I have turned an old hardtail into a 1×9 using a middle size ring up front and a 9speed road cassette and chain. The tension all looks good but it keeps on skipping off the front ring when off road and the going is a bit rough. What could be the problem? Could it be using a road chain and old front ring?

Vaguely thinking of getting a chain guide to sort the problem….if so what do I need to consider as its an old bike (2002 Orange evo 2) with a basic old square taper BB.

The tension will be fine until you bounce over something, the mech moves, and your tension vanishes.

Get a cheap chain guide, like this:

…an unramped chainring will also help.

I’ve done this without problems.

I did use an unramped chainring which may have helped it stay in place.

Check you don’t have too much extra chain as you wont need nearly so much as before.

+1 chain guide.

Alternatively conform to the STW stereotype and spend loads of money on a narrow/wide chainring and a clutched rear mech, which will then require new block, chain, shifter. 🙂

Edit – singlespeed chainring might help too – longer teeth and unramped.

if you are using a ramped chainring, would rotating it 90 degrees or so help?

just wondering

Cheapest option….. Put your old front mech back on and use a tiny bit of gear cable to clamp it in the middle ring position. You may even be able to forgo the cable and just use the limit screws to set the position.

This will work as well as any chain guide

Even more alternatively don’t conform to the STW stereotype and spend loads of money £25 on a thick/thin chainring and a clutched rear mech, which will then require new block, chain, shifter keep everything else.

Works for me. Dropped the chain once over 50 miles at 10 UTB at the weekend. Thick/thin chain-ring, plus standard 9 speed XT kit from the late 90’s.

if you are using a ramped chainring, would rotating it 90 degrees or so help?

erm….

1×9 with a traditional unramped ring and no chainguide was absolutely useless for me, the clutch mech made a little difference but still useless. Chainguide improved it a lot but thick-thin ring is far better ime, and costs about the same now. I’m still dubious about clutch, thick-thin and no chainguide, I’m waiting for it to fail but it hasn’t yet.

There doesn’t seem to be too many links in there (I took a good few out of the chain to make it fit) and the chainring is a normal one from a three ring chainset. I am a bit dubious (after reading some other posts) of thick thin chain rings. sounds like they might not be too reliable without the other expenses of clutch mech etc.

Any suggestions of cheap but decent chain guides? Jamie, what is the one pictured?

robw1 – Member

I am a bit dubious (after reading some other posts) of thick thin chain rings. sounds like they might not be too reliable without the other expenses of clutch mech etc.

They’re not perfect but my experience is that a thick/thin is better than a top-only chainguide- more reliable and also, less of a pain if it goes wrong (getting the chain back on with a guide can be fiddly). With or without clutch mech!

(Because I’m stupid, I’ve occasionally left the clutch switched off, and the chain stayed on- the clutch is helping but the ring is doing all the hard work)

Any suggestions of cheap but decent chain guides? Jamie, what is the one pictured?

That’s off a Pinnacle Ramin 1.

Closest I can find with a brief bit of Googling, is this:

I am really impressed with my Works Thick/Thin ring. I was convinced to get it, after hearing and reading so many stories of people either running non clutch mechs or forgetting to switch them on a la Northwind.

I will no doubt get a cutch mech at some point, but happy with the Works ring and will wait and hope that xx1 or XTR 1×11 features drip further down the food chain.

Now that On One and Superstar are making them, you are spoiled for choice, but I like my Works ring.

Nothing is entirely foolproof. A top guide doesn’t help the chain stay on the bottom. But it does help the chain re-seat when you pedal again (when it doesn’t jam in the device). You can, at a pinch, use your old front dérailleur by using the stop-screws to keep in the middle position.

Far better is preventing it flicking off the bottom. A narrow-wide seems to work great IME. Checkout Superstar Components [hides]. Or buy a full device with a roller if you don’t mind the weight, cost and noise.

SSC one is cheap and works fine