What kind of chain guide is everyone using?

[boingboing]

I have a Specialized Big Hit and I am switching my front gear from a 44 to a 32 ( I run a single gear). Wonderin what everyone is using for chain guides and If there is a better online store out there. I have been looking around in Bikeman, pricepoint, and nashbar. I figure I have got the whole winter to shop around so why not take advantage of it. John

[narlus]

evil/e13, is there any other choice? ;D

actually, i've used MRP and blackspire as well. the blackspire is not so bad, but i'd thrown a couple of chains w/ the MRP and the bash ring is like an aluminum pie plate.

but the last 3 guides i've bought have been evil/e13.

[CouchingTiger]

My wife is using the E13. Setup is a nightmare on them but has worked fine all last season DHing. I use an MRP with an E13 bash guard. Sweet setup. Adjustment is cake as is the initial install.

-Couch

[narlus]

i wouldn't say set up is a nightmare, but there is trial and error involved. for the record, i did my 1st install w/ the rig as Couch's wife bike (giant dh frame, RF north shore cranks). it took a bit to sort out what spacer i needed, but wasn't all that bad. the evil went on teh imperial like they were made for each other. oh wait, maybe they were! :)

[Dawgee]

I also have an Evil e 13 chain guide on my V10 what a pain that was to install but well worth it. If you want a challenge install one on a V10 .

[narlus]

just curious as to what makes the install so difficult, esp as compared to other chain guides.

from my experience, it's just a matter of figuring out which way to put the silver plate over the bb cup (if you are not using ISCG tabs), and then how many spacers to use when attaching the inner boomerang to the silver plate, so that you don't get any rub. rotate so that the lower roller is nice and tight to the chainstay, adjust the top slider position, and you are done. to get the spacing right you might have to take the cranks on and off a few times, but that's not so difficult.

am i missing something? ???

[boingboing]

I never realized the mrp plates were so flimsy. Pie plates? LOL. I forget where I read that in a review. Isn't the e13 the one with the 1/4" thick plastic outer guide/bash ring? I figured that would snap from overtightning the ring bolts let alone hitting it crossing rocks :-\. The last one I was using was an mrp imitation I found on ebay for 10 bucks. I had to take it to work and machine it down to make it small enough to accomodate a 32t ring and cold form the hell out of it to get the rollers to sit in the right spot. Oh had to remount the rollers to. with a salsa bash ring on the outside it worked like a champ. Only problem was all of that altering weakened it. It only lasted the summer and broke in the fall. :'( I was looking at the older truvativ one with upper and lower rollers. they were adjustable via slots on the boomerang to go from what looks like 32 to 48t rings. It looks like all they are making is that boxguide for running 2 front rings. John

[narlus]

the evil bash guards are anything BUT flimsy. makralon, not plastic. burly, light, what else is there to worry about?

seriously, you'd probably strip yr bb threads before cracking the bash guard if you really smoked it on something.

[Mt.A TODD]

I'm with Narlus on this one. My Evil STS Urban chain guide with a 36t ring was super easy to install! Originally I had a Azonic ring on it when installing but noticed right away that the ring was to thick causing the chain to dig into the black plastic back plate, I had a Salsa ring on hand which was noticeably thinner, and that did the trick. It was wicked easy to set up. No problems what so ever once I had the Salsa ring on it. The whole guide is super quiet when pedaling, and I love the super slick and durable bash ring. I highly recommend the EVIL guide over all the others.

[CouchingTiger]

Oh yea, I forgot, on my Super8 spare DH rig I'm running a home made jobbie. I used a BB mount boomerag from an old Giant guide that I cut up and shortened. The roller mount is now closer to work w/ a 34 tooth and the upper guide is a handmade piece oh plastic that bolts to the boomerang. The bashring is a Kooka saw-blade/tooth style.

Works perfect and cost nada.

-Couch

[Dawgee]

The only reason i thought it was a pain is because i needed a longer BB spindle and i followed Evils instructions. Once i got the new BB and removed 2 of the 3 spacers they told me to use it was a piece of cake.

[narlus]

i'd highly recommend using blackspire DH chainrings w/ the evil guides. non-ramped, not too thick, work very well.

yeah, the spacer trial-and-error can be a bit frustrating, and i've heard of people needing to use bb spacers too (i guess they are similar to headset spacers, although i've never used or seen one).

[boingboing]

Are those microlon sliders as quiet as rollers used on other guides. I ran a mr dirt when I was using a large ring and man that racket. Makes me crazy. The chain line was dead on and it was still like taping a baseball card to the fork to get that mtotrcycle sound.

i'd highly recommend using blackspire DH chainrings

Where are you getting your Black Spire. I put Race Face rings on cause thats what was in stock at Cycle Loft, but i feel a need for steel.

[narlus]

as far as i know, the blackspire rings are alloy too. i get mine from go-ride.com, good mail order place.

the makrolon is the material of the bash guard, not the roller or slider. the bottom roller is just a standard plastic pulley wheel w/ a pressed-in bearing, and the top guide is also plastic. not sure what kind. it's pretty quiet, but you can get a bit of noise depending on chainline.

if you've got specific set up questions, email the support @ e13/evil. weagle is good at getting back to people.

[narlus]

just put an evil guide on the wife's 222....needed to grind the inner chainring tabs a bit on the race face north shore cranks to get it to spin freely and have good alignment.

works like a charm now.

[boingboing]

Ended up ging with the mrp mini me. It was about 50 bucks cheaper than the Evil and I like the rollers, they are nice and quiet. I was concerned about the sliders on the evil making noise and wearing out. I have a Mr dirt that I use when running larger gears and the thing is soo loud. Makes me insane. Thanks for all the input folks. Boing