You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
So, the Cannondale Prophet I've lashed together as my first ever FS bike is generally doing the business, but it does have a tendency to drop the chain on choppy descents. It's 1x10, XT clutch mech, Sunrace 11-42 cassette (long cage I think) On One Ringmaster 32t NW chainring.
Never had chain dropping on my HTs before, or on FS bikes I've ridden/borrowed before. So what's wrong?? Thought clutch mechs and NW rings were meant to do away with this problem?
Is it just the suspension compressing and effectively shortening the chainstay length so the chain itself becomes to floppy and just jumps off?
Anything I can do, or do I just need to install a chain device? (stealth wanted Ad ... Anyone got anything cheap?)
Narrow/wide should mostly- not quite entirely- do away with chain drop. Have you got the chain as short as poss? And is the ring new?
I have a chain device on the big bike, just because while the chain only came off like twice a year, it was always at some really annoying time. But the others are just narrow/wide
On my hardtail so far the nw ring and clutch mech are holding the chain on fine even on bumpy stuff. However with some suspension designs the chain could go looser under compression (I don’t know how the prophet is for this).
Are you running your chain as short as you can get away with for the biggest cog at the back? If not maybe shorten the chain slightly and see how that goes.
Is your chainring new or is it quite worn out - that could cause an issue. I also found oval rings didn’t retain the chain so well on my old bike.
If all of the above is fine I’d get a chain device - I’ve got a one-up top guide on my Aeris and I’ve never lost the chain - despite clumsily smashing it through every rock garden I’ve come to in the last year. I’ve actually got the bashgurd bit as well but you don’t necessarily need that for chain retention.
The only time I've had chains drop frequently on a clutch-and-NW set up is when the chain ring was worn out. Oh and once when my shoelaces kept getting caught up in the chain.
Make sure the clutch is actually on and working, if it's an old mech it may need adjusting, they do wear. Check your chain line, if the ring is way off centre that will cause problems too. You shouldn't need a chain device unless you're really smashing down the hills at proper stupid speeds, and even then it shouldn't drop that frequently if it's set up right.
My 11-42 Sunrace + Long cage 1x10 XT mech started off perfect, started dropping chains on bumpy Lakes stuff when the chainring got a bit more worn.