I'm getting terrible chainsuck on my 1×9 inbred. The chainring is a Surly stainless one that I've flipped to give it a second lease of life, and the chain is a part worn shimano jobby. These components have never been used together before.

New chain or new chainring?

its time for a new chainring!

both!

Second "both". chain could have been damaged in a sucking incident.

Could your chainline be a bit squiffy too if you're running 1×9?

Cleanliness and lubrication 😕
Replace worn chain.
Keep an eye on the teeth
Happy riding

The wisdom is that a worn chainring damages a new chain, and a worn chain damages a new chainring (I think). Some people advocate buying three chains and cycling them every 500 miles to maximise drive-train lifetime. Not something I personally bother with.

So, new chain+knackered chainring = poo
knackered chain+new chainring = poo
new chain+new chainring = yay

Take the chainring off and file the burs down on the worn edge then try it again.

Scoot-a-bike is the way forward here.

older surly SS chainrings were thicker and not recommned for use with 9sp chains.. perhaps you have one of those?

i have a latter thinner one (33t) on my 1×9

Drivetrain is squeaky clean, no burs on the steel ring but I've flipped it just in case (so it's running on 'new' sides of the teeth) but chain has done about 500 miles tops.

Thinking of getting a new ring (got a new chain in the spares box) but which one? Thinking of getting an alloy DH one (Blackspire/Raceface) rather than a dedicated SS ring a la Surly – thoughts?

"new" ring and part worn chain shouldn't really suck at all as I understand it – but chain supposedly will wear the new faces quite quickly to match its level of wear

❓

turning the ring round hasn't altered chainline a lot, by any chance ?

No the ring is designed to be able to turn around therefore getting twice the use out of it – good idea.

Just messing around- fitted an old middle ring and new chain and it works better – no chainsuck but noisy for some reason.

I think rootes1 is right – I may have the thicker Surly ring which would explain why it worked fine on my SS with an 8 speed chain.

Just ordered a Blackspire Mono Veloce 32T from CRC so thats both new chain and new ring covered. fingers crossed!

Chainsuck is the most demoralising aspect of mountainbiking, and the only guaranteed way do beat it is to give up MTBing ( I did this for about two years after sawing through a chainstay during a race)
Despite what some folk say about it being solely the fault of a worn, dirty drive, I've definately noticed some frames to be more prone to it than others. I had a Specialized S-works frame that would CS relentlessly, even chainsucking within five minutes after the fitting of a completely new M950 group.
Sorry, this isn't a very helpful post, but what I did find to reduce CS are the following
Find a frame that doesn't suck so bad
Use bigger chainrings
A slightly wider BB can pull the chain out of the reach of sticky ramps( not so easy with external BBs- but the extra stiffness of the latter can sometimes reduce CS)
KMC and SRAM chains have slightly bevelled edges which can sometimes help
Keep a check on wear and cleanliness- not easy in the mud though!
The final sure way to stop chainsuck is a human, blood sacrifice, to the Earth- goddess Danu, but that should be a last resort 🙂

west kipper – Member
Chainsuck is the most demoralising aspect of mountainbiking, and the only guaranteed way do beat it is to give up MTBing

convert to single speed or Alfine or Rohloff. Makes sense.

think rootes1 is right – I may have the thicker Surly ring which would explain why it worked fine on my SS with an 8 speed chain.

well have to admit, after going out in the mud and muck of late, the drive train is making more noise – especially when the chain is more out of line in some gears…

thought I would measure my surly 33t ss ring – turns out it is the thick type! 😳 not given any trouble though, but ordered a properly 9speed compatible blackspire one just to make sure.

Despite what some folk say about it being solely the fault of a worn, dirty drive, I've definately noticed some frames to be more prone to it than others.

Well, it is either wear or poor set up that CAUSES it, for sure, but the frame can certainly make the consequences of it a lot worse. I know this because I have a frame that was very prone to bad chainsuck in the first place, but when the stay finally gave in, I got a different shaped one welded in and now it simply doesn't do it anymore. Not even with really worn rings….
🙂