I have gone 1*10 on my full suss and I want some chain retention. I have a clutch mech but a non NW chainring. What kind of guide would you recommend?

I can fit a direct mount or icgs 05 one. My old gamut guide is a bit tired and I think it’s for a 36t+ chain ring. I want to run a 32t.

Any suggestions?

I’ll recommend the one I’m selling….MRP AMG Guide. It’s light, top retention and a light bottom guard. Mines the ISCG 05 version and can adjust between 28-34t chainrings.

Gamut P20/P30 (depending on chainring size). Without question the best chainguide I’ve used. Silent and maintenance free.

Just don’t buy the official replacement nitrile rings for the lower guide, they are an abysmal rip-off. Just measure them and get the closest match off ebay.

The only reason I’d fit a guide, and it would be a nice simple top guide, would be for racing enduros. I’ve never lost the chain on 1×10, except on the odd occasion where I’ve forgot to flick on the clutch (stage 1 at last years ard Rock frinstance!)

I had a P20 on my old Dh bike. I think I have the p30 now and it’s a bit big!

What top guide would you recommend?

I bought a specialized enduro small top guide off eBay for a bargain £9. I was also looking at the one up chain guide. Doesn’t need to be big and fancy with a clutch mech and NW (if you had one).

I dropped the chain a few times so just bashed a top guide on, literally weights next to nothing so why not.

MRP AMG for me.
Looking at the state the bash guard is in, I’m glad I went for this option.

Get a narrow wide first! They’re more effective than any top-only guide and better than many top-and-bottom guides, with no weight penalty, noise or drag. Cheaper too. It really doesn’t make much sense to go to chainguides without doing this first.

If you want to add a little more retention on top of that then there’s some very dinky guides out there now, such as the Shovel and Oneup options- they weigh nowt, they don’t drag or anything, they just put the tiny extra bit of control on. I have a Shovel which I fit for races and uplifts etc, I don’t feel any need day to day. (even then, it’s mostly for crashes if I’m honest)

Yep fir NW ring first then see if you have a problem

Chainguides.

I’ve only used three:

Basic superstar top guide = good.

MRP ‘minimalist’ top guide = utter shite and the cheesium bolt heads just pissed me off even more.

Superstar top guide with bottom roller = brilliant.

Chainguides and brakepads are one area (in my experience)that superstar really are as good as if not better than the rest – for the money they definitely are.

The superstar top guide’s alright. Backplate is too flexy though and the cage isn’t quite the right shape. But these are criticisms for most top only guides really. Main thing is, it’s less good at keeping the chain on than a narrow/wide. And once you have a narrow/wide you probably don’t need a full top guide, most people won’t bother with a guide at all but if you want one a little one will do the job fine. Oldschool big top guides are obsolete imo. Top and bottom still has a place.

E13 XCX top guide is what you need. And what I happen be selling! Mounts to the seat tube and looks like a front mech through squinted eyes.

My Absolute Black nw has started shedding the chain so I got one of these.
ISCG05 and £12!!
Job jobbed

Rorschach – does that one run silently? No drag?

In the end I went for a Superstar NW chain ring and got an MRP AMG guide.

Went for the AMG as it has a taco bash too and my frame has a low BB so figure its better to be safe than sorry.

Hopefully no dropped chains for the Macavalanche now!