[elf 232]

I will soon be looking for a new crank in particular because my last crank was mangled severly from hopping over rocks and logs, does anyone have some advice on a crank that would work for XC with a bashguard or is this just a completely bad idea for XC?

and is it possible to put a bashguard on a XT or XTR crank?

 

[BurlyShirley]

Impossible.

 

[stoney]

double ring guide - e.13 DRS
Run a 38/22 gear ratio, that should be sufficient enough with an 11/32 cassette to get you up just about anything and not spinout descending.
Beyond that, you are no longer XC then, you are trail riding. Expecially if you are destroying chainrings by planting them into inanimate objects.

That being said, I feel dumber for helping you now.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

I have XT cranks with three rings and a Tooth Fairy bash guard. I'm not sure if it's still manufactured - last one I bought was from Salsa. It's .125 thickness and has saw teeth to help crawl over stuff.

 

[BikeGeek]

Instead of dropping the $$$, why not just learn how to work the bike over without hitting the rings?

 

[Biscuit]

I'll help:

Heim makes a super-d bash that will work with practically any crank:
http://www.cambriabike.com/shopexd.asp?id=13653

Works well with the guide too:
http://www.cambriabike.com/shopexd.asp?id=27717

Designed for pretty much what your looking for. Heim is a super cool guy too.

 

[BikeMike]

Run a 38/22 gear ratio...I feel dumber for helping you now.

I would too after a suggestion like that.

Seriously though, a 38-22 won't shift for beans, and beans are most definitely the favorite treat of all 38-22 combos.

There are a variety of bashguards you could track down that will provide a reasonable amount of protection for a 3-ring setup. Tooth Fairy and Salsa made some at one point or another.

You can also replace the big ring with a sturdier bash (choose whichever one you fancy as long as it fits your crank's bolt pattern). In this case, something like a 24-36 will probably make you much happier than a 22-32, or a 22-38. Shifting tends to be pretty spotty with jumps larger than 14 teeth. Even at 14 teeth it often sucks.

 

[loco-gringo]

I would just run XT, FSA, Truvativ or Race Face and get a bash ring. Everyone makes one but Shimano. You should be able to find an FSA or a Salsa bash for $20 or so.

 

[Hunter]

I've got Shimano XT cranks with the two small chainrings and a bashguard instead of the largest ring. Race Face bashguard, about $25. Been running it for two years on XC/trail riding and love the setup, really don't miss the big ring ever.

 

[elf 232]

Instead of dropping the $$$, why not just learn how to work the bike over without hitting the rings?

cool website and nice tip but fact is that when doing 20 miles in one day your are going to hit your crank pretty hard at least a few times

 

[MMcG]

I have XT cranks with three rings and a Tooth Fairy bash guard. I'm not sure if it's still manufactured - last one I bought was from Salsa. It's .125 thickness and has saw teeth to help crawl over stuff.

JPB - if you want a backup - I've got one that I'm not using. IT is yours if you'd like it.

 

[Biscuit]

cool website and nice tip but fact is that when doing 20 miles in one day your are going to hit your crank pretty hard at least a few times

Not exactly.

 

[BMXman]

I just added a supercharger to my XT cranks....D

 

[Austin Bike]

This one works great on my XT cranks:

As for learning to get over things, yeah, that is one option, but taking off the big ring that I never use has given me a little more clearance for rocks.

 

[elf 232]

Not exactly.

ok, let me rephrase that, us normal people do...

 

[Rip]

ok, let me rephrase that, us normal people do...

Why do I feel the need to laugh at this?

 

[skinny mike]

word on the street is that pros don't even run cranks anymore to save weight. they just will their bikes up the hills.

 

[sanjuro]

word on the street is that pros don't even run cranks anymore to save weight. they just will their bikes up the hills.

ghost ride!

 

[stoney]

I would too after a suggestion like that.

Seriously though, a 38-22 won't shift for beans, and beans are most definitely the favorite treat of all 38-22 combos.

There are a variety of bashguards you could track down that will provide a reasonable amount of protection for a 3-ring setup. Tooth Fairy and Salsa made some at one point or another.

You can also replace the big ring with a sturdier bash (choose whichever one you fancy as long as it fits your crank's bolt pattern). In this case, something like a 24-36 will probably make you much happier than a 22-32, or a 22-38. Shifting tends to be pretty spotty with jumps larger than 14 teeth. Even at 14 teeth it often sucks.

Works just fine, I've run that setup on multiple bikes for years and had no shifting problems. I run a 14th jump on all my road bikes as well. No shifting problems.
If it's setup correctly, you will have no problems.

 

[stoney]

cool website and nice tip but fact is that when doing 20 miles in one day your are going to hit your crank pretty hard at least a few times

I've probably put down 1k miles since I last hit a crank arm.
Learn to ride smoother.

 

[stinkyboy]

Nice ride!

 

[elf 232]

Why do I feel the need to laugh at this?

because your abnormal

 

[elf 232]

I've probably put down 1k miles since I last hit a crank arm.
Learn to ride smoother.

well anyways im a student and dont go riding more than once or twice a week but the trails in my area have logs everywhere and every1 that i know constantly hits them so its not just me

 

[golgiaparatus]

I have a bash guard on my Race Face XC cranks. Nothing fancy just an aluminum plate that is a bit smaller than my big ring would be, some generic one the shop had laying around.

 

[stoney]

well anyways im a student and dont go riding more than once or twice a week but the trails in my area have logs everywhere and every1 that i know constantly hits them so its not just me

Ride with better riders, then you won't know anybody who hits logs.

 

[Jim Mac]

Seriously, who even uses a big ring anymore, at least on the right coast? For east coast techy, tight, rocky riding they serve no purpose whatsoever.

The "learn to ride smoother" point is well taken, but it's the same thing people said about front suspension versus rigid forks. Yeah, it's "cheating", but by that definition so is suspension, gears, 29" wheels, etc. Therefore, get a bashguard - it'll make you smoother in the way that it at least will improve your clearance.

Ones I have used and liked: Raceface, Salsa, E13 (on my wife's bike, she loves it over alum.)

 

[OGRipper]

I ran a two ring set-up (36-22) with bash guard and drs for a couple years on my trail bike and recently went back to three rings with no bashy. I missed the big ring for fast descents and road rides to the trailhead, and I missed having a 32 or 34 for many trails (with a 36 or 38 I ended up in the granny ring too much). So far, dropping the chain has not been a problem and this set-up is lighter. (BTW, a 38-22 should shift fine with a med or long cage rear der. Maybe not ideal, but it works.)

But anyway, you can find plenty of bashguards for XT and, most probably, new XTR. The last gen XTR used a unique bolt pattern that made it a pain.

 

[urbaindk]

I run Dual ring set up with 36-22 with a 32-11 cassette and really like it. It shifts really well. You just have to remember to down shift 2 or 3 gears in the rear while up shifting the front and vice versa.

I started with a 32-22 and hated it, always spinning out on descents. It suits my riding very well. I can't climb for shiznit and end up in the granny all the time anyway.


Learning to hop logs is also smart.

 

[Rip]

because your abnormal

Here's a dictionary, use it wisely.

If you're constantly hitting things against the chain ring, maybe you need to learn to ride better or learn to bunny hop higher. For bashgaurds, I'm a fan of E.13.

 

[loco-gringo]

<snip>If you're constantly hitting things against the chain ring, maybe you need to learn to ride better or learn to bunny hop higher. For bashgaurds, I'm a fan of E.13.

It pains me to defend this retard, but there are just some trails that don't like big rings.

E.13s are great, but so are many others. I would go with whatever is cheap and works for 4 bolts.

 

[Abstrakt51]

because your abnormal

""You're" or "You Are." Sorry, one of my pet peeves.

 

[FlipSide]

I very rarely feel the need for a big ring in the trails I usually ride and I've been runng a 22/32/bash on my XC bike for a few years. It's not a setup for everyone or every place, but if you never/rarely need a big ring, go ahead. If you regret it...just put the big ring back on.

That being said, I do agree with those who say that removing the big ring should not be a workaround to proper riding techniques. If you don't need it, remove it...but if you need it, keep it on and be careful.

 

[Jim Mac]

I very rarely feel the need for a big ring in the trails I usually ride and I've been runng a 22/32/bash on my XC bike for a few years. It's not a setup for everyone or every place, but if you never/rarely need a big ring, go ahead. If you regret it...just put the big ring back on.

That being said, I do agree with those who say that removing the big ring should not be a workaround to proper riding techniques. If you don't need it, remove it...but if you need it, keep it on and be careful.

I run a similiar setup, and the only time I've spun out was when I was bombing down a fire road, which I rarely do anyway (why skip the singletrack?).

Best technique to learn for log hops: the J hop. We have a couple of log runs in the Pittstown State Forest with a series of about 8 logs in a row, culminating with a 2-3 footer in the end. It's a great way to practice momentum and preloading your suspension in order to get over things. That way, big ring or not, you never touch a log!

 

[Skookum]

This thread is too full of people too high on themselves. Who cares how smooth you think you are get over yourself really...

Just a standard Race Face bash will more than suffice. Unless you hammer ludicrous speed on straight easy trail or downhill on long straight forest roads you really have no need for your big ring anyways.

People have to crawl before they walk. i commend the riders that destroy big rings getting over stuff. The idea of using proper body english to hop over obstacles will and should come after a fair amount of bashing and plodding.

And persons who believe they are too smooth perhaps should get off the buffed groomed smooth once in a while and onto some rocky gnarl and off their high horse...

 

[jvp108]

Thank you Skookum for uttering the first normal-person response. I'm sick of all of the "bike shop employee" responses (the ones that aren't meant to be funny, anyway)

If I want to hear things like "God, learn to ride better" or "You can't bunny hop a three foot log? Ha" I'll go down to my LBS and act like a customer.

 

[elf 232]

Ride with better riders, then you won't know anybody who hits logs.

nah im alredy short on ppl who mtb in my area iv even settled to going with people with wal mart bikes which isnt a problem except they never wana take any big hills, go about half my speed, and cant pedal uphills for beans... yea i guess it is a problem

 

[elf 232]

It pains me to defend this retard, but there are just some trails that don't like big rings.

E.13s are great, but so are many others. I would go with whatever is cheap and works for 4 bolts.

yea i think id probly go with an e.13 too but seriously in my trails back here there are just like logs everywhere like every 20 feet that are generally like a foot high, im no expert and i just ride for the fun of it, so im bound to hit them every once in a ride

 

[GotMyGED]

First of all, I would like to thank Elf for starting some of the best threads in RM history. See "Rate my Ride" in the XC forum.

Elf, the bottom line is, do whatever you want to your bike. But...if you ask people what they think about your bike or your ideas, expect to get slammed.

 

[elf 232]

First of all, I would like to thank Elf for starting some of the best threads in RM history. See "Rate my Ride" in the XC forum.

Elf, the bottom line is, do whatever you want to your bike. But...if you ask people what they think about your bike or your ideas, expect to get slammed.

thats the moral of this story, you'll always be miserable kids!

on a slighlty more serious note, i know and dont particularly care but i do want to make the best descisions for my money and thats all im trying to do here, i just want to get something that will work well and that most everybody thinks will work well and save a little money while im at it

 

[Hunter]

This thread is too full of people too high on themselves. Who cares how smooth you think you are get over yourself really...

Just a standard Race Face bash will more than suffice. Unless you hammer ludicrous speed on straight easy trail or downhill on long straight forest roads you really have no need for your big ring anyways.

People have to crawl before they walk. i commend the riders that destroy big rings getting over stuff. The idea of using proper body english to hop over obstacles will and should come after a fair amount of bashing and plodding.

And persons who believe they are too smooth perhaps should get off the buffed groomed smooth once in a while and onto some rocky gnarl and off their high horse...

Bingo!