[Closed] 1x9 is a chain guide really necessary?

The top guide of my LG1+ snapped off while I was in France and the chain started coming off all the bloody time. Granted the trails were a lot faster and bumpier than normal UK trails but it was really really annoying.

I run a 1x10 with a basic Blackspire stinger device. I've only had the chain drop once and that was when pedaling over a very bumpy, rooty section of trail.

My 1x9 salsa soft tail has never had a guide. Dropped the chain once on a damned rocky DH.

I run the chain as short as possible. The ring has tall single speed teeth. And I wind the mech back a bit on that screw that no one knows what it does, which seems to help.

Gusset do a little chap device now, that looks the business.

When you go offroad [i]properly[/i], unless you pootle everywhere at a very leisurely pace, you will drop the chain regularly even with the chain as short as possible and a proper unramped chainring unless you run a decent* chain device.

*The Superstar Chain Device is not decent, and is only marginally better than running no device at all. They are flexy and generally just a crap, poorly made piece of kit that is not up to the job. If you want the chain to stay on, buy an E13, MRP or a Straitline guide with top and bottom guides, it's as simple as that.

mboy - Member

When you go offroad properly, unless you pootle everywhere at a very leisurely pace, you will drop the chain regularly even with the chain as short as possible and a proper unramped chainring unless you run a decent* chain device.

Unless you have it all set up well and don't back-pedal. Its the backpedalling that causes the chain to drop IME

boxfish - Member

that was when pedaling over a very bumpy, rooty section of trail.

Isn't pedalling over bumpy, rooty trails the whole point of it all?

The Superstar Chain Device is not decent, and is only marginally better than running no device at all. They are flexy and generally just a crap, poorly made piece of kit that is not up to the job. If you want the chain to stay on, buy an E13, MRP or a Straitline guide with top and bottom guides, it's as simple as that.

Damn, I'll have to tell my chain to stop that never coming off nonsense its been doing up until now then, now that I know that my superstar guide is in fact useless. ... 🙂

Its the backpedalling that causes the chain to drop IME

Nah, last weekend my chain was dropping like a droppy thing from a droppy place. Trying a Superstar chain device so I'll report back. I'll update mboy's review in due course.

#edit I don't have a chain device on now, just a cheap Stinger-a-like roller thing. Used to run a Stinger though. It wasn't all I expected...

cheap and effective is a granny mounted bash as well as a bash mounted on the outside.
from bbg- they're cheap and work.
makes a racket though.so either a stinger or even better a diy bionicon guide,I'm using the core off some widish electrical tape roll,it's nylon I think,so it's pretty quiet.
two wraps with gaffer tape.and it's fine.
I've also got a sunline chainguide,works fine.
and an mrp g2 works fine as well.

Isn't pedalling over bumpy, rooty trails the whole point of it all?

Nah. The point is to enjoy yourself.

I was really tempted to go 1x9 as I never use the granny or big ring.
But it's going to cost me a fair wedge of money and a lot of hassle by the sounds of it. Can't be arsed.

zippykona - Member
I was really tempted to go 1x9 as I never use the granny or big ring.
But it's going to cost me a fair wedge of money and a lot of hassle by the sounds of it. Can't be arsed.

Suerstar chainguide is about fifteen quid. That's all you need, for starters.

can't be bothered to tell you the bbg guards cost about a tenner each,a nylon tube,about 3/4 dia 1-2 inches thick is free.6-8" of gaffer tape you prob already have.
otherwise a cheap/spare front mech,locked into place works fine.
christ!
as my dad says,being lazy makes you more lazy.

A superstar guide would have been my first choice but they sound difficult to set up according to people on here.I guess its all about weight mainly. I don't think I would honestly notice the difference.
But I should apologise, the guy is asking a sensible question and I've come over all negative and clouded the thread. Any positive superstar experiences would be welcome though.

My superstar guide works just as well as the E13 one. Not too surprising considering it seems pretty "inspired" by it.

I didn't get far with no guide at all... The top-only guides are pretty limited in what they can do, obviously they do nothing at all for the chain coming off from the bottom.

Tall-toothed chainring can make a big difference too apparently.

These are working well for a few customer so far... New product but only hearing good things so far.

A piece of phish to set up.

http://www.charliethebikemonger.com/gusset-lil-chap--1x-chain-device-1x9-1x10-2805-p.asp

[img] [/img]

No offence but is that not the same part as the Superstar Chainkeeper, only £10 more? Cosmetically identical anyway other'n the branding.

Having run E-13's they are streets ahead of the cheap stuff but price is too.

The Blackspire stinger is about £22 if you shop around, simple and reasonable. Plus you can buy them from an actual shop!

I run the xc Ethirteen guide on the turner 1x9 and when the going gets rough (with no pedalling) the chain will come off from time to time. Its fine for bimbling along on easier stuff but it can and will drop every so often. Its happened about 3 times over the past year. Not a big deal at all but if you want,edit:NEED (like in races) the chain to stay on all the time,then get something that makes it impossible to drop the chain.

I don't mind the risk of just the upper guide.I don't race it and it keeps things light and simple.

If you ride on rough terrain, fast or slow, your chain will likely come off at some point. The rougher or faster you go, the more likely it is to happen. Usually when you don't want it to in my experience.

mboy - Member
*The Superstar Chain Device is not decent, and is only marginally better than running no device at all. They are flexy and generally just a crap, poorly made piece of kit that is not up to the job. If you want the chain to stay on, buy an E13, MRP or a Straitline guide with top and bottom guides, it's as simple as that.

It might be useful (if your gonna state your opinion as fact) to mention which superstar guide are you referring to. Their plasma guide [i]has [/i]top and bottom guides. Mine was easy to fit, very keenly priced and has been faultless. I'd say it's up to the job and works as well as the e13/mrp/straitline products you rate so highly.

[img] [/img]

Used the older version of this for years, only lost the chain when I had to mangle it onto an old DH bike and the chain line was fubar'd

Before I got a guide I've managed to drop my chain on some pretty tame bridleways round here so I'd not trust it without a guide. Dropped my chain quite a few times with 2x9 and an e13 drs as well, it's just not as good as a proper 1x9 with a decent guide.

That is essentially identical to the superstar one. ..
[img] [/img]
/p>

Its a fantastic chain guide. ..........for people who don't need chain guides, at least in my experience anyway.
Look how its constructed. The main guide is mounted onto the seat clamp bracket by way of a rod. The rod is adjusted and held in position by an m3 grub screw. As you might imagine, this is just not up to the job.
Fitted the superstar version on a girlfriends zesty and had no end of problems with it moving and burying itself into the chain wheel over the mere mention of rough ground.

Also, a problem we had was the position you had to have the seat tube clamp in to get it low enough, meant that access to the grub screw was blocked by the rising downtube , this may not be an issue on some frames but was on ours . Utter rubbish IMHO.
Get something decent to begin with and save yourself hassle. For me, the plasma guides from superstar have worked well.

Chain came off once in 2k miles of riding, didn't even come off on the beast at CYB
[url= http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5277/5852205274_1dfcf6f6d4_z.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5277/5852205274_1dfcf6f6d4_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/rocketdog/5852205274/ ]BBG bash[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/rocketdog/ ]rOcKeTdOgUk[/url], on Flickr

I have a 1x9 set up and use a Superstar laser chain device. Had it for eight months now, and not once has the chain dropped.

MRP 1x? I use that. Awesome.

LG1 on my Mega
silent guide on my Rampant.

both great.

Another MRP 1x here. Also have a Stinger for the geared trail bike when I get around to fitting the bash guard.

People who are saying the Superstar XCR or whatever its called guide is rubbish have set it up wrong. I ran one for over a year and didn't drop the chain once with it riding the Peaks, Calderdale, trail centres etc, backpedalling - just riding. They used to be a tenner... Even for £15 they're a bargain.

Other reccommendation is for an MRP G2 but obviously thats a load more cash and weight. Been running one of those for 18 months / 2 years and thats not dropped the chain once either.

If you're wanting it for a lightwight XC-ey type hardtail, the Superstar is tough to beat. For more gnarly radical stuff, MRP G2 (can't comment on the e13s but they can't be shite given their reputation).

The key thing for all this is get a singlespeed specific chainring as well and shorten the chain.

Whoever up there ^^^ said you just need a chainguide is wrong. Chainguide with a ramped ring is asking for trouble. £15 for a Superstar guide, £20 for an On-One stainless steel ring.

A shimano ramped chainring will work absolutely fine with a proper chain device.

If you don't need a chain guide on a single ring with rear derailleur set-up a fashionably set-up mtb is probably overkill for the riding you're doing.

TandemJeremy - Member
mboy - Member
When you go offroad properly, unless you pootle everywhere at a very leisurely pace, you will drop the chain regularly even with the chain as short as possible and a proper unramped chainring unless you run a decent* chain device.

Unless you have it all set up well and don't back-pedal. Its the backpedalling that causes the chain to drop IME

If you're not backpedalling somewhere along the ride then you are pootling.

i reckon the clutch mechs and no chain device at would work for most general xc riding/ peaks /lakes etc, not sure about full on downhill...

imo - the e13 ones are leaps and bounds ahead of the competition in both looks, performance and build quality....

you gets what you pays for!

im using a e13 ST (seat tube) device and its been absolutly faultless so far, doesnt rub (either side) was easy to setup, and its stiff as can be, ie theres no twisting/movement on chainguide mech on seattube!

dear yes, but it works and its fit and forget!

i do honestly think, i could run my clutch mech without a guide though, but now mine e13 is fitted and it weighs just 53grams i dont see the point in change

Superstar do have quite a few options. I'm running a Superstar Plamsa at the minute that i picked up for £35 when they had them on offer a while ago, for that price it is excellent value. Since getting it set up correctly i've not had the chain come off at all (over a year). It also takes care of any chain slap too.

Make your own!

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8154/7447470340_32082e35bb.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8154/7447470340_32082e35bb.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/sam2442/7447470340/ ]Chain retention singletrackworld style...[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/sam2442/ ]sam2442[/url], on Flickr

i reckon the clutch mechs and no chain device at would work for most general xc riding/ peaks /lakes etc, not sure about full on downhill...

You can't run a clutch mech on 1x9 as the clutch mechs are new and hence for 1x10 only 🙄

For a Soul running 1x9 a top only type guide is probably all you need. The superstar one is cheap and works for most people (the E13 and MRP versions are better(er)... but more costly).

[img] [/img]

Cheap enough that if it doesn't work for you ebay will get most of your pennies back as other folk are happy to try them.

whereisthurso - Member

Just what it says really. I've just set my cotic soul up as a 1x9 after having a double and bash for a while. I've been for a quick blast down some stairs and rooted descents with no sign of the chain coming off. I was going to buy a cheap chain guide from superstar but is it really necessary?

I've used pretty much every device going over the past five years with varying amounts of success. I think the above posts maybe demonstrate is that some, cirumstances and setup require them to have a device whereas for others it's not neccessary.

I'd say hold fire and ride without for a while (but make sure there's plenty of protection / helitape on the vunerable parts of your frame: BB and chainstay). If you find you're droppping your chain, maybe go for the superstar device (cheap but they're as good as any I've tried). You might find you're one of lucky ones and don't drop your chain.

WGAF about your frame? when you lose your chain cranking hard out a corner and smash your body into the front of the bike before getting spat out the front door?

messiah - Member

i reckon the clutch mechs and no chain device at would work for most general xc riding/ peaks /lakes etc, not sure about full on downhill...

You can't run a clutch mech on 1x9 as the clutch mechs are new and hence for 1x10 only

😆

good point well made!

i'll get my coat (though if anyones also thinking it said 1x10 my opionion still applies)

messiah. Gwin lost his chain in both his quali and final run at the last DH WC running a clutch mech AND DH chain device WITH a team and full time professional mechanic looking after his bike.
A clutch mech without a guide up front wouldn't hold a chain on for just pissing about in the street.(for me anyway)

I'm definitely with GW on this... Sometimes it makes me wonder what people are actually using their mountain bikes for! I know I can get away with no chain device at all on a 1x10 setup if say I just pootle down the shops on my bike, but for proper offroad riding, I need a proper full top and bottom chain device that will do its utmost to keep the bloody chain on.

I've lost a chain riding DH in the alps before with a proper MRP Type 2 device! It was only once granted, but those things are very tough and usually work flawlessly.

People who are saying the Superstar XCR or whatever its called guide is rubbish have set it up wrong. I ran one for over a year and didn't drop the chain once with it riding the Peaks, Calderdale, trail centres etc

EVERY time I hear this it makes me chuckle... Yes, clearly I'm so inept I don't know how to set it up! The fact that the backplate is too flexy (MRP and E13 aren't) so once the chain decides it's coming off it just bends it, and the guide is a fraction too wide (it looks like it's been designed for 1/8th chains not 3/32) has nothing to do with it... It's cheap for a reason!

The Gussett one that charlie the bikemonger points to (which Superstar also sell for £10 cheaper) is even worse than useless. I broke my MRP the day before Mayhem (my own fault, not the devices) and my friend lent me one of those to get me round. It was so crap I took it off... I'd actually rather just have to put the chain back on every couple of miles with no device than stop that piece of crap jamming every 2 minutes!

It might be useful (if your gonna state your opinion as fact) to mention which superstar guide are you referring to. Their plasma guide has top and bottom guides. Mine was easy to fit, very keenly priced and has been faultless. I'd say it's up to the job and works as well as the e13/mrp/straitline products you rate so highly.

Sorry, no experience of the Plasma myself. I was referring to the XCR (and its variants) top only guides.

It's a pretty common question. "Do I need something to prevent <insert problem here> even though I don't actually suffer from that problem?"

If you've found that your chain doesn't fall off when doing your style of riding, you don't need a chain device.

stilltortoise - Member

It's a pretty common question. "Do I need something to prevent <insert problem here> even though I don't actually suffer from that problem?"

If you've found that your chain doesn't fall off when doing your style of riding, you don't need a chain device.

No, that's not the question at all.

Your chain not falling off when there's a front derailleur and big ring to keep it in place is an entirely different proposition to 1x9

"Do I need a chain device if I remove some of the things that currently hold my chain in place?" is the question.

"Yes, unless your riding involves only mincing along on flat ground" is the answer.

Based on the OP that's exactly the question:

I've just set my cotic soul up as a 1x9 after having a double and bash for a while. I've been for a quick blast down some stairs and rooted descents with no sign of the chain coming off.

So the OP has already gone 1 x 9 and his chain isn't falling off. Does he need a chain device? Based on the evidence, no.

After a few rides I have to agree that back pedalling became an issue. It's inevitable and I did drop the chain a few times because of it. This is what I bodged to remedy it and so far so good.

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