Holy crap chain guides are expensive.

[srey]

I'm looking at converting one of my bikes to 1x9, and it seems obscene how expensive chain guides are. I know that everything about mountain biking is expensive, but dang...

Any suggestions on a good one, btw? It's for my Banshee Scirocco, which has ISCG 05 tabs. I don't feel the need for a burly guide, though, because I live in Houston, and am converting because I don't need the range of gears offered by a triple ring crankset.

If I purchased a top-only guide like MRP 1X and left my long cage derailleur on the bike, would I be ok without a roller or tensioner on the bottom of the chain? I've checked out pictures, but am just trying to be solid in researching the conversion.

[ironsinker]

You're in a tough spot. Chain guides are expensive and you would have to upgrade to a 10 speed setup to go Shadow plus. This is what I did but before you click on the link, I have no information on a chain guide.

Shadow + Derrailleur or chainguide or both

I'm very very happy with what I did but it cost me more than a chain guide would have.

[womble]

You don't need a chainguide to go 1x9. Look up the "bashwich" which a lot of people are using (2 BBG bashguards on either side of a middle ring).

[ElwoodT]

cheapest option:N-Gear Jump Stop Chain Guide > Components > Drivetrain > Chain Tensioners and Guides | Jenson USA Online Bike Shop, plus Shimano Saint Chainring Bashguard > Components > Drivetrain > Bashguards | Jenson USA Online Bike Shop. Should work find for the trails you are describing.

[srey]

You don't need a chainguide to go 1x9. Look up the "bashwich" which a lot of people are using (2 BBG bashguards on either side of a middle ring).

I saw a post about that while I was searching, but won't the chain drag at the top and the bottom of the cassette with that configuration?

[srey]

I think that's the way I'm going to go.

[ehigh]

yeah it's kind of a bummer. I've got an X0 drivetrain with an MRP 2x guide and I love it-but just three days ago I decided to bite the bullet and ordered a 36t bling ring and a G3 Mini guide. Another $240 out the door, but hey-it is what it is.

Not everyone rides with a tensioner, I've noticed-it's typically a matter of how you ride. Where I live, here in San Luis Obispo, CA there is enough going on on the trails that makes it necessary for me. It depends. Stinks, I know-best of luck.


Not sure what you mean about chain dragging on the cassette.

[drj85]

+1 on the N-Gear Jump stop. I have it paired up with with a bashguard on my 1x8 140mm am hardtail and have really blasted down some wicked choppy lines filled with rocks and roots and havent had the chain drop yet. Its cheap and works perfectly. Just make sure you order the right clamp size.

[BoomerBrian]

N gear jump stop and bbg bashguard. Both very cheap and work great.


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[AllMountin']

I still got drops with an Ngear and bash, with a Saint short cage. It depends how rough you ride, and a lot of folks swear by it. I actually went to the trouble of fabbing up a new stainless chain deflector with more of an enclosure and lead in. Works much better, but still get a very occasional drop.

MRP 1x is a nice option IF your riding doesn't dictate a bash. Clean, minimalist look is a plus.

You really only need a full on guide/tensioner setup if you're into real aggressive riding and/or really gnarly terrain.

[shiggy]

I saw a post about that while I was searching, but won't the chain drag at the top and the bottom of the cassette with that configuration?

As opposed to a DH type guide where there is extra drag all the time?

I will take the double guard rings or bash/jumpstop setup any day.

[GoGoGordo]

Bionicon USA C-Guide Chainguide

These are the BOMB!!
And affordable.
Git cha one friend.
You'll thank me later.
G

[ElwoodT]

One of my bikes has the n-gear, and on the outside I ground down the teeth on the biggest chainring. 10 bucks total.

[jclyle]

N gear jump stop and bbg bashguard. Both very cheap and work great.


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This is the combo i'm using too. Just make sure you check the jump stop on a regular basis and make sure it stays tight. I haven't had any issues with it coming loose. Very cost effective way to convert.

[db_8]

2x9 setup with RaceFace bashguard on sale from Jenson and n-gear jump stop. just shortened my chain for the 2x9 setup, too. don't think my chain will be dropping anytime soon

[bikeabuser]

yeah it's kind of a bummer. I've got an X0 drivetrain with an MRP 2x guide and I love it-but just three days ago I decided to bite the bullet and ordered a 36t bling ring and a G3 Mini guide. Another $240 out the door, but hey-it is what it is.

Not everyone rides with a tensioner, I've noticed-it's typically a matter of how you ride. Where I live, here in San Luis Obispo, CA there is enough going on on the trails that makes it necessary for me. It depends. Stinks, I know-best of luck.


Not sure what you mean about chain dragging on the cassette.

You just nailed why such things are so expensive ... If people wouldn't pay insane prices, they wouldn't cost so much.

[markymark]

You know what they say:

Mountain biking, as addictive as cocaine and twice as expensive.

[b-kul]

I

You really only need a full on guide/tensioner setup if you're into real aggressive riding and/or really gnarly terrain.

depends a lot on how much travel you have/ what kind of linkage it is too.

[shiggy]

Bionicon USA C-Guide Chainguide

These are the BOMB!!
And affordable.
Git cha one friend.
You'll thank me later.
G

$50!
The one I tried added drag and made no difference in the chain control. Took it off.

[ehigh]

You just nailed why such things are so expensive ... If people wouldn't pay insane prices, they wouldn't cost so much.

No dude, I don't think that's how things work.

MRP has to be constantly developing new products to keep up with new technologies. That isn't free. They have to pay a number of people who are all professionals. They aren't ripping people off and what they develop is a representation of their time, so they're going to charge you for their time.

[ElwoodT]

^^supply and demand. that's how it works.

[GoGoGordo]

$50!
The one I tried added drag and made no difference in the chain control. Took it off.

Hmmmm?
Thats too bad Shig.
Mine works great!
Maybe not compatible with all bikes?

[SV11]

Bionicon USA C-Guide Chainguide

These are the BOMB!!
And affordable.
Git cha one friend.
You'll thank me later.
G

That plastic bit where the chain goes through blows majorly.
I bought a similar tensioner about 12 yrs ago, but it had a jockey wheel where the plastic bits are, and wasn't held on by zip ties, that is a lame bit of componentry.
A potential flaw with the bionicon tensioner is the zip ties. On a mildly hot day (or left in direct sunlgiht) those zip ties are going to deform and stretch under the tension of the chain, and in cold weather (snow) you can guess how it will turn out.

[GoGoGordo]

That plastic bit where the chain goes through blows majorly.
I bought a similar tensioner about 12 yrs ago, but it had a jockey wheel where the plastic bits are, and wasn't held on by zip ties, that is a lame bit of componentry.
A potential flaw with the bionicon tensioner is the zip ties. On a mildly hot day (or left in direct sunlgiht) those zip ties are going to deform and stretch under the tension of the chain, and in cold weather (snow) you can guess how it will turn out.

I have not had any such issues you speak of.
Dont have much snow here in SF. 😁
Mud, yes, but not a issue with my bionicon.
Just my 2 cents.
Good luck in your c- guide quest.
Everyones rig needs different solutions.
G- out
🚲

[womble]

I saw a post about that while I was searching, but won't the chain drag at the top and the bottom of the cassette with that configuration?

Sorry, I don't understand what you are getting at here. The bashguards simply sandwich the middle ring and they have no effect on how the chain interacts with the cassette, which is at the rear hub.

I've run this configuration on two bikes. On my previous frame, there was a small amount of chainslap at the basguards when run in the two highest gears (probably a mix of chainline and too much slack) but this was not enough to cause any noticable drag. On the current frame there is no chainslap and definitely no drag.

The only downside of a bashwich which I have been able to identify is that it's a tiny bit heavier than using something like an N-gear. However, my understanding is that something like an n-gear won't work with some types of suspension designs.

Another upside to the BBG is that it's just one guy with a machine pumping out a simple but fairly-priced product. Most bashguards I've seen are stupidly expensive for what they are, fiddly to set up and introduce a small amount of friction into the drivechain.