I’ve used 1×9 in the past with an eThirteen x1 guide. I’m now looking at going 1×10 on a different bike and i’ve got the decision of using a narrow/wide ring or a guide.

Do they do a good job of keeping the chain on? I ride round the peaks, so i’m unable to avoid bumpy/rocky downhills (nor would i want to). narrow/wide or guide?

Working for me. With a Zee clutch mech, not dropped the chain once.

If i didn’t have a clutch mech, i’d be better off with a guide?

Some of my riding is quite knarly, not quite as knarly as the Peaks – but not far off in places, and the narrow/wide chainring and clutch mech combo works fine for me – i’be had zero chain drops. To be honest I think the clutch mech is providing the majority of the stability and is the wisest investment you could probably make. Its really noticable how little chainslap on the chainstay you get with a clutchmech, so you know its really working.

I had a couple of lost chains with clutch mech + normal ring + top guide. I’ve since moved to a narrow-wide ring and ditched the guide – no dropped chains. I’ve ridden in both peaks and lakes so it’s had a good test. Believe.

Works+Zee working fine here. Had various iterations of top-guide/full-guide before and this is as good or better than any of those so far.

If you’re going from 9 to 10 then there’s no good excuse not to get a clutch.

Works and zee for me too. Managed all the rock garden sections at bpw without issue. Fit and forget type thing. I’ve kept a bash on though as its saved my ring a few times (in both senses)

If you’re running a single 32t ring up front and a 11-36t cassette out back on a HT would a short cage mech be fine?

scaredypants – Member
hardtail or FS ? 🙄

Look at the stated capacity of the mech and check it’s more than the range of the cassette – I reckon it will be

a clutch mech and topguide alone wasnt enough for me with a regular chainring, lost the chain a few times on rough descents, clutch mech + narrow wide with no top guide now and it seems fine

They really are a different gravy.

Also running a 32 front 11-36 rear with a zee and it’s awesome.

I was losing the chain on an Alfine’d full sus with front mech as guide. Changed to a narrow-wide with no guide at all and its been fine since, normal mech working as tensioner so no clutch either.

I just swapped over to a new frame with pressfit BB: as a result, couldn’t fit my top only chain guide on.

But I do have a Works Components ring.

Decided to see what it was like without a guide. Never dropped a chain once and I forgot to put the clutch on my Zee mech.

Rode a local sneaky DH track. Fell off. No issues.

Zee and Race Face here with no problems.

It is voodoo and yes it works- much better than a top-only chainguide in fact (with or without a clutch mech- it’s the ring that does the hard work, as any fule who’s left the clutch switched off kno)

1 x 9 slx mech, raceface narrow/wide. No dropped chains yet, ridden in the lakes, GT and the Fair City Enduro. Ok, it might wear badly and start dropping soon, but so far, so good.