Had a great day at BPW yesterday but dropped the chain four times. Near new RF 34 N/W, Kmc 10 Speed chain, XT medium cage clutch mech and XT cassette. Chain length is spot on, any shorter and it doesn’t want to shift onto the Oneup 42t cog. Anyone else had this? 4 drops in 10 runs isn’t what I signed up for! I’ve heard mutterings about Kmc compatibility with N/W rings but thought that was mainly related to Absolute Black.

Also massive thanks to the absolute legend that is Nick See who sold the uplift ticket back to me on Friday evening when I realised I had accidentally sold too many of the spares I had, ahem. Hope you had a good time at Afan Nick!

Narrow wide is only good for mincing. 4 times dropped is 4 times too many for a product that is supposed to keep the chain on.
I’ve purchased a MRP AMG after 3 rides.

I’m running one with slx chain and xt clutch rear mech with a standard cassette (no extra big sprocket jobby) and it’s been fine, no dropped chain after a few big rides round super rocky lakes bridle ways, I’m impressed.

I did BPW with the same ring and chain, no drops at all. Zee mech and no giant cog though, maybe that helps.

It’ll be the extra chain length for the 42T sprocket that’s causing that I reckon. There must be quite a bit of chain flap once you’re using the low/middle of the cassette

Even Sram originally said the XX!/Narrow-wide can only be run sans-chain device in “some conditions”.

Just realised that you don’t even have a top guide?

It’s your One up that is to blame. To accommodate you require a chain length that is just too long to stay on board in the higher gears in rough terrain.

Maybe the 40T is better?

I ended up with a chain device as well as I couldn’t stand the chain slap, which makes having a narrow/wide pointless!

Another solution if your chainslap isn’t too bad is a top guide or a bash ring, both of which should prevent chain loss.

Had a standard triple on before with a long cage clutch mech and didn’t drop the chain once last time at BPW so I’m guessing it’s jumping off the top. I even took a link out at lunchtime which meant it wouldn’t shift onto the 42 but still lost it down one of the blacks. Got a Turner Sultan which has long chainstays, possibly doesn’t help. I could put the long cage mech back on to see if that helps but it’s a bit twisted. Who makes the best top guides?

Hi mate, it was a great day enjoyed it a lot great place and service. Take it your chain cassette aren’t worn or getting worn. Dave also dropped his chain a fair bit on his orange but he was also getting host shifting as well yesterday worth a check! tolerances are probably more important with this set up I’d think.

I’m running a Hope N/W 32T with an XT med clutch mech and 11/36T, dropped the chain twice at BPW last Wednesday. Both on Insufficient Funds hammering through the rock gardens. On my 5 so have to run a decent length of chain to cope with the chain growth on full compression.

I’ll be butchering my old chain device to run just the top guide for uplift days from now on. Yet to drop the chain on normal riding.

Setup almost identical to yours with the only dif being the rear mech (SLX). Dropped the chain once but that was because I’d not switched on the clutch.

Have you tried tightening the clutch?

Edit: sorry just noticed you have one of those daft cogs on the rear which scraps my initial comment.

You sure the clutch is working: they can break internally.

All parts nearly new, clutch working OK, might try tightening it up but it’s only 4 or 5 rides old so wouldn’t expect it to have slackened off significantly. Already shortened the chain and still dropped it so can’t see going to a 40t would make much difference, anyway my legs like the 42. Besides the sram x11 is supposed to work with a dinner plate cassette, obv not quite the same thing but still. Looks like a top guide is the way to go, any recommendations? Bloody industry hype, pah.

I have these on 4 bikes, never dropped a chain. That’s thousands of miles and a lot of racing.

Chain length? Is the clutch turned on? Was it whilst back-pedalling?

Dropped another chain today at FOD on the Vererders.
40t hope Jobbie.
They should come with a recommendation NOT to use with anything bigger than a 11/32 cassette.
Fingers crossed my MRP will be delivered tomorrow.

I ran a KMC chain and it made quite a bit of noise, as if my gears weren’t indexed right, went back to XT and it’s been silent, only dropped the chain once so far. I’m running;

X0 short cage clutch
RF 32NW
XT chain
XT 11/36 cassette
No guide

Love it.

XX1 chainring on an X01 setup, forgotten how many times I lost the chain on that, also on a 34T/11-36T on my HT, lots of lost chains.

Run a guide on both now (just top) and no more problems.

It’s a lot better than no fat/thin ring, but it’s by no means perfect.

They should come with a recommendation NOT to use with anything bigger than a 11/32 cassette.

Not sure why the chainring manufacturer should care about you modifying your cassette

Which guides do you run Hob Nob?

Dropped the chain on the first time out on my N/W with a 11-34 and zee mech on upper cliff, Cannock. Funnily it never dropped at Stile cop but i’m going to get a top guide for security.

Brilliant for natural/xc riding but just OK for rutted trail centres and rougher riding is what i’d say

I run an mrp carbon amg on my alpine 160, only lasted a few weeks without any guide, dropped the chain 3 or 4 times, once landing a road gap and the other few times just on chattery rooty stuff, I’d rather not risk losing a chain, especially when racing so went for a top guide, no more dropped chains. Still happy to lose the bottom roller of a full on guide.

I took my Sultan for a spin today for the first time since it’s rebuild. I’m running the exact same gear except I’m using SRAM chains (114 links).

I didn’t get any drop today, buy I’m an xc jeyboy.

I can’t see N/W being drop free, but I’m waiting to see how much of a problem it’s going to be before deciding on putting a chain device on.

Dave if you interested I’ve got an MRP g2 iscg 05 and a hope band clamp top guide, guide if you want a deal 😀

Could well be Carl, will text you

Dave, good to see you had a good day despite chain retention issues. Afan was good, bit of whites then blade trail for the first time which was fun. A good mixture of singletrack, sorrel berms & rocky descents 🙂

MRP AMG for me as I wanted something to protect the ring, without having to run a bash.

It was a bit of a pain in the ass to get it to fit my enduro, as the chain stay caught it when it’s in the ‘ideal’ position, I just had to rotate it a bit further forward.

No more dropped chains though now 🙂

I’ve only lost my chain twice on my RF N/W ring and they were both at BPW, both in the same spot. Can’t remember which run it was but there was a large g-out and the chain hopped off. Didn’t drop n any of the rocky stuff, just there. Other than that it’s been fine although it is starting to wear now.

I think at some point I’ll end up with a top guide if it starts to drop on a regular basis.

My RF N/W only lasted 6/7months and has now start to drop the chain,
RF 34t Narrow/wide
KMC chain
SLX Clutch mech
SLX 11-36 cassette

Swaped for a Vectoix N/W I see if that will last longer. First observation is the teeth are bigger on the Vectiox but still runs very smooth.

Also might put the RF one on backwards on the other bike to see if I can a couple more mouths out of it.

also had problems with my RF narrow wide dropping, with sram clutch mech

fitted a top guide and still managed to drop it on my qualify run at Ae this weekend

EWS racers on xxi seem to run full guides too

Am I doing something wrong?

Narrow-wide with a 2002 XTR rear mech. I’ve not dropped the chain once and around ‘here its all rocky- no smooth trails.

I think its in the chain length- mines bang-on just on the edge of being short. Its not though and the mech doesn’t pull forward at all.

possibly related to suspension design?

Ive tried a few different chain lengths and have it possibly a wee bit short now and still lost it

only happens on really rocky stuff , downhill tracks at Ae etc!

Mines a straight forward single pivot if it ‘helps’?

Self confessed mincer? 😉

I run a top guide 70g and a non clutch mech

Not had one come off when riding my hardtail or my full-sus – but both bikes have bash rings fitted and I think that helps a lot as you tend to lose chains outwards, not inwards.

Both bikes running Zee short cage clutch mechs, Works NW rings, 11-36 XT cassettes and KMC chains as short as possible.

mine comes off inwards and ends up on the bb shell

When mine dropped, it was to the outside.

It’s been fine since. I still prefer the lack of noise and drag not funning a guide (my E13 chain device was always noisy and didn’t play well with my Atlas cranks when I changed the back plate to ISCG 05).

possibly related to suspension design?

This and the length of your chain, plus wear on ring.
A mate of mine has had a number of dropped chains, with a good chain length. I’ve had 1 over the last 6 months on 2 bikes. He rides a Wolf Ridge, I’m on a Heckler+HT. I suspect the way the Marin backend moves has something to do with it.
To run a 42 rear you’ll need a few more chain links than me (32/36), so slacker when not in biggest sprocket.
I expect my chainring to wear a lot quicker as well, due to it requiring a tight fit, so have purchased a couple of spare chainrings for spares box.

Please don’t tell me this 🙁 I’ve just bought an xt clutch rear mech, new 10 speed cassette, shifter and about to buy a raceface narrow wide chain ring to go 1×10 with no chain guide

“I didn’t get any drop today, buy I’m an xc jeyboy.”

No you’re not!