runs. I don't really have any experience with chain guides, so all info./help is welcome. thanks :help: :o:
 

odiwik

Monkey
Mar 2, 2004
252
0
I run an Evil DRS on my VP-Free with a 22-36 combo and will never run a single ring system again. I actually climb *gasp!* :).
 

thesacrifice

Monkey
Aug 4, 2004
451
0
360
hehe, I've ridden Whistler 6 days or so this summer on my ASX with NO chainguide and have no real issues as long as I descend on the bigger ring. On the granny gear I'd drop it when it got rough but then I just kept it in the above. I will be joining the dual ring chainguide crew one of these days.

Point is, they just keep your chain from falling off on the inside...no less reliability there between Dual and Single guides
 

evilbob

Monkey
Mar 17, 2002
948
0
Everett, Wa
I run an Evil DRS on my Demo 9 with a 22-38 combo and 11-34 cogs shifting by SRAM. This is the same setup I had on my Big Hit and I have had absolutly zero problems. :thumb: :thumb:
 

BIGHIT756

Monkey
Jan 6, 2004
435
0
Maple Valley, Washington
SINGLE RING!!!!!!!!!!...........for racing...go single...you dont want to have to worry about your chain falling off AT ALL when racing. If you are free riding, or hitting whistler or just messing around go with a dual ring, but if you plan to race, definetly go with a single ring...in the end it will be safer, and you wont have the thought in the back of your mind of your chain dropping coming into a berm at 30 mph in the middle of your run. :thumb:
 

trailhacker

Turbo Monkey
Jan 6, 2003
1,233
0
In the hills around Seattle
Amy (Snacks) had no guide at her first race at Mt. Hood and keept dropping the chain to the granny.
She bought a DRS and I don't think she has dropped it since? And it never dropped completey I don't think, just down to the granny.

If your building pure race bike then single, but if you are doing any sort of dual duty then you'd be better off with a dual ring.

BTW, I was running a Blackspire Dewlie dual ring setup on my Demo and don't remember having any issues. I am running an SRS now as I m primarily racing it but this fall will probably put the Dewlie back on. Or if I can find a DRS for cheap (and there are no application issues) I'll get that.
 

evilbob

Monkey
Mar 17, 2002
948
0
Everett, Wa
Some good points above. If the bike is for racing only go single. If you plan on doing anything that would make your bike dual duty go with a double, both the Black Spire Dewlie and the E13 (Evil) DRS are reliable and easy to set up. I have raced with my DRS and used my bike at Whistler and for general trailin for almost 3 years now and have never dropped a chain. In fact I have never had any problems with mine, ever. So my chain just doesn't come off, :thumb: now if I could just get me to stay on the bike........ :think: :mumble: :mumble: I would be ok. :evil:
 

trailhacker

Turbo Monkey
Jan 6, 2003
1,233
0
In the hills around Seattle
Now that I am thinking about it, with the Blackspire guide if I pedaled backwards too much it would down to the granny??? Not sure if this had anything to do with the 150mm rear spacing or not?
I don't think it ever fell from just riding though.
 

evilbob

Monkey
Mar 17, 2002
948
0
Everett, Wa
trailhacker said:
Now that I am thinking about it, with the Blackspire guide if I pedaled backwards too much it would down to the granny??? Not sure if this had anything to do with the 150mm rear spacing or not?
I don't think it ever fell from just riding though.
The E-13 DRS allows you to back pedal with no gear change. At least it has never change on me so it has functioned completely as designed and advertised. If I had to chose I would go with the E-13 DRS. Something to be considered is frame compatability. Check the mfg web sites to make sure if the guide you choos fits your frame. Sometimes the guides need mods to get them on some frames.
 
Jun 18, 2004
945
0
the prob w/dual guides is that typically they have to be run with smaller rings... the DRS can be run with up to a 40, and most rings up to 38 are flat and don't shift well)... (I just changed out a 40/26 DRS to the 40 SRs)... I'm building an new bike... it will be more pedally... I'm gonna run 38/28 ramped and pinned and on my old bike I'm gonna run a 40 and when I get the time to switch it a 44... the new bike is a Uzzi Vpx the old bike is a Banshee Sceam... I figure the Scream will be more for Shuttling and Chairlifts while the Vpx will be more freeride and pedally...
 

evilbob

Monkey
Mar 17, 2002
948
0
Everett, Wa
Str8OutaBallard said:
the prob w/dual guides is that typically they have to be run with smaller rings... the DRS can be run with up to a 40, and most rings up to 38 are flat and don't shift well)... QUOTE]
Not disagreeing here but I don't think this configuration needs to shift like an XC race setup. I run a 22 small and a 38 large, the 38 is a Black Spire DH ring. Shifting is by an LX front Der and SRAM. I think I have an advantage with the SRAM shifter because it has more leverage than the Shimano. The improtant thing is that when I want it to shift it does, every time, not the fastest shift but positive execution of the shift every time. I have lately been thinking about setting my Jykell up the same way as the gear selection makes more since for the riding I do.
 
Jun 18, 2004
945
0
evilbob said:
Str8OutaBallard said:
the prob w/dual guides is that typically they have to be run with smaller rings... the DRS can be run with up to a 40, and most rings up to 38 are flat and don't shift well)... QUOTE]
Not disagreeing here but I don't think this configuration needs to shift like an XC race setup. I run a 22 small and a 38 large, the 38 is a Black Spire DH ring. Shifting is by an LX front Der and SRAM. I think I have an advantage with the SRAM shifter because it has more leverage than the Shimano. The improtant thing is that when I want it to shift it does, every time, not the fastest shift but positive execution of the shift every time.
Hey evilBob... I suspect I'm running the same set up as you except a 40blkspr and a 26(4bolt) w/a shm Lx/Sramx.9...

ever noticed when pedalling quickly that it's hard to shift into your big ring? that it dosn't shift right into it?...
my understand is this is why Nshore riders/Xc riders/Roadies like the ramped & pined...

I notice that evertime I need to shift into my big ring when my buddies sprint off that the damn thing won"t track to the Dh ring!...

this is why I've tracked down a 38/28 ramped pined combo (w/DRS) form my Vpx and I've switched my bike that I used to run 40/26 DRS to 40 SRS...

I'm not saying go ahead and buy a bunch of extra parts... I just switched them because I already had them between 3 bikes and I don't like how a flat Dh big ring works with the DRS...

So all I'm trying to conveige is that a single ring vs a dual ring depends on how much climbing your doing, how much bashing your doing, how important your shifting is, and how much mud your riding in...

(the mud part ties into which bttm braket w/which crankset will work on your frame with which chainguide)
 

RhinofromWA

Brevity R Us
Aug 16, 2001
4,622
0
Lynnwood, WA
evilbob said:
I run an Evil DRS on my Demo 9 with a 22-38 combo and 11-34 cogs shifting by SRAM. This is the same setup I had on my Big Hit and I have had absolutly zero problems. :thumb: :thumb:
:think:

I dunno Bob, I seem to remember a time I asked you about not running a single ring guide.......:D

Was it Chelan? or Winthrop? I can't remember. Maybe you were jsut running a bash guard.......

;)
 

evilbob

Monkey
Mar 17, 2002
948
0
Everett, Wa
RhinofromWA said:
:think:

I dunno Bob, I seem to remember a time I asked you about not running a single ring guide.......:D

Was it Chelan? or Winthrop? I can't remember. Maybe you were jsut running a bash guard.......

;)
Just a bash gaurd and 2 ring setup then and it was Chelan a couple of years ago. I almost never back pedal but in one corner at Chelan I always do and without a guide I dorped my chain to the outside. Since installing the DRS I have had zero problems.
 

evilbob

Monkey
Mar 17, 2002
948
0
Everett, Wa
Str8OutaBallard said:
evilbob said:
Hey evilBob... I suspect I'm running the same set up as you except a 40blkspr and a 26(4bolt) w/a shm Lx/Sramx.9...

ever noticed when pedalling quickly that it's hard to shift into your big ring? that it dosn't shift right into it?...
my understand is this is why Nshore riders/Xc riders/Roadies like the ramped & pined...

I notice that evertime I need to shift into my big ring when my buddies sprint off that the damn thing won"t track to the Dh ring!...

this is why I've tracked down a 38/28 ramped pined combo (w/DRS) form my Vpx and I've switched my bike that I used to run 40/26 DRS to 40 SRS...

I'm not saying go ahead and buy a bunch of extra parts... I just switched them because I already had them between 3 bikes and I don't like how a flat Dh big ring works with the DRS...

So all I'm trying to conveige is that a single ring vs a dual ring depends on how much climbing your doing, how much bashing your doing, how important your shifting is, and how much mud your riding in...

(the mud part ties into which bttm braket w/which crankset will work on your frame with which chainguide)
Might be a small differance in setup or shifting technique. I remember many years ago during my roady days shifting with no indexing and no ramps on the rings. The shifting was not instantanious but positive when you learned how to do it right. I also look at this realisticly in that I don't expect it to shift quickly so I am patient, let up my pedaling pressure just a little and keep pressure on the shift lever until I feel the chain actualy engaged on the big ring. It doesn't take long, just a little longer than a ramped setup. I use my Demo as a trailbike more lately than a DH/Freeride bike and it had been fine. Maybe just my good luck it is working for me. :D :evil: