I have a very smart MRP 1x guide that came with a frame I bought on here, but frankly I don’t think I ever remember dropping a chain with a NW and Clutch before the new bike.

Cliffs; I don’t race on the bike, that’s for tarmac and lycra, and I’m not lapping international downhill courses.

Yes.
I have an e*13 one, lost the outer part, did lots of blacks at BPW and it was fine, so didn’t bother getting a replacement part. Subsequently dumped the chain on stage 4 of the Ard Rock last year. Not a happy bunny at all.
Duly replaced the cage.

Oneup and similar are 35g, extra bit of security for a minimal weight penalty.

Yes, a hope slick guide. A narrow wide won’t hold your chain on for every drop or jump. Essential if you are racing, but if you’re not and the NW is working for you then I wouldn’t fret about using one.

Yes, the chain retention suffers when the drivetrain is worn and when the clutch is knackered.

Nopes, no need for them with NW and clutch mechs IMO…. I’ve not dropped a chain on either bike.

I dropped my chain a lot when I first went 1 x with narrowwide with clutch mech so fitted one and it stopped.

New bike came with one, but if it didnt I would have fitted one. I’d much rather take the weight penalty or small cost then a knee to the stem or going over the bars when its off and you dont notice!

I’ve got 2 on my bike. The mini OneUp direct mount one and the Syntace one that bolts onto the chainstay.

Oneup and similar are 35g, extra bit of security for a minimal weight penalty.

This. Always had one on my 5 as it gets used for uplift days, initially didn’t have one on my Fuel EX and it was fine for general XC stuff but would occasionally drop off on stuttery bumps so fitted a light one and no more problems.

Nopes, no need for them with NW and clutch mechs IMO…. I’ve not dropped a chain on either bike.

That’s not globally true unfortunately. Totally depends on the rider, style, and terrain. See this thread for examples.

Yep – also a OneUp user here on the bike I race on.

My HT which has a similar XX1/X01 mix & doesn’t have a guide drops chains – just reminded me to buy a guide for it 🙂

Yes, an MRP AMG. As much for the bash guard as anything else. The big chunks taken out of it suggest I’m too clumsy near rocks to consider taking it off.

5 mtbs, One has an integrated guide in the frame, the others have nothing, not dropped a chain since I went NW/clutch getting on for 4 years ago. Riding everything from bimbling to xc and enduro racing to DH in whistler.

* I don’t let the iscg tabs go to waste though, have a bash plate mounted on the bikes that have them which, I guess, stops the chain being physically knocked off?

Yeah I have an e13 LG1 on my Scott Voltage

In long travel mode wohhhhhhhhh the back end moves quite a bit and the guide keeps the chain running smoothly.

Yep…but then I am still running 1×9 on my hardtail.

Yes but my bikes have 3x upfront with big ring replaced by a bash/chain device combo

I put one on recently as I was dropping chains more frequently.
Not dropped one since.

To be fair, the clutch on my rear mech is pretty much gone but even with that replaced I like the extra security.

I’d definitely have one on a hardtail either way.

Yes. even with a n/w ring and clutch mech I had a few infrequent random chain drops so I now have a Funn Zippa Lite top guide.

I find I don’t need one for the first few months use of a new front ring, then suddenly…. I do. So just leave one on all the time.

Got the Rideworks one, had the OneUp 35g thing but it snapped off after only a few weeks use on a muddy ride.

Not on my XC hardtail as I don’t feel it gets shaken about enough but on my full susser definitely, Gamut SXC in my case, had it for a few years now, weighs next to nothing, doesn’t rub, doesn’t go wrong, no reason to take it off really.

Are those who find they need chain guides on full sus or hardtails?

Yes. I believed the hype and went guideless when all this n/w with clutch thing started. Dropped my chain endlessly in a muddy race. Now I know n/w profiles differ and some hold mud etc. But regardless of this, a top guide would have saved this situation. So for the sake of a few grams, I always have a top guide on.

xc hardtail fwiw.

Only on my DH bike.

I run a skid guard on my Transition because the BB is dead low and I’ve caught the chainring a few times. My trail bikes have always been fine with a N/W and a clutch mech (BPW, Antur included).

Yep – I use a OneUp chain-guide (One-Up); and I even managed to drop the chain once despite it (still not entirely sure how as I had to take the chain-guide apart to put the chain back on…)

The reason that I use it is that I do sometimes deliberately disengage the clutch on the rear mech to stop it working against the rear suspension – I don’t think I would bother fitting a guide to a hardtail (when I ran a 1x system on a hardtail I never dropped the chain)

Yes. I use a top and bottom ISCG guide on my HT, but I use it for DH races as well as general pottering about. I dropped a chain last year using a Stinger (bounced off the top of a NW ring) in a practice session, fortunately it didn’t come off again all day but I’d rather know it can’t (or is very unlikely to) come off than hope it won’t because DNFs are shit, especially if I could’ve helped prevent it.

Yes a oneup as it looked like a pain for those I passed in finale ligure to have to stop & put their chains back on multiple times during the day.

FS (170mm) yes
HT no

I had 1×10 on my old FS bike and I found if it got really muddy the chain would fall off.

On the new bike I specced a one up chain guide / bash guard in one (think it weighs 42grams) and have had no problems since – mud or not.

I think for the minimal weight and cost I’d always spec one on a bike that was going to see serious off-road use (abuse).

i have the little one-up components one. its so discreet theres no point not bothering – and the other day i lifted it up to install a new chain but forgot to put it back down, lost my chain on the first run!

in fairness it was Deep Navigation at bpw…

I got a lovely little Shovel guide, it weighs practically nothing, doesn’t rub noticably or have any drag, and it’s dead easy to set up or remove so it’s not a hassle like my older guides. No big downside to it, I did think I might just fit it for races but I’ve just left it on. The wee 2-bolt ISCG mounts are genius.

Chain dropping’s really rare with narrow/wide ime but chains are bastards and if it falls off once a year, it’ll do it at the worst time. I think I had it fall off once in the entire of 2015 and it was inevitably in an EWS race stage. The other thing is that sometimes it bounces off when you throw it over a fence or something or in a crash, that’s annoying.

The fatbike doesn’t have one though

I use a oneup guide, it’s s brilliant bit of kit. I was dropping chains once the narrow wide wore, no downside to using the guide.

I’ve got the Syntace SCS guide on one of the Litevilles and a Blackspire Stinger on the Alpitude that I have here in Greece. I’ll probably buy another Syntace guide, as I’m really impressed by how it stops the chain flapping about.