Morning all chaps:

I’m changing over to 1 x 10 on my Lapierre and would like to ask the collective knowledge out there if anyone knows the following:

What chainring options are available out there for the XTR M970 chainset? I know Middleburn make a spider for them, but I’m wondering if there are any other more simpler solutions? I’m sure someone has done this…

Additionally I’m stuck over what chain device to go for – do I go for an MRP G2, or shall I look at the Superstar version.

Additionally I have a thought that as I’m going to be running a smaller chainring up front, I don’t need a bashguard and therefore I could consider the MRP 1x chainguide?

Your thoughts are welcomed oh geek extraordinaires 🙂

Any sigle ring will work on an XTR 970 set of cranks. I ran an E13 on mine.

Having looked at the new Superstar chain device, I would probably go for that, considering the weight & price of it too.

No issues with faffing about with BCD or anything? Did you run it on the middle ring – and may I ask what size you went for?

Cheers

Hi Neil

I’ve been running a 1×9 set up for about two years now and am just about to go to a 1×10 set up.

I’ve always run a 32t front ring but this is something that a lot of people don’t seem to agree with. I am never undergeared on any descent where I give a damn about how fast I’m going, which means to say that yes, it’s easy to spin out on long fire-road or tarmac road descents, but on those I don’t tend to give a damn; I am usually just tucked/resting. In the alps for instance, I’m going more than fast enough on those types of descent without having to pedal and everywhere else, I think you’d have to be a seriously good DHer to need something bigger than 32×11 (and by seriously good I mean competitive in at national Senior level).

Regarding chainguides; I’ve run the MRP 1×9, Gamut P20, E13 SRS and now run an e13 LG1+.

If you’re looking for absolutely the lightest guide possible (and you will need a chain guide – forget a front mech they don’t work) then the MRP 1×9 (or equivalent e13 I imagine) is the best choice. It will keep the chain on the top part of the ring but you will find the chain comes off of the lower part at the end of fast bumpy descents. That’s not a problem AS LONG AS YOU THEN DON’T PEDAL BACKWARDS!

I was finding that at the end of the downhill run, I’d backpedal to line the cranks up for riding away. When you do this, the chain derails from the top part of the ring and jams down between the backplate of the guide and the ring itself and it’s quite a faff to get it back on as you have to push the backplate away from the ring to free the chain.

If the chain has come off the bottom part of the ring, as long as you then pedal forwards, it’s fine and the chain just remounts.

For me then, the use of the LG1+ is less about having a built in bash guard and more about having a lower runner as well as a top one. This way the chain never comes off. But since I also use the bike for DH and alps trips, the integrated bash guard is also welcome.

The Gamut P20 is unequivocally the easiest bash guard to fit and set up and it seems to be compatible with a lot of different frame designs. The SRS was the older and much heavier version and though very good it’s more fiddly to set up. The newer e13 guides including the LG1+ are much easier to get set up.

Neil – 36T on mine, but they were on my DH bike.

The cranks since got retired onto my little play bike with the chainring & I ran an MRP carbon which all worked fine. No issues with the chainline, run it on the middle ring & it’s fine 🙂

They now adorn my Zesty, which they work fine in a 2×10 set up with a bash on the outer ring.

I have been tempted to go 1×10 on it, but haven’t really felt the need as yet.

Any chainring should fit. 32T seems completely adequate for me unless you live somewhere like the South Downs, or you only ride trail centres.

The MRP 1x and e13 XCX chainguides are great- I much prefer them to my E13 SRS on one bike because it’s lighter, quieter, just about as secure so long as you’re not doing downhill tracks and so much simpler. I’m whipping the SRS of my bigger bike and it’ll only go back on for the alps, and even then I might not bother.

Since to go anywhere on a bike you pedal forwards the backpedalling thing isn’t an issue. Obviously you do backpedal a small amount to adjust your feet position, but it’s rare for it to come off and then when you pedal forwards again as long as you’ve got the cage in the right place it’ll remount.

That’s some great advice, thanks chaps, I appreciate it.

I think I’ll try a 1x first and see how I get on with it – I do a little DH work and would need to factor that in, but I may be able to learn to ride around the chain dismounting.

Any recommendations on chainrings, or shall I just keep the 34t thats on the chainset already?

Keep the 34t. Get an 11-36 cassette, and if you find you need to tweak your gears higher/lower, get a 32 or 36t.

I am using 11-32 with a 32 and like it. If I could choose any combination it would probably be 11-36 with a 34t.

Lovely news Poppa – cheers 🙂

i’m looking at the same dilema at the mo. Just a ring change required to get desired range for 970s. Think i’m settled on a 32 tho maybe a 30 would help on steep climbs and still work for all reasons geetee said. Mapping out the ratios you’ll see that u only loose the 22 x 30 and 22 x 32 of a conventional set up either way.
Didn’t bother with a guide on 1 x 9 setup tho chain retention seemed to b an issue with an older drivetrain. May look into a Lg this time however.

i’m settled on a 32 tho maybe a 30 would help on steep climbs

Bear in mind that for standard rings/chainsets you can’t put a 30t on the middle, minimum is 32t.

Extralite do a 30t ‘middle’, which is pretty durable, you have to file your spider to fit it, no other options though AFAIK.

Bearing in mind this bike will be used for the Megavalanche, I’m thinking my 34 will be fine – I tend to prefer the bigger rings – and have never ever used my granny ring on the XTR chainset – let alone using the middle often…