Looking for some experience/recommendations [Caution weight weenie content]

I’m finishing building a very light 120/100 FS. I’m building it 1×9 at the moment.

Its going to be used on 24hr races and marathon type events but also as a singletrack weapon 🙂 I will still be riding it prety hard and fast over some rough terrain, in fact the local loop, the monkey/dog at Cannock is pretty damn rough there are so many braking bumps. But other examples would be the gap in the black mountains and assorted peaks routes. Really big stuff sees the 160 bike come out so dont imagine I’m doonhalling this thing but its not just going to be ridden round a mooth field…

Now, I hate chain slap and I will need some form of chain retention, it must be light.The biggest question is will something like the Rohloff, with carbon plates for weight weenieness, or the Paul chainkeeper be fine or is something more substantial and secure going to satisfy my quiet and secure desires?

I’ve been looking at:
Glorified front deraillers:
Rohloff(modified) – £50 (80) ~ 70g(50g)
Paul chainkeeper ~£50 ~ 65g
More secure stuff
MRP Lopes – not keen on looks, 100g, not too bad, good security
Weeze the end – pretty but expensive – £150 75g
Carbocage mini – pretty, but expensive 90g £135

So how much security will I need? Are the bigger devices, with jockey wheels at the bottom overkill? Even if they do look pimp 🙂

I’m running an E13 XCX. Chain ain’t coming off. Light enough too.

I went from a top cage only (Superstar XCR) which allowed the chain to drop often and did nothing to tame chain slap, to an MRP Lopes device. It’s a million times better… Chain has not come off yet, and the lower roller also does a good job of reducing chain slap too. And a short cage mech is also a must for the same reason.

In fact, if your budget allows, one of those new XTR rear mechs with the clutch thingy in would be a bonus too.

Hi Pilot 😉 I’ve been looking into doing this on my Helius but the 1×9 experiemnts on my hardtail (which I ride daft hard) have shown me that the top guide is all I require.
I’m going to try a top guide only when I take the HS of the Helius to see how it works… with the shorty saint rear mech it might be all the chain retention I need.

Weeze looks fab… not seen that before 😀

Another vote for E13 XCX, never dropped the chain despite trying hard.

New XTR clutched mech would be worth a look. I’m waiting for it to trickle down to XT level.

Thanks guys..maybe ‘tuned’ Ron off is enough…

messiah, weeze does look nice. I keep thinking of 1×9 the Helius with such a device as it would lunch the best part of a kilo with a light Chain device around 100g or so, and bring it down to 30lb with the dropper BUT I have seen the suffering on faces at events like the SuperEnduro in Finale, just got back from this years, on the climbs. I was suffering with the HS granny, albeit with a 11-27 cassette and the bullet proof nature of the HS is still appealing, I hit a lot of rocks on that event! HS is chuffing bulletproof also instant 9 gear drop on sudden climbs very helpful.

Budget could stretch to xtr clutch thingy but not Weeze/carbocage too missis would kill me, trying to build a 21lb Nicolai with a dropper post is already killing me!!

Another one not on your list is the Shaman Drake. Pretty light anyway but if you remove the bash guard it’s very light… bonus is you can refit the bashguard easy if you think the days riding requires it. Some older models available on fleebay… and there is also an older model carbon chainguide from Shamen which looks interesting. I’ve not seen any reviews or seen them in the flesh.

And yes about the HS… 1×9 is fine on my 26lb hardtail but riding a 32+lb FS like that will probably be a bit different… but I’m tempted to give it a whirl 😈

Light duty
Blackspire Stinger for the chain slap with seat tube mount top guide.

or

Heavier duty
Straitline Silent Guide – simple + effective (although no tabs may be a problem?)

Messiah, “And yes about the HS… 1×9 is fine on my 26lb hardtail but riding a 32+lb FS like that will probably be a bit different… but I’m tempted to give it a whirl” true but 32 becomes 30 😉

I’m using an MRP 1x. Great so far.