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New bike built up with SRAM type 2 derailleur and a narrow/wide chainring.
Have also (in proper bib n braces style) fitted a full chain guide (Superstar Slider).
Bike is an Orange Alpine and riding will be everything from local pootles, through trail centres, to Peaks, Lakes and Wales natural stuff.
So, the questions -
1 Is this set up overkill? The lower jockeywheel on the chain guide seems really rough and noisy (compared to a non N/W setup) as the chainring holds on to the chain for longer and the jockey wheel has very limited lateral float - I get the feeling a roller would be better or just a top guide? If so, what top only guide does the hive mind recommend (must be ISCG old to fit the Alpine).
2 Are the two little bolts above the BB for an E Type front mech or guide?
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Cheers.
Overkill. I've never dropped a chain with narrow wide and shimano clutch much.
I'd ditch the lower guide, but keep the bash guard and upper guide. They help retention and protection but add no friction. Lower guides tend to run pretty smooth when clean, but can be pretty rough when filthy.
That's a ft mech mount on your frame.
Dropped 3x in about 3 months so far, once was a proper no idea, second was at the end of a rough flat out descent and the other time was rolling out the garage so might have been knocked when I put it away. That with a type 2 and no guide.
Going forward I'd probably opt for no guide normally but use one if I was racing enduro and wanted 100% certainty.
The 2 bolts are for one of the bolt on mech standards. There are some top guides that might use that. The guide mounts are round the BB and will be one of the standards
I've got a top guide only, n/w chainring and a clutch mech. Doesn't drop the chain. Without the top guide, very occasionally the top run of chain could generate enough 'flap' to jump off and end up around the pedal. For the weight/expense I cannot see a reason not to fit a top guide.
Only dropped once in practice at EWS, put top guide back on, which is an E13 SS+ but took off the lower guide and kept bash.
I've got Works 34t N/W and Saint clutch rear.
If I were you I'd just take off lower guide, keep the top, won't need to buy anything extra then.
I dropped the chain just once in a week in the alps- narrow wide and no chain device. The clutch mechanism broke on about day 4 so I removed the broken parts entirely, made a racket but didn't cause the chain to drop. Ironically it came off on a fairly smooth bit.
I think that's the only time I've ever dropped a chain with that setup, including a stack of enduro races, 2 world cup downhill tracks (once on a hardtail...) Well, it's come off occasionally while crashing or while manhandling the bike over fences etc.
SO if I was you I'd remove it entirely and test it out, maybe there's an argument for a top guide though I've not found it neccesary, you might (quite a lot of chaingrowth in an Alpine I think?). But I don't think many people will say the bottom guide is very useful.
The other thing about chain devices is that if you ever do manage to get the chain off, it'll probably be a bollocks to get back on, with a narrow-wide it's a matter of seconds.
Cheers everyone. Have dropped the lower guide to see how that goes for now.
run a blackspire top guide with my narrow /wide ring as I was dropping the chain probably once a session over ruff stuff. My top guide uses those front derailleur mounts , E13 and blackspire both do sram s3/ shimano etype guides pro ably other manufacturers too if you hunt around.nice neat sloution for a frame with that style of mount
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I've not dropped a chain yet on the hardtail but have dropped a couple on the Rune which seems to need a longish chain due to chain growth.
I think I've dropped three in total, two of which I'm putting down to a broken fear cable feral that that when hitting a big g out was allowing my mech to lose tension. The other time was just one of those things.
As above, I'd maybe run a top guide but not a lower one, mainly because they're really noisey.
I fitted a Superstar top guide to my Alline 160 (2012) for a month in the Alps this summer but ended up removing it after a few days as it kept getting knocked out of line and causing the chain to jam or drop off. Didn't have a single problem with it once it was removed so doubt I'll bother fitting it ever again.
I reckon don't bother with a guide at all or get a direct mount one that fits on those 2 bolts if yourfeel the need
I've been running a race Face nw 34t all summer with sram x0 type 2 and I've never dropped a chain. Been out today on some rough stuff running a superstar 32t NW and it's business as usual.
I ride with top chain guide I as I sometimes lose the chain in the rough stuff in the peaks if I don't.