Chain Device – 1×9 setup

Hi all.

I’m changing to a 1×9 setup and need some thoughts on a chain device.

I’ve looked about and found devices from MRP (1x) and Superstar (XCR SingleRing) or (Plasma upper guide and lower jockey wheel)

I’m just wondering whether i can get away with a single guide, and whether an upper and lower guide will be overkill.

I don’t ride anything exactly mountainous, mainly around Thetford Red and Black.

What are peoples thoughts. What devices do you 1×9 guys run?

If you get a SS or DH ring you are more likely to be able to get away with just the upper guide.

I’d say 1X/XCR on a hardtail or full guide on a full sus.

I recently fitted an E13 top-only guide to my HT, and I have a Blackspire DH chain ring. Chain seems to be staying on OK so far, but then it stayed on OK most of the time just using an old front derailler.

Next to try it on something very fast and bumpy.

I’m using a Superstar one on my rigid, it’s been fine so far… The chain can come off if I backpedal, and does come off quite often when I’m off the bike (ie lifting over gates etc) but I can’t think of any time it’s done it while riding. This despite me breaking a bit off by being a knob 😳 It’s pretty good. Could be more adjustable- actually they’ve missed a trick by not having spacers between the guide and bracket- but it’s a nice wee bit of kit and exactly what I needed.

my advice is get the xcx-st – bigger degree of adjustment, simpler to set up, and you dont have to remove the bb to fit it

M12nte,
been running 1×9 round Thetford for about a year now, firstly on my Cube with an MRP 1x guide, and then more recently been using the plastic part of the MRP with a home made mount on my On On whippet, never had any problems with the chain coming off, or getting jammed, and as Thetford is flat, you can get away with running a 38 chainring with an 11/34 cassette.

M12nte,
been running 1×9 round Thetford for about a year now, firstly on my Cube with an MRP 1x guide, and then more recently been using the plastic part of the MRP with a home made mount on my On On whippet, never had any problems with the chain coming off, or getting jammed, and as Thetford is flat, you can get away with running a 38 chainring with an 11/34 cassette.

Thanks for all the info guys.

Stylish – Thanks for the heads up. Good to hear from someone who rides the same trails. Think i’ll try the single guide first, see if that works for me.

Did think about a 38 ring, but thought i’d go for the 36 to be on the safe side!

36 would be a safe bet, keep thinking about it myself, i often find that unless i am climbing out of one of the many bomo holes, i only really use the bottom 5 gears on the cassette.

there is a shop in Bury st Edmunds that has the MRP guide in stock,
and i think they are in the sale too! (Revel Outdoors)

Also consider if you want a chain guide with protection for the chainring…ie a taco-guard?

By sounds of it you’re not going to be ramming into rock gardens and rough terrain on your typical rides so it might not be an issue but my only personal concern with some of the XC top-only models is the lack of chain ring protection (and they look as though they might not be fantstically compatible with traditional bash rings either?)

I think the answer here is that if you need a lower guide for your old setup – 2×9 or 3×9 – then you’ll need one for this new 1×9 setup.

If you never saw the point in it then don’t bother.

I personally go with a lower guide – I like to know for sure that my chain is on there before I crank the pedals – you’ll still lose weight over a 2×9 setup with the lower roller, just not as much!