Bash or no Bash? « Singletrack Forum

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Bash or no Bash?

25 posts & 18 voices | Started 1 year ago by cookeaa | Latest reply from rickmeister

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cookeaa - Member

While I'm pretty pleased with the way my drivetrain works at the minute 22/36/Bash, I'm looking to shed some mass where I can, I've decided the lower roller on it is going as it's probably not doing much, and I'm umming and arring over ditching the great thick Polycarb bash, and either replacing it with something lighter or getting rid all together...

My real concern is what will chain retention be like if I get rid of the lot, it's a ruffty tuffty XC HT bike that gets pedaled a fair way as well as being chucked and bounced down hills, I don't think I'll miss the lower roller, but can I rely on an SLX mech alone to prevent the chain riding off the outside of the bigger ring as I batter my way across roots and rocks?

Failing that what lighter weight 36t Bash rings are there about these days?

Posted 1 year ago #
mr plow - Member

Bash - I am on my 4th season with my current drivetrain. I doubt it would have lasted this long if it looked anything like my bash rings that I have used.

Posted 1 year ago #
stevenc - Member

Take the bash off altogether and you WILL mangle your chain between a rock and the chain ring. Nothing worse. I broke 5 links this way. Its a disaster. If you want to get the bike lighter find another way!

Posted 1 year ago #
nixie - Member

Blackspire lite god is something like 60g or 80g for 36t! The polycarb e13 bash I've got is closer to 250g!

Posted 1 year ago #
chakaping - Member

Blackspire C4 bash seemed the best combination of price/weight to me. About £20 from CRC.

Or if you don't hit the bashguard much but still want one, maybe one of those cheap metal BBG ones?

Posted 1 year ago #
kiwijohn - Member

Before I went to a double & bash, I was careful about smashing the big ring.
Now I've got a bash I use it a lot.

Posted 1 year ago #
cookeaa - Member

My DH HT is "Bashless", but with a Middlburn 36t DH ring and a proper Chain device, I've yet to mangle that when grounding out on rocks/roots, but that is a much tougher ring effectively designed for more abuse, and without and shift ramps or pins of course.

I suppose a meatier 36t ring (assuming one that has shift pins/ramps can be found) would be the ideal solution, then I can ditch all the other crap and ride with wild abandon... ish.

Or is that just too fanciful? I'll still want a bash won't I...

Posted 1 year ago #
JonEdwards - Member

Gamut, Blackspire and Racface all make reasonably light bash rings - certainly a damn sight lighter than stuff like the original E13 ones.

Posted 1 year ago #
Northwind - Member

Gamut's P30 is the lightest that'll actually do any bashing, I think. You can go lighter with BBG or similiar but they're really just chaincatchers, I folded mine up nicely with a gentle rock tap.

Posted 1 year ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

Depends. I ride with a 22 / 36 no bash no chain device. Very occasionally I lose the chain to the outside but flick he lever down to granny and turn the pedals and it normally goes back on fine without stopping.

Its a well set up drive train and I ain't the gnarliest of riders tho.

never mangled the chain tho

Posted 1 year ago #
GW - Member

BBG bashguards are cheap and v.light. fitted to work as an outer guide plate rather than a bashguard they'll work well but IMO there's no need for a strong bash on a 36T ring unless it's a low BB DH bike IMO. (or you're a bit clumsy like Northwind )

IME for proper DH Gamut bashguards are not very strong. (but then, I've smashed an old skool thick and heavy E13 bash to pieces too)

I'd recommend Deore 36T rings for double ring use, they're steel so last, ramped/pinned so shift well and are cheap.

Posted 1 year ago #
Northwind - Member

(or you're a bit clumsy like Northwind )

I was going to take offence but fair play, that's exactly what caused it

Posted 1 year ago #
cookeaa - Member

Deore ring already installed.

I think I will try bashless for a bit and if it really doesn't work then the BBG jobbie looks like the sort of very light chain retainer (don't think it really qualifies as a "Bash guard") to try next.

cheers....

Posted 1 year ago #
B.A.Nana - Member

I've often not bothered with bash rings on either my weight weenie fitness compensator or the big bouncy bike, the chain might drop off the middle ring occasionally, but no more than they occasionally drop of the granny ring.

Posted 1 year ago #
alpin - Member

run it without bash but with guide/retainer for the chain.

a friend had some sort of guide-bash device on his Roscoe. seemed to work and was light. didn't need any mounts, either. just fitted on in place of a spacer on HT-BB.

Posted 1 year ago #
Dancake - Member

I run 22-32 on one and 26-38 on the other both without bashes without a problem. (I am not that 'ard though)

NB The 38 is a blackspire single ring on an 8 speed setup with no ramps but shifts just fine that way. I like the look of a flat chainring compared to a pressed one, Will get a flat 36T for the other one next

Posted 1 year ago #
fourbanger - Member

How ever did we all cope before bashrings?!

Posted 1 year ago #
Calamity James - Member

Another alternative is to remove two links from your chain, might help chain retention a little bit? Personally I'd always have a roller or bash, would not risk having neither...

Posted 1 year ago #
Lifer - Member

MRP XGC is 120g and £30 at Winstanleys, mines nicely scuffed so doing it's job and looks better than a bash imo.

Posted 1 year ago #
rickmeister - Member

Heres my bash option,

22 - 36 up front. The bash is exactly the same od as the chain on the chain ring.

Posted 1 year ago #
GW - Member

rick - what bashguard is that? I run a superlight 32T BBG bash outside a 36T ring, the bash is a few mm smaller in diameter than the chain on the ring but just large enough that it stops the chain falling off to the outside and I'd have to be extremely unlucky for the bash to ever take a hit.

Posted 1 year ago #
rickmeister - Member

Here you go:

Posted 1 year ago #
yunki - Member

bash

Posted 1 year ago #
GW - Member

Ah. cheers Rick, that looks pretty lightweight but still fairly strong (Alloy, I presume?) but best of all should be a better design better for shedding mud than most. I've got a (chunkier) alloy Race Face bashring fitted to a mini DH bike with a modified MRP type 3 that covers the 36T ring by the same amount as yours to give better ground clearance for its very low BB height (12.6")

Posted 1 year ago #
rickmeister - Member

Actually came off mrsRickmeister's Genesis to replace an ugly E13 Polycarbonate of the same diameter but 5-6mm thick. I like it a lot better, it is light but solid too

Just been on CR to find one and its HOW MUCH ! Like one of the reviews mentions, Light, Cheap, Strong.. pick two. Its is well made, light and strong as well as looking good.

If it didnt come with the Genesis, I would be looking at knocking all the teeth off an old 44t ring and using that....

Posted 1 year ago #