Forum menu
Love mine - and as it's just a sprag bearing with a band brake around it, it's easily adjustable and should last pretty well I'd have thought. They seem fairly well sealed, unlike the jockey wheel bearings... 🙂
They're great but not magic unless my 2 aren't set up properly.
Slap against chainstay is eliminated, slap against the front mech cage is still there on rough stuff. Don't see how tensioning the bottom run of the chain can stop the top run of the chain moving from side to side.
As a result bumpy descents still generate clattering 🙁
There isn't much you can do about the front mech noise, as its generally side to side chain slap that causes it.
The only real solution is to man up and ditch the front mech. You will still get some chain noise, and slap into the spokes etc, but generally it's a lot quieter.
As an early adopter, I've had a Saint clutch mech over 12 months now, and its looking a bit worse for wear, but there has been a lot of riding, racing DH & enduro's, 3 weeks in the Alps including the Mega & a minging winter. All cosmetic though. I took it apart and get it a clean & regrease inside, but otherwise no issues at all.
I have had a couple for a while and they do seem to get through jockey wheel bearings more quickly. Not surprising with the increased loads/tension the jockey wheels are under.
Still well worth it. Simple/cheap real world improvement.
2x10 and before that 3x9; 3x8; 3x7 and started with 2x5...
Single chainring with a mech does make more sense now you have mentioned it, but again, the bikes I've seen with a single up front (a grand total of about 3), never lost the chain...but I suspect they had some sort of chain device.