Forum menu
Currently putting together my new frame which can only be used with a single ring up front (Kona Honzo).
I've bought a cheapy Superstar BB mounted chain device (£16.99) but before the chain is actually on the bike it already looks ugly and doesn't seem to sit right to me. The full Honzo's come with an E13 LS1 device that also has a bottom roller but they are pretty expensive and i'm confused over OLD ISCG and '05 ISCG options when i look on CRC etc. I have ISCG tabs but don't know if they are all standard?
Originally i just wanted a single ring and bashguard (simply because i prefer the look compared to ring on its own).
So.... Could i just use a bashguard and then one of the Ngear Jumpstops which are both cheaper and far less bulky?
My mate runs 1x9/10 without any type of chain device but the consensus on here seems to be you need something up front to keep the chain on.
Any info gratefully received, Cheers.
I have the bashguard + ngear jumpstop set up and it works really well, doesn't clog with mud and it isn't outrageously ugly (unlike most other solutions).
I ran without the jumpstop for a while and dropped the chain a few times despite having the chain arguably too short (and therefore quite a bit of tension).
[img] http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQrxuwoDHQzaFWhawZpsclgHaYZhE_jn8-kocBYjnGuv4smmASwyw [/img]
I currently run a bashguard, N Gear jump stop and an unramped ring and never had it drop. Did run with a standard Deore middle ring for a while, and droppped the chain a few times, but when i went to a unramped ring (SS) has never dropped since.
If you want a look at my set up let me know.
I got the same chain guide and found it fine with my 1 x 10!
I was even thinking not using a chain devise, but finished up getting one. They are not the prettiest of things but when set up over the chain ring, it looks ok.
Here it is.
[img] 
[/img]
Cheers guys.
SSSimon - any chance of a link to that diagram as i can't read the numbers when i enlarge the screen.
tk46hal - that reassures me a bit, cheers, i was just a bit confused as the other chain devices seem to have a cage that follows the contour of the chainring but the SS one seemed too far away at the 'thin' end of the cage. I'm guessing in practise it works fine though and isn't too noisy?
Boz - i remembered that you used a jump stop which is why i thought of it. I was going to use the existing middle ring off my new xt cranks but is it wiser to ditch the ramped chainring for a specific SS one?
It certainly made a difference for me, the SS ring teeth are obviously taller and holds the chain much beeter. Not had a chain drop since i fitted it, i use a On One stainless ring as it was cheap at the time.
As i said if you want a look and see how my bike is set up with 1 x 9 let me know and i can pop round as im local.
Mr Tall,
There is no noise from the chain devise, none at all! When set up, the chain just misses it and the devise sit over the top of the chain ring. If the chain does try and jump off, then the devise will prevent this from happening.
Firstly on your current double or triple setup does the chain come when riding. If it does not then it probably won't running 1x9/10. Chains can come when peddeling backwards or lifting the bike but I have never found a chain coming of when pedaling. Do you suffer from chain suck, if not then you may not need a extra tensioner.
I ride single speeds mostly. When my Orange Evo2 was bought is was a 3x9, that soon became 2x9 and then 1x9 as bits wore/broke/bent. I rode for some time as a 1x9 without a chain guide and never found the chain coming of with a 9 speed ring. I ride mostly in Thetford Forest as hard as that place allows. When it was single speeded it was set up by a shop many years ago then fitted a single speed chain ring, chain guide and chain device with a roller for tension. Many years later I have opened my own shop and I rebuild this bike and removed the chain guide and tensioner as it stopped tensioning the chain. I found the magic gear in minutes just using my noggin. Now I use a 34T TA 9 speed "ramped" chain ring with no tensioner or guide with a 16T rear cog and the chain has never jumped off in the abuse I give it around Thetford or Cannock. Although this is single speed and has perfect chain line. I have two single speeds and the other has no guide either and the chain stays on that one too. I do ride mostly XC though.
If I was doing a 1x9/10 setup for a customer I would use a SS specific ring for the extra teeth height. If there riding is hard enough then I might consider a chain guide. I would a BB mounted tensioner if chain suck is an issue or I felt the riding style needed one, i.e downhilling.
I suggest using a SS specific ring and build it up with no extra tensioner or guide, just ensure you have correct chain length, and see how you get on. If you find chain suck fit a tensioner, if the chain does want to leave then think about a guide. Why spend more than you have to.
The E13 devices are very easy to setup and are probably the ones to get but with guide and tensioner they have a fair bit of resistance as the chain runs over the rollers so if you downhill I suspect this not a big issue but if you XC or pedal up hills/mountains then this extra resistance would quite literally become quite a drag.