Swapping from SS to 1×10 whilst my fitness is in the doldrums.

I already have a box full of part worn chainrings in various sizes, so loath to pay for a new one unececeraly (especialy at double a ‘normal’ price). Bike won’t take a front mech as theres no cable stop, so a double’s out otherwise that’d be the prefered option.

The bikes used for everything from XC to XC.

Something like this?

Narrow wide ring.

Narrow wide all the way.

Just come from 1×9 with a superstar chain device on my soul to 1×10 with clutch mech and thick/ thin on my new Solaris

The cheaper 1×9 option works fine – harder to set up the guide in the right place and if the chain does come off things can get jammed up

Thick thin and clutch is a lot better – but your cheaper option will be fine too

Anyone tried any of the various 30t N-W rings? At least it wouldn’t be just another 32t ring for the spares box.

I’d run both, if it were me, for the sake of a 50g guide.

I’m running a N/W with an XO1 mech, for the most part it’s been fine, it’s not perfect though, I’ve lost the chain maybe 5 or 6 times in total (twice yesterday when DH racing!), and that’s with the top half of an E13 SRS+ and a bashring.

I’m almost thinking the bottom part of the guide is more important than the top, as that’s where all the chain movement it occurring.

Anyone tried any of the various 30t N-W rings? At least it wouldn’t be just another 32t ring for the spares box.

Or you could go 34t 🙂

that looks like a very similar chain device to the superstar version. if so, avoid. utter shite.

32t, 33t(stainless), 34t, 36t and 38t (middleburn DH) all accounted for!

I’d run both, if it were me, for the sake of a 50g guide.

Tempted by this philosophy, stick the guide on, if the chain falls off the botom get a N-W ring as well. I imagine I’ll probably use the guide on a more ‘gnarcore-lite-XC’ bike in the future anyway.

that looks like a very similar chain device to the superstar version. if so, avoid. utter shite.

Just been and looked, it’s the same as the new seatube mounted version.

The old seatube version was the same as the BB mounted version, but with a different mount, which meant it flexted and broke. I’m guessing this new one is better as it’s smaller and less distance from the mount, so stiffer? I had no problems with a superstar style BB mounted one from another brand, so i think it’s just the leverage.

I’ve a strict no superstar philosophy, some of their stuff maybe good, but their customer service was crap so I’m having nothign to do with them.

it looks to me like that post the guide is mounted on is only held by a single grub screw, which doesn’t hold it.

A 30 NW ring on a 36t cassette is the equivalent of about a 22t granny ring with a 26t sprocket, so quite close to what was the 2nd lowest gear on my old triple nine 32t setup; probably as low as I’m ever likely to need, is a bit spinny on flat tarmac though.
1 by 10 with NW and clutch mech is just great; no rattling on descents and no dropped chains.

I have NW 32t on one bike and standard 32t + top guide (e13) on the other one. Both setups work fine – I’ve lost the chain a couple of times with the standard + top guide – always doing something weird like rolling backwards or starting from a standstill – never ‘just riding along’. I have only once lost the chain with the NW after a crash in the thickest, gloopiest mud caking the drivetrain.

If I was designing a drivetrain, I’d definitely go NW + no guide – IME the guide is simply unnecessary. But if you’ve already got the bits for a setup that will work fine, you have to work out whether you want to pay for a NW.

I’d say narrow wide, but if you want one of those gusset devices I have one knocking around somewhere you can borrow / have.

And get a clutch mech. Which is the best of all the three potential solutions.

+1 NW

I also run a jumpstop on the inside but I suspect it is unnecessary.

I think you’d have to be mental, absolutely mental not to go narrow/wide, that’s how much better it is. Clutch mech is a bonus but a narrow/wide and no clutch works better than a top chain device and a clutch combined (let alone a joke chain device like that pictured- if you must go chain device, fit a proper one)