Narrow/Wide chainring with no clutch mech – Pleasantly surprised!

My LBS (Goldtec) lent me one of their XX1 style chainrings to try out and see how well it coped without a clutch mech. I bolted it to my XC race bike (didn’t shorten the chain to match as it was only temporary) and headed off to Llandegla expecting to spend most of the day putting the chain back on.

It did fall off, but only once! That was on a smoothish bit of trail where I landed a jump and immediately back pedalled to lean into a corner. All the rockier stuff (e.g. the section just after the blue splits off after the long first climb) where I’ve had chains fall off before passed without issue. I Strava’d my way to 3rd overall on the first black descent and 6th overall on the newer black B-Line section near the end so wasn’t hanging around either.

I did another local ride last night (fast XC stuff, no major rocky bits but some fast descents with roots, lots of steps and a downhill sprint across a ploughed field!) and it didn’t miss a beat all ride. Having messed around with various chain devices over the years, I’d say this was perhaps just as successful as using a proper device, but much better looking!

I have begrudgingly bit the bullet and ordered a clutch mech, but only because I don’t want to worry about dropping a chain during an XC race. If you just ride casually with mates, I’d definitely recommend giving it a go!

awesome aren’t they! and much much much quieter than running any kind of chainguide which is a nice bonus

I did it the other way round last night. Waiting for my N/W Raceface ring to arrive so ran clutch mech with normal chainring. No drop of chain on a ride which included a fair bit of rocky DH and 99 steps..

My NW 30T raceface has just been dispatched from will wiggle 🙂

e13/mrp must be hating this!

also is XX1/ X01 redundant now you can get the 30T narrow wide from raceface?

kimbers – Member

also is XX1/ X01 redundant now you can get the 30T narrow wide from raceface?

Still got the benefit of the wide range but aye, takes away half the reason.

I Strava’d my way to 3rd overall on the first black descent and 6th overall on the newer black B-Line section near the end so wasn’t hanging around either.

yeaaaaaaahhh Bro! go you

yeaaaaaaahhh Bro! go you

*Sarcasm detector is struggling*

These narrow wide / thick thin tooth rings have changed the way people will be running bikes for sure..

Still not lost a chain on my Works one either, expected it to be funny in the mud maybe but no…. £35.00 for a more quiet, reliable drive-train = win! 🙂

Nah, XX1 is definitely not redundant, but the choice of 30t 104BCD, and 28t direct mount rings gives people more of a choice when going 1x without having to spend a small fortune.

My 30t Wolf Tooth ring is a revelation.

how do the ratios compare between xx1 and
(is xx1 32 teeth?)

11-36 + 30t

30T ordered today, intrigued to see how it goes

greeble – Member

yeaaaaaaahhh Bro! go you

I guess I was asking for that!

But I did think it might be useful to include, otherwise I could have gone for a pootle down the canal and tried to amaze you all at the chain not falling off.

Where are you guys getting the 30t rings from?

Works Components are not listing 30t and the Raceface one seems out of stock until late September on all of the sites I have checked?

(I am not ordering one from wolf tooth – I am not paying over £60 for a ring!)

kimbers – Member
how do the ratios compare between xx1 and
(is xx1 32 teeth?)

11-36 + 30t

A friend has XX1 with 32 front (smaller is available) and the 42t on the rear.

It seemed to compare similarly with my XT double (26t front, 36t rear), so if you got for a 30t front and 36t rear you should be OK for almost anything except long fast road sections!

Why the excitement about 30T rings?
Is it so that you can use a low range cassette?
I have a 34T front and 11-36 rear. I take it a 30T wouldn’t be in my interest?

yes wrecker I like my 1×10 setup but struggle massively on long steep climbs, (ive actually got 10-36 and a 34t)

I found it very hard at the rough ride this year

profile is at the bottom of this page (not my blog)
http://www.composite-projects.co.uk/2013/06/the-torq-rough-ride-2013/

fwiw reckon id get a bit frustrated spinning out on fast descents with 30t but id live with it!

Just what I was gonna ask WRecker.

Doesn’t 30t with 11-36 spin-out a bit easy?

What about a 32T?
Would you not lose quite a bit of top end speed at 30 – 10?
Sorry, I’m not too clued up on gear ratios etc.

Why the excitement about 30T rings?

Simply that many folk find 32/36 a little much for their lowest gear if they live somewhere hilly or aren’t all that fit.

Crc has black 30t in stock. Havent fitted mine yet though.

Simply that many folk find 32/36 a little much for their lowest gear if they live somewhere hilly or aren’t all that fit.

Fair enough.

Doesn’t 30t with 11-36 spin-out a bit easy?

Depends what you are riding. If all your riding is steep techy up followed by steep techy down 30 or 32 to 11 is probably fine the vast majority of the time.

Righto, just checking there wasn’t some other development I was unaware of.

I’ve been riding 32t front with 11-36 cassette and it’s quite hilly here.

A 30t chainring would make the climbs that little bit easier, especially in the damper months, but I’m already spinning out a bit on more pedally sections.

Will keep my fingers crossed for wider-ratio 10 speed cassettes.

Hope are allegedly working on a 10-36 cassette (they said 9-36 originally)

with 10-36 and a 30t I think Id be happy

I shall be joining the ‘revolution’ soon.

When I bought my new frame I had to change the back plate of my E13 guide from old ISCG to ISCG05 and it doesn’t seem to work very well with my Race Face cranks. The result is the none drive side spacer being moved to the drive side and a poor chainline.

I’m therefore planning to get a narrow/wide ring, clutch mech and a top mounted guide (direct mount). Hopefully I’ll get a better chainline and a quiter drive train too.

I’ve ridden Llandegla well in to double-figures and can’t remember losing the chain once.

I use neither a clutch nor a thick/thin thingy.

Where are you on the Strava rankings though?

😉

On my 29er I found that I was struggling on longer climbs (e.g. around the Long Mynd) even with 26t front 36t rear. Although i’m only light so that probably doesn’t help the power!

Going to man up and use a 32t chainring for a bit and see how I go.

I run the usual 2×10 with 26/ 38 up front and 11-36t cassette.
I find the most useful gear for my type of riding/ fitness is 38 up front and 32t on the cassette but that obviously gives a pretty poor chainline. If I change down to the 26 chainring and the appropriate gear on the back the chain becomes pretty slack and noisy.
so 30t or 32t chainring when I go 1×10?

profile is at the bottom of this page (not my blog)
http://www.composite-projects.co.uk/2013/06/the-torq-rough-ride-2013/

That’s my blog! 🙂

Anyway did Cannock with 36 front (I have granny but didn’t use it) & 11-36 this week and found it quite comfortable, if I can do coed y brenin next week with no granny then I might change my Five to 1 up front for good and look at the raceface rings. Would be nice to be able to drop the front mech, chain device and front shifter.

Got 30t for the heavier FS it’d be too low for the HT race bike

One thing I will say: WTF. 44quid for a chainring. One wet/gritty spell and it/the chain will need changing.

I’ll wait for others to enter the market. I normally shop around until I find a 12quid jobby 🙂

I’d pay 20ish for this

32T with an SLX 11-36 Cassette works well for me so far, and so so much quieter with the clutch rear mech.

One thing I will say: WTF. 44quid for a chainring. One wet/gritty spell and it/the chain will need changing.

It’s not gritty in the NWAlps though, muddy & rooty here + £39 & a nice discount voucher means it’s better value for money

**** of with your willy waving 🙂

Kimbers, did you say you had a 10-36 cassette…. where did you get it from?

I am still thinking a 32t matched to a general lee converter on my 29er but it is a close run thing as i am pretty much at max with a 26/34 and a 11-36, the local hills tend to be straight up affairs.

As for checking out ratios

http://www.bikecalc.com/gear_inches

hora – Member

**** of with your willy waving

as long as it doesn’t get caught in the chainring

Can you run a 10spd cassette with a 9speed mech?

No.