I was talking to one of the guys in the LBS the other day about going to narrow wide and he suggested that they have no issues with their 135mm spaced rear race bikes but the same set up on the 142mm rear bikes is more problematic. Suggested it might be due to the increased offset of the chain line.

I run a 32T Raceface NW on a Cotic BFe with XTR clutch mech. Had a hope bash for the last couple of months, not a single chain drop riding everything from Swinley to Cwmcarn type terrain.

Changed crank and took bashring off, dropped chain twice on a single loop of swinley, resulting in anger and pain. Chain came off the the pedal side as opposed to BB side. (Yes, the clutch was switched on…)

Definitly something to do with either chain line or support from bash ring, or combination of.

All good info this. Which top guide are you running kimbers? I’m about to order an Mrp 1.X

I binned my narrow/wide for this reason now back to 2×10 which is more reliable…. And I can now pedal up hills properly!

ive got an MRP 1x S2 direct mount technically its for a 32t minimum but I am running a 30t ring, to be fair it only happened once all weekend of racing and my rear mech bolt (and cones on mu hub) had worked loose so it may have been that

no guide, no bash and no drops here.

Orange 5/RF 34t/SLX 11-36 cassette/short cage clutched zee running as short a chain as possible.

yet to drop the chain and even rode half my ride yesterday with a clutch off as i forgot to switch it on after getting the bike out of the car.

I was talking to one of the guys in the LBS the other day about going to narrow wide and he suggested that they have no issues with their 135mm spaced rear race bikes but the same set up on the 142mm rear bikes is more problematic. Suggested it might be due to the increased offset of the chain line.

This would be an interesting theory – except for the fact that 135mm and 142mm rear axles have the exact same cassette position! The extra 7mm is there to locate the axle in the dropout more easily.

I was talking to one of the guys in the LBS the other day about going to narrow wide and he suggested that they have no issues with their 135mm spaced rear race bikes but the same set up on the 142mm rear bikes is more problematic. Suggested it might be due to the increased offset of the chain line.

Pretty sure this is rubbish. The chain line on a 142 hub is the same as a 135. The extra 3.5 mm each side just allows the rear wheel to sit into pockets on the fame so that the thru-axle is easy to slot in.

I didn’t lose my chain at fort william, or enduro racing at innerleithen, on my Ragley… Mate has no chain device on his wolfridge, he doesn’t hang about and never had a problem. Wonder what the user error is? 😉

Works n/w ring KMC x10l chain and a sram x9 short cage clutch mech here.

Dropped 3 times, once in mud, twice at Llandgela (lol!).

Running an MRP AMG guide now, no rubbing, no more fuss, no more drops.

I’ve only lost mine once with the clutch ‘on’ (3-4 times when forgetting to switch it on) and that was pootling along a fire road? From memory, its been fine otherwise.

Pah! Lost mine twice yesterday going over a few rocky bits on my hardtail, can’t say i’m impressed at 40 quid a ring, saying that, the shimano cog i had on before it was popping off when i looked at it sideways so 2 drops instead of 10+ in the same loop. In conclusion, they’re all right, but don’t believe the hype, you will end up dropping your chain at some point.

trickydisco – Member
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

You’ll be fine, you’ll find the vast majority have no trouble at all. I for think one think n/w and clutch combo to be superb.

The benefit of a silent drive-train coupled with the minimalist appearance and ultra-low maintenance is priceless.

I only had one drop using 2x front shifter with a clutch mech but it was in a race! Trying this 1x with a big bash guard and hoping it cures all ills

To counter all those suggesting that as they’ve never dropped a chain off a narrow wide and therefore those that have are ham fisted bodgers who have obviously borked the installation may I be the first to suggest that you all stop fannying around and let go of the bloody brakes? 😉

speak from my position of no experience at all…

mine comes off inwards and ends up on the bb shell
When mine dropped, it was to the outside.

if the chain consistently ejects to one side maybe check the chainline?

I suspect the way the Marin backend moves has something to do with it.

from riding behind a marin riders I’ve noticed they tend to have a hell of a lot of side to side movement maybe that’s the problem

run a 32T Raceface NW on a Cotic BFe…not a single chain drop

no movement at all, even better.

Wonder how the single n clutch thing will go down in history, success, failure or is it just problems from mix n match setups? Any news on results from running SRAM XX1 throughout? Or do they not suffer from chain drop being parked outside the trail centre cafe all day 😉

Would suggest that folks having issues with dropping adjust the clutch on their Shimano mechs. Bit more friction on the clutch will help it out. Just done mine, as it was a little flappy – I think they’ll loosen a bit over time.

And as an added bonus, you get to marvel at how the clever folks at Shimano have built a little adjusting wrench into the design, and actually made it part of the structure of the clutch mechanism.

Of course, if you’re on SRAM, you just need to wait until it breaks.

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Tech-Tuesday-Inside-Shimanos-Shadow-Plus-Mech-and-How-To-Adjust-.html

davosaurusrex – Member

To counter all those suggesting that as they’ve never dropped a chain off a narrow wide and therefore those that have are ham fisted bodgers who have obviously borked the installation may I be the first to suggest that you all stop fannying around and let go of the bloody brakes?

8 minutes down the world cup track isn’t fast, but it’s not so bad on a hardtail with xc tyres on and a crash in the middle 😉

“I didn’t get any drop today, buy I’m an xc jeyboy.”
No you’re not!

Well, a pie eating jeyboy then.

I jusr fitted a Works Components 34t to my Slx double. The chainline is awful in the low gears (10?speed cassette) and falls down 3 sprockets whe back-pedaled. Was thinking longer chainring bolts with a spacer to move the ring slightly towards the center? I don’t want to ride it as it is and am waiting to hear from WC as to solutions. The chain also slightly catches the second smallest sprocket and skips a little (at the top of the cassette) when back pedaling. Any suggestions?

32 n/w with x9 rear mech. Dropped once on a rock garden, then i removed one more link and it’s been great. I did the 4 link overlap without the chain in the rear mech to get my chain length. Then took off another after riding for a day or so. That’s on a meta am

I jusr fitted a Works Components 34t to my Slx double. The chainline is awful in the low gears (10?speed cassette) and falls down 3 sprockets whe back-pedaled. Was thinking longer chainring bolts with a spacer to move the ring slightly towards the center? I don’t want to ride it as it is and am waiting to hear from WC as to solutions. The chain also slightly catches the second smallest sprocket and skips a little (at the top of the cassette) when back pedaling. Any suggestions?

Sounds like your hanger alignment is out too.

I jusr fitted a Works Components 34t to my Slx double. The chainline is awful in the low gears (10?speed cassette) and falls down 3 sprockets whe back-pedaled. Was thinking longer chainring bolts with a spacer to move the ring slightly towards the center? I don’t want to ride it as it is and am waiting to hear from WC as to solutions. The chain also slightly catches the second smallest sprocket and skips a little (at the top of the cassette) when back pedaling. Any suggestions?

Stop back pedalling… this is where most dropped chains will come from.

I did the 4 link overlap without the chain in the rear mech to get my chain length.

So what’s the guidance regarding chain length with 1×10 and narrow wide?

Anyone got a picture they can show me 🙂

I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one!

I’ve been chasing chain-drop problems around my 1×10 setup for the last couple of months – I now hope (pray) that it is at an end. I am running a Zee mech, so with a top guide on as well, I think I am close to the gold standard for chain security(!)

My initial problem was caused by a bent mech hanger. Straightened it out, but didn’t take into account the accelerated wear on the jockey wheels. What I think was happening was that a tiny amount of back-pedal would cause the lower jockey wheel to seize and thus move the mech cage – the resulting chain slack was then causing the chain to be able to bounce off the front ring.

I have popped a top guide on now and had not more chain drop problems, although it was getting a bit close again on my last ride (I could hear a problem). Turns out the two innermost bearings on my hope freehub had disintegrated to the point where the cassette had a noticeable wobble. Replaced the bearings and everything seems fine (although I have yet to ride it in anger).

On balance I think the narrow-wide still has my vote, but it is not the panacea that people make it out to be. The basics of decent drivetrain set-up still need some attention.

trickydisco – Member

So what’s the guidance regarding chain length with 1×10 and narrow wide?

Same as with anything else, do it properly- air out of shock, compress through travel. Anything else is a bodge.

Of course, if you’re on SRAM, you just need to wait until it breaks.

Nope, you can tighten the SRAM ones too, you pop the cap off the clutch pivot on the outside of the mech and tighten up the enormous (by bike standards) torx head that is revealed. Also quite easily possible to pull it all to bits to clean and grease for a less sticky action.

So what’s the guidance regarding chain length with 1×10 and narrow wide?

short as it’ll go in lowest gear at full shock compression.

short as it’ll go in lowest gear at full shock compression.

Cheers.. don’t need to worry about that as I ride a slackline HT 🙂

Mine started dropping the chain. I tightened the clutch a it did not fall off today. I ride dh drops and jumps but not too many rocks

I have 1×10 setup on my five with race face narrow wide and zee mech and haven’t dropped a chain since (circa 250 miles) in Lakes with variety of terrain inc drops, rocks, steps etc.

Recently added a hope T-Rex 40t expander to my setup and introduced another couple of links but still no issues on two most recent rides on same sort of terrain. No need for a chain device IMO

No need for a chain device IMO

I think I might agree on balance, but I’ve chased my chain drop issues around so much that I kind of put the device on mine in a bit of a daze. A bit of extra security can’t hurt, though.

Interestingly I have never had too much trouble with chain dropping on anything involving bigger rocks or jumps or what people might consider to be ‘aggressive’ riding or terrain.

The worst thing for me has always been higher speed stuff involving stuttery bumps, roots in particular. I find that sort of trail rattles the chain at just the right frequency to make it drop more than any other stuff.

Anyway, I’m hoping it is solved for me now. I can’t afford a Rohloff or an Alfine!

Fixed mine 🙂

Narrow wide for sale £28

Sounds like your hanger alignment is out too.

It’s straight and true and the mech is a brand new sg slx on a hardtail and the cassette and chain are fairly new also. I think the problem is more to do with chainring spacing on the slx double cranks. The Shimano rings are also slightly raked inwards where the WC ring is pretty flat. I sent an email to Works Components a couple of days ago but not heard back yet.
As for the back pedaling it wasn’t while riding but checking the indexing of the new setup. I’m not riding it as it is that is for sure. The wear rate would be ridiculous. I think it needs longer chainring bolts with spacers to centre the ring but by how much?

You would need 2.5mm spacers for correct chainline on a double chainset.

short as it’ll go in lowest gear at full shock compression.

just as a matter of interest do any suspension designs get reduce effective chainstay length as the shock compresses?

I’ve just swapped over one of the spacers on the bottom bracket. It’s now two on the left and one on the right. The chain line looks and sounds much better in bottom and top doesn’t seem affected. Thanks for the tip. Will see how it runs on Friday.
I’m running Raceface NW, Shimano XT cassette with 17 removed and Wolftooth 42 added.

just as a matter of interest do any suspension designs get reduce effective chainstay length as the shock compresses?

They vary quite a lot – shortest is often around the sag point, not zero compression. Likewise longest isn’t always at full travel by any means!