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My local trails sometimes have logs of various sizes crossing the trail that I like to bunnyhop or ride over if possible. However I tend to avoid the larger obstacles because I don’t have a bash guard on my bike and I am concerned about breaking my chain and/or bending my front chainring. I have never run a bash guard before and I noticed that there are different varieties and I was wondering what type I’d like best. The first option out there seems to be bash guards that look like chainrings that bolt on to your crank. The other variety I’ve seen mount directly to ICGS tabs on your frame. My bike frame has the ICGS05 tabs so either option is a possibility. I have a 1×11 drivetrain with a clutch rear derailleur so I don’t necessarily need anything that offers a chain guide but just need something lightweight and tough to be a good bash guard. Anyone have any recommendations on advantages/disadvantages of different styles of bashguards?
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A lot of people (myself included) don’t run baseguards with a 1x drivetrain because the chain itself is always covering (and protecting) the chainring. I smack my ring on logs and rocks all. the. time. and haven’t had any problems. Before I went 1x, I would chew through teeth on my chainring pretty regularly.
Now, you do raise an interesting point that maybe the chain itself should be protected? Again, I haven’t had any problems with a bent chain or broken links due to a bash, but maybe it’s something to think about.
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I’m a fan of the Taco style guards likely cause Mexican food is REALLY good after a big ride.
In other words, don’t think it matters much, just personal preference. I will say tho that plastic slides over a rock better than aluminum.
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I will say on my trail bikes i dont run one, but on my downhill i run the mrp g3 chain guide. It works very well and they have either steel or carbon to cut down on some of the weight. Just to be clear it is a chain guide but does have a bash guard at the bottom
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Thank you for the recommendations everybody. I’m thinking maybe I’ll just have to go for it on some of these logs/obstacles and not worry too much about it and see what happens. If it seems like chainrings on 1x drivetrains can take the abuse since the chain is “protecting” it then maybe there’s no big issue. I always carry a spare chain quick link so I suppose if my chain broke I could repair that without too much trouble anyway.
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+1 on the taco style bashguards, like this one: http://www.jensonusa.com/MRP-XCG-Bashguard
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I had planned on using a ICGS05 tabs style guard, but my bike is not compatible,, so I went with a bash ring
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@JoshHilzendeger: “Thank you for the recommendations everybody. I’m thinking maybe I’ll just have to go for it on some of these logs/obstacles and not worry too much about it and see what happens. If it seems like chainrings on 1x drivetrains can take the abuse since the chain is “protecting” it then maybe there’s no big issue. I always carry a spare chain quick link so I suppose if my chain broke I could repair that without too much trouble anyway.”
I have ran bash guards since ’00. The advent of 1X drivetrains and narrow/wide has not diminished their necessity for me. On the contrary, it has increased it. I have seen multiple riders bend and break 1X chainrings over the last few years. Chains are narrower and we are asking our chain rings and chains to support our weight not to mention blunt impact from rocks and logs. It’s a recipe for a bummer.
If you have a standard crankset with a 104 BCD, this is the least expensive and simplest route. You can even find them for less on eBay. They are virtually indestructible, but worse case scenario, they’re a helluva lot less expensive to replace than a chainring and chain. Furthermore, you will not endure the inevitable walk of shame that will arise from a bent chainring. Finally, they add a modicum of security to your chain’s retention.
If a taco guide is more to your liking then I suggest to keep it simple. MRP have been in the game forever and I’ve ran several of the chain guide/bash guard combos over the years. I will be employing one soon on my new rig.
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Another consideration is that with a 2x setup, you can at least finish the ride on your granny ring if the big ring gets damaged. No such option on a 1x.
With that said, I’ve never damaged a chainring or chain from rock strikes, but I just installed a OneUp bash guard just so I don’t have to cringe every time I land on a rock. The OneUp guard has a chain guide on it which I don’t really need, but instead of ditching it I left it on because, eh, why not. It’s green and matches my bike.
Ivan
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Big fan of OneUp chain guide. Run this on all my bikes. Protects your chain/chainring and keeps the chain on.
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