So the 1×9 has been happily trundling about with a front mech acting as a chainguide. It works but ain’t pretty. Superstar have their XCR chainguide and a chainkeeper a bit like the Paul’s one. What is the consensus as to which is best for general XC-ness?

Depends if you find you drop the chain from the bottom when you do that back pedal to drop the outside foot for a corner or not. If you’ve been OK with the mech, then just a top guide will probably be OK.

E13 xcx has been perfect on my five. Not dropped the chain once and I’ve tried pretty hard.

Not dropped off the bottom of the rings. Oxfordshire offers little in the way of lumpy corner entry likely to cause such an event.

The superstar is decent for general XC. I tried my 1×9 setup without any guide and it was bad, kept falling. But now got a superstar and e.13 guide mixed together to form a downtube mounted guide which works a treat.

Falls off still in big hits and fall offs etc, but that’s to be expected.

The Superstar XCR one works fine on my 1×10. I’ve been using the bb mount one.
I ordered one of the new seat-tube mounted ones, but on opening the packet today its already broken. There is a really fragile little bit on the hinge. Might just keep the BB mount one.

Whichever way we go it’ll have to be ST mounted. 73mm BB shell restrictions…

mtbfix – Member
Whichever way we go it’ll have to be ST mounted. 73mm BB shell restrictions…

Eh? They work fine on 73 bbs

If you plan to use a top-only chain guide, I recommend you make the chain as short as practical. This solved my de-chaining problems.

Falls off still in big hits and fall offs etc, but that’s to be expected.

If it doesn’t always keep it on, maybe it needs looking at. A big hit is the last place you want to drop a chain.

The superstar BB mounted one is good but the seatpost version is total pap.
I used mine (setpost verion) for one ride before I modded it and they chucked it away.

Eh? They work fine on 73 bbs

I’d assumed that a 73mm shell with no spacers would mean that fitting a BB mount device would be out of the question. Was I wrong?

Eh? They work fine on 73 bbs

I’d assumed that a 73mm shell with no spacers would mean that fitting a BB mount device would be out of the question. Was I wrong? Yes, you’re most definitely wrong:
68mm BB shell- 3 spacers, 2 driveside, 1 non-driveside
73mm BB shell- 1 spacer, 1 driveside

I stand as a man in orthapaedic shoes, corrected.

Falls off still in big hits and fall offs etc, but that’s to be expected.

If it doesn’t always keep it on, maybe it needs looking at. A big hit is the last place you want to drop a chain.

Mmm I run chain quite loose not baggy but only just tight on smallest ring. Maybe need to lose a couple of links. When I said big drops I meant big falls, just worded it badly. Came off other day and it fell off and then it’s quite hard to get back on as the guide is so close to the chainring.

Having checked this afternoon my BB has no spacers.